Bundoora veteran Gary Moorcroft proving age is no barrier in Northern Football League

MORE than 15 years after he soared into the AFL history books with one of the game’s greatest marks, Gary Moorcroft’s goalkicking powers show no signs of waning.

Gary Moorcroft lays a big bump on Whittlesea’s Tom Falls earlier this year. Picture: Mark Dadswell.

GARY Moorcroft’s goalkicking powers show no signs of waning.

At 40, the former Essendon and Melbourne small forward is the leading goalkicker in the Northern Football League, having booted 51 goals from 13 matches for Bundoora this year.

Moorcroft joined the Bulls in 2011 after stints with Riddell District Football League outfit Romsey and former Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League club Silvan.

He has been consistently among the NFL’s top forwards since, averaging 3.7 goals per game over the past five seasons.

As far as Moorcroft is concerned, age is just a number.

He marked his 40th birthday in Round 2 this year by slotting four goals in a 49-point victory over Montmorency.

Moorcroft said retirement had not entered his thoughts, declaring he planned to play on next year.

“The way I’m feeling at the moment, I think I’ll go around again,” Moorcroft said.

“The body is holding up pretty well.

“If the body holds up I’ll continue to play. I love the game, I love the club and I love being out there with a great bunch of blokes.”

Ask his teammates or Bundoora’s coaching staff about Moorcroft and most will tell you the same thing.

The sharpshooter is renowned for being a manic trainer, one of the first on the track on training nights and among the last to leave.

But there came a point last season when he realised he needed to manage his body during the week.

“Last year I probably overtrained a bit,” Moorcroft said.

“Whereas this year I have had to pull back. I love training, but Plunks (coach Phil Plunkett) has told me to ease up a bit on the track.

“Pre-season I got on the bike rather than doing kilometres on the road which has seemed to have helped.”

Moorcroft has been a star of the NFL since joining Bundoora in 2011. Picture: Mark Stewart.

Teammate Matt Dennis said Moorcroft, who lives Reservoir, was one of the best players he had ever run out alongside.

“He’s definitely that main focal point for us,” Dennis said. “The way he still kicks amazing goals and takes amazing marks, you can’t believe he’s still doing it at his age.”

Dennis said Moorcroft’s professionalism was the key to his enduring success.

“As far as the excitement factor, taking big marks and kicking goals, I’ve never played with anyone that has been able to do stuff as good as that,” he said.

“He’s definitely one of the most talented players I’ve played with, that’s for sure.”

Moorcroft remains hungry for success with the Bulls. He already has two NFL Division 1 premierships to savour, tasting the ultimate success with Bundoora in 2011 and 2013.

Moorcroft has performed more than his fair share of heroics for the Bulls over a 109-game career.

But few performances compare to his effort on the biggest stage in 2013.

Moorcroft slotted six goals to inspire Bundoora to an epic comeback which is rated one of the greatest in NFL history, the Bulls rallying from 33 points down at three-quarter-time to emerge victorious from the decider against Montmorency.

Last year, his longevity was highlighted when he got the chance to play with his son Beau for the first time at senior level.

Moorcroft has also made an effort to pass on his considerable knowledge to the next batch of Bundoora stars as an assistant coach of the club’s under-19 team.

“We’ve got some young kids coming through,” he said.

“I’ve coached kids for probably the last five years in junior ranks, to step up there and bring them through. It would be nice to see them kids grow with the club.”

Gary Moorcroft’s famous mark over Brad Johnson from 2001. Picture: Michael Dodge.

A MARK TO REMEMBER

WITH each year and every retelling of his famous mark, Gary Moorcroft gets closer to touching the Docklands Stadium roof.

More than 15 years after he reeled in one of the greatest grabs in AFL history while playing for Essendon, Moorcroft’s hanger over Bulldog Brad Johnson remains the highlight from his career most supporters want to discuss.

“Time flies when you’re out of footy,” Moorcroft said.

“You wouldn’t think it was 15 years ago. It gets brought up most of the time.”

Moorcroft, whose AFL career came to a close in 2003, said he rises “higher and higher” each time the story is told.

“It was just one of them nights, everything was going right for me,” he said.

“Scotty Lucas kicked a mongrel kick and off I went. I was lucky enough to hold on to it.”

In 2012, the Herald Sun rated the speccie the eighth-best mark in the game’s history.

“It still gets brought up a little bit,” Moorcroft’s Bundoora teammate Matt Dennis said.

“It comes up on TV every now and again or it ends up in the paper.

“Every time it pops up somewhere I always sit back and watch it because it’s just such a good mark.

“He’s not jumping as high but he’s still jumping bloody high for a 40-year-old.”