DAVID FARRELL - 250 SENIOR MATCHES - ALL IN FIRSTS
When the legendary Don Whitten finished his career with Toc, many thought that his feat of 150 senior games, with no reserves games, would never be beaten. However, on Saturday 6th May 2017, David Farrell notched up his 250th senior game, without ever playing in the reserves.
Tocumwal Football Netball Club has had some wonderful servants over its 126 year history and David Farrell, who played his 250th first match for the club, is right up there amongst the best of them.
David's career has included 3 x grand finals (one of which was the 2009 premiership) and Murray League captaincy - a great career.
How do you define greatness in a footy player? Longevity, durability, toughness, ability to lift teammates, loyalty and consistency. What about playing ability?
You don't play 250 firsts matches and not one reserves match unless you are pretty good at what you do. David Farrell was and is pretty good at what he does!! He has all the qualities in abundance listed above.
The next best in the club is legendary Don Whitten, who played 150 firsts matches without playing in the midday fixture. That's how good David Farrell was and is!
One observer noted that at his best he was a dynamic, turn of speed player - similar to a Chris Judd for his ability to break the lines. Not a bad rap!!
That doesn't mention his fearsome attack on the football and fierce tackling that made him one of the best defenders in the Murray League in his prime.
So good that he captained the Murray League in three matches in 2006.
Like all Tocumwal kids, he bided his time playing soccer until he was 11 when he was then allowed to join the fourths in 1993 then graduated to thirds a few years later. He played 35 fourths and 31 thirds matches for a grand total of 315 matches in the red and white.
He was selected as a 15 year old to play his first senior game in 1998 and has been there ever since. He represented NSW in Under 16's in 1999.
He had a couple of stints away from the club, firstly to Labrador in Queensland for half a season in 2005. He reckons, tongue firmly in cheek, that it was the return of himself and Sam Boake mid season which lifted the Bloods from second last to a grand final appearance. Tocumwal under Leon Higgins, had the improbable task of having to win their final nine matches to just finish fifth, which they did, then marched through the finals to the grand final decider.
David was Tocumwal's best player in the grand final loss to the undefeated Nathalia. At full-back he held the leading goal kicker (Brendan Parker with over 100 goals for the season) to 3 goals - 2 of which were downfield free kicks.
He also spent a year at Oak Park with Boake in 2008 before returning home where he has been ever since.
He was also one of the best players in the 2003 grand final loss to the undefeated Deniliquin, then the highlight of his career was the 2009 premiership victory over Moama. By his own admission he says he did not have a great game but he still joins an elite few Tocumwal players to have a premiership medallion around his neck.
The following years were tough as the Bloods struggled to be competitive in the Murray League and he was front and centre of the club's struggles on and off the field, having joined the club committee in 2009, where he remains today, occupying the senior vice-president position.
He says the club's decision to leave the Murray League was about survival and the current Picola League set up is a good fit for the club.
He is bullish about the Bloods this year with the return of a few veterans in Boake, Darren Atkinson and Lee Warnett plus a few other recruits and would like nothing better to share a flag with a couple of mates who he played with in the losing grand finals. He reckons that at 35 years of age that would be as good a way to go out as any!
He is also rapt that the future of the club looks good with the fourths taking all before them so far this season.
He rates Atkinson as the best coach he played under - he was a tough taskmaster who you played for and did not want to let down. He also enjoyed playing under Leon Higgins and says it was a wonderful ride on the way to the 2005 decider. Stuart Roe as premiership coach as well as club president in 2009 was also highly regarded.
He also says the coaching and advice he received from Neville Pollard as a teenager was vital in developing him into the 250 game player he is today.
He has loved playing with the likes of Scott Baldwin and Jeremy Cardillo and rates current coach Sean Logie right up there with the best he has played with.
He has a solid pedigree with dad Garry having a promising career cut short with a serious knee injury at 20 years old - high leaping ruckman who ran hard at the contest (remind you of someone) who had a number of VFL clubs interested in him prior to his injury. Garry said the next best thing to playing was watching your kids play and Garry and mum Marie - a more than handy netballer herself - have certainly had plenty of enjoyment watching David and his brother Tim play for the Bloods.
David has had his fair share of injuries with 3 x arthroscopes on his knees and says the first 200 games were almost injury free but the last 50 matches have taken some time with soft tissue injuries restricting him to 8-10 matches per year over the past few seasons.
He has been runner-up in the club's best and fairest twice; in 2006 when he was the assistant coach to Leon Higgins, and in 2012 when he only played half a season due to overseas travel. He reckons the only way to get on the club's honour board is as a Life Member - he is - or as president, which he thinks he will forego.
He says he may take a step back after he finishes playing and spend more time with his wife Lisa, who has given him great support, and children, Ivy 3 and Billy 1 and look forward to when they are playing for the Bloods.
So all at Tocumwal, and undoubtedly all in the Murray and Picola Leagues, salute a true warrior who has given his all on and off the field for his beloved Bloods.
Maybe he can be part of a premiership this year and can look forward to a 50th reunion in 2067, just as the 1967 premiership team celebrates their 50th anniversary reunion on Saturday.
The reunionees and all at the ground raised a mighty toast to another legend of the Tocumwal Football Netball Club.
