General News
6 January, 2025
The elite club: Wedderburn's 300 gamers
ADAM Postle’s days as a junior footballer running around Wed-derburn’s Donaldson Park were far from illustrious. He only headed down to have a kick after encouragement from a mate. Postle even took a year off af-ter his under 16 days ended...
ADAM Postle’s days as a junior footballer running around Wed-derburn’s Donaldson Park were far from illustrious.
He only headed down to have a kick after encouragement from a mate.
Postle even took a year off af-ter his under 16 days ended be-fore coming back in 2002 in the reserves and making his senior debut.
That was the first batch of stories trotted out in the new Donaldson Park complex last week when Postle sat down after training. With him were the first two players, and mates, to reach 300 senior games - Danny Be-naim and Andrew Lockhart.
“Even when we won a pre-miership, there was the photo of (then-president) Leon Holt con-gratulating Andrew on being the first to play 300 seniors ... star-ing down on us,” said Benaim.
That was one of five premier-ships Benaim and Postle have featured in for the Redbacks. Most memorable the famous quartet between 2011 and 2014.
“I made my senior debut in 2002, maybe floating on the wing or forward flank, Some-thing like that,” Postle said.
“Danny was already in the sen-ior side and I’ve always looked up to him. He is a year older than me.
“I was also a fair bit lighter then, coming in about 80kg in my first senior year.”
Postle had a big break in 2006against St Arnaud when Adam Ritchie copped a red card and he was thrown into the ruck before his career saw him drift forward and then into defence.
Benaim, sitting on 343 senior games with Wedderburn and eyeing No 350 later in the sea-son, started in the seniors in time for a new Millennium.
“When I got to 300 games it was surreal to think only one other person had done that at the club,” he said.
“I guess though that with age comes the games.”
Postle adds: “I was pumped the day Danny played his 300th.”
Never suspended and coming fourth once in the Feeny Medal (Postle says ruckmen always think they are a chance for thebig medal), Postle has always re-mained loyal to Wedderburn.
“Had plenty of Loddon Valley clubs knock on the door. Never any from North Central as it’s an unspoken rule you don’t go after other club’s players.
“I did almost leave in 2007 and go to Pyramid Hill. Got a phone call from the coach, said we’d be a better side than last year. Stayed on and we won the flag.
“My brother Jarrod did leave, going to Newbridge and thinking I would follow. No.”
Postle and Benaim played in each of the five premierships.
“We are elite in our prepara-tion and recover like no one else,” Benaim quips on the lon-gevity and success of their ca-reers that have included inter-league side selection. “In those grand final years we would feed off each other.”
Postle said: “We love the place (Wedderburn) and I’m glad I nev-er left.”
After half an hour of banter, founding member of the 300-club Andrew Lockhart arrives at the table.
“Played for 20 years and never won a flag. Played a couple of fi-nals but went straight out. I did win the club under 16 best and fairest once,” said Lockhart.
He remembers his milestone game more than 20 years ago.
“Leon Holt made a big thing of it, like someone was going to the moon. There was a banner and a dinner afterwards where the ladies prepared a three-course meal and I was presented with life membership as well.”
But Lockhart said team suc-cess was at the heart of commu-nity football and the Redbacks.
“I’d swap all 300 games for a flag,” he said.
Benaim interjects: “Yes, that photo on the wall every time we walked into the clubrooms.”
The 300-game club three then became like a well-oiled team on the field, working in unison.
“This is home, this is commu-nity,” they said.
Lockhart has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father as Redback players. An-other generation is now on the football field and netball courts.
Also on the courts is Postle’s wife Maddi who “likes to remind me that she has played in nineA Grade premierships” where she has a reputation in defence equally as dogged as her hus-band. Lockhart had hung up the boots when Postle made his senior debut, Benaim the only player he took the field with still being selected each week.
“The only other player still running around is St Arnaud’s Heath McNally in the twos.” he said.
Lockhart said Wedderburn had always had a nucleus of local players to build for success.
“You can’t stop people wanting their football clubs to survive.”
The 300-gamers say that the competitiveness of North Cen-tral football this season could see any club win if they are in form.
“Danny has something like a 60 per cent win rate as a player,” Lockhart adds.
For Postle, his membership of the elite club pending running through the banner on Saturday, his routine will be pretty much the same.
“Steak and eggs for break-fast, run around helping Maddi get the kids organised and then get to the ground early. I like to wander around and get a feel for the day,” Postle said.
“I will be glad when it’s done ... don’t like being the centre of at-tention. And after losing almost two seasons due to COVID, it’s something I thought wouldn’t happen.”
Lockhart and Benaim have been waiting for company at the table. An extra seat is ready for Postle on Saturday night.