By Tanya Faulkner
31 years, 333 games, and a lifetime of gratitude.
The Basin Football and Netball Club (TBFNC) has recently celebrated a record-breaking football match.
TBFNC long-term member and football manager Luke Watson has broken the record of the most games played for the club, which was once held by club legend Michael “Redders” Redpath, after just playing his 333rd game for The Basin.
Watson said it was a brilliant match, but he was more grateful for the week leading up to the game, with lots of people reaching out and wishing him well.
“For me it’s quite humbling, I’m not really someone that enjoys individual accolades in a team sport,” he said.
The day itself was good, with The Basin lucky enough to win the game against Upper Ferntree Gully 6.8-44 to 4.13-37 respectively.
Watson was also named one of the best players of the match.
He said the club has had a pretty down season this year, so to get a win for everyone was very satisfying.
His career started in 1992 with The Basin, when he joined the junior football league, where he played up until the year 200 in the club’s U18 team.
Watson said his junior season would have racked up around 170 odd games.
From 2003 he started playing senior footy, and never looked back.
“I have been supremely lucky injury wise, that nothing major has never really held me back,” he said.
In a Facebook post released by TBFNC, the club said this was a “monumentous effort” that requires a player to play football for a minimum of 18.5 years.
They said considering this total is purely based on playing all 18 games for 18.5 years, the feat becomes even more incredible.
To put this effort on an even higher pedestal, we only count games played for The Basin FC, not any other matches outside of the club.
For Watson, the real drive came from the years that the club lost a couple of finals, which burnt away at him, and made him want to come back stronger.
“Our season in 2012 was a great season, we didn’t lose a game and won the grand final, which was a relief after being so close so many times,” he said.
Watson said the older you get, the more your priorities shift and you realise how much of a community the footy club is.
“As you get older you play for very different reasons, you represent the community and the members of the club, and you’re passionate about running out and playing the game for them,” he said.
Covid was a highlighter for the impact local footy clubs have on communities, particularly in the Hills, and how much people need the club.
“People would often come down on a Thursday and Saturday for footy and cricket, so to have that ripped away was a real eye-opener to see how much the club means to the community.
“The Basin is a small community, everyone knows everyone and they all live in short distances from one another.
“The ability to reconnect and bounce back as strongly as we did shows the people are there and are involved, and how much they love the club,” he said.
TBFNC caters to all ages of sport, from AusKick to senior football programs, their newer womens’ football teams and their netball teams.
Watson said some of the football guys that haven’t played for a while, or at all, have chosen to come and play on the vets side, and something they’re looking to build on.
He said it takes a lot of work and a lot of people involved to make it one club from top to bottom.
“Our goal is to make it a fun, safe and inclusive environment for everyone, and we find the results come from that.
“We want to build a sustained environment were everyone wants to be,” he said.
This season, onlookers will find Mr Watson playing for The Basin senior men’s Div 2 team, where he said he’s taken on a bit of a leadership role amongst his younger teammates.
He had been playing in the team as a forward, however he had the tap on the shoulder from the senior coach to come back to full-back.
Being in the latter end of his football career, he said forming relationships with these guys has been something he’s really embraced.
“I’m really enjoying playing senior footy again, working with these different guys and feeling a bit of a leader in the team,” he said.
The average age amongst the senior mens’ teams is around 21, with The Basin FC celebrating multiple debuts this year for their club, and players with 10 games or less playing alongside Watson.
Despite all of this success, Watson’s personal gratification is the fact that he “can still do it” without embarrassing himself on the pitch.
According to his club, however, they say it comes down to Watson’s countless fitness and gym sessions, crazy amounts of physio and osteo appointments, diets and self control, and of recent times it’s even visits to what he describes as the witch doctor.
Watson said he feels grateful that he’s had the club in his life and he owes it everything.
“That’s what I say to the guys who are early in their careers, that one day they’ll look back on these years, however long it may be, and be thankful,” he said.
Mr Watson said the club allows players to build relationships, give them so much in life, and without them you don’t know what path you’ll go down.
“I’ve always been grateful for that stability and the chance to build a home away from home,” he said.
The Basin will take on Heathmont on Saturday 29 July for round 16 of the ENFL season.
