Frankston YCW champion Ash Eames calls time on his decorated career

ONE of suburban football’s most decorated players has been forced into retirement.

Frankston YCW big man Ash Eames celebrates the Stonecats’ fourth successive premiership win last September. Picture: Mark Dadswell

ONE of suburban football’s most decorated players has been forced into retirement.

Frankston YCW champion and former VFL big man Ash Eames has called time on his career after being told his injured left foot will require surgery.

Eames is a seven-time premiership player with YCW and has been a giant of peninsula football in every sense (he’s a man mountain at 199cm) and his retirement brings down the curtain on one of the great careers.

He said the realisation that he won’t be pulling on a YCW jumper again had stirred up emotions.

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“The last 24 hours has been a little bit emotional thinking about it all but it’s the right decision,’’ Eames said.

“The body’s got a few sore spots with other injuries I’ve been dealing with so it’s time to hang them up.

Ash Eames was best-on-ground in the 2014 grand final.

“I’ve had a pretty good ride.’’

Eames has been a popular figure at Frankston YCW and around the MPNFL.

“I’ll miss all my teammates. I’ll miss the camaraderie of a football club and all my teammates and I’ll miss the competitiveness of it. I really enjoyed competing, yeah, it’s a big decision,’’ he said.

“I’ve had 21 seasons of senior footy. It’s going to take some adjusting to not doing it anymore I guess.’’

Eames started out at Barnawartha, Rand and North Albury along the Murray before coming to Melbourne and playing in the VFL with Casey Scorpions and Frankston Dolphins.

For the past nine years he’s been a Frankston YCW Stonecats star.

Eames shows dash in the 2017 grand final.

“The memories are amazing, all the friendships I’ve made along the way, I’ll have a lot of them for life,’’ he said.

“Football taught me discipline and team work…just the structure of the football lifestyle I’ve really enjoyed…

“Frankston YCW football club has been a great club, it’s been a privilege to play for them and all the guys there over the years.’’

Frankston YCW coach Wayne Capp said Eames “would go down as one of our five or so best players ever’’.

“He’s been with us for nine years and played in seven premierships. And he’s been a very important player for us in all those premierships,’’ he said.

“(He’s) an absolute gentleman, everyone loves him, you won’t find a bad word about him.’’

Capp said Eames was “irreplaceable’’ but young Macklin Raine would now lead the Stonecats’ ruck division.

Frankston YCW stalwart John Coburn said Eames was “the best ruckman I’ve seen at our club.’’