MPNFL: the players who have cracked the goal ton since 2000
Twelve players have kicked a century of goals in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League in the past two decades. But there’s one gun above the rest — and he even had an overly excited fan celebrating one of his tons.
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The gun full-forward; the spearhead capable of kicking a bag of goals, he’s the rockstar of any local football side.
The MPNFL has had some rippers over the years, with 12 different players booting centuries in the past two decades.
George Gorozidis still holds the MPNFL record for most goals in a game when he fired off 26.5 for Bonbeach against Carrum Downs in 2001.
“It was one of the best days of my life,’’ Gora said afterwards.
The previous MPNFL record was 23 — held jointly by Mt Eliza’s Anson Brownless (brother of Billy) and Devon Meadows magician Matty Joseph.
Both men kicked their bags in 1997 against the same team, Dromana.
Gorozidis kicked three centuries for Bonbeach and also cracked the ton for Tyabb.
In 2002, two 21-year-olds had a hundred reasons to celebrate after the final round of the MPNFL Nepean Division season.
Ryan Donaldson (Red Hill) and Ash Moore (Langwarrin) announced their arrivals as star full-forwards by reaching a century of goals.
Donaldson was the pride of Red Hill after booting 11 against Keysborough, including five in the last quarter, to bring up the ton. His 100th goal, with 10 minutes remaining, sparked jubilant scenes.
“I could hear all the boys running around and everyone streaming down the side of the boundary line, so I said, ‘gee, I better kick this’,’’ said Donaldson, whose first goal century was with Beaconsfield’s under-15s in 1995.
“It went straight through the middle and before I knew it someone’s finger was up my nose and they were jumping all over me.’’
After the game, Red Hill officials rewarded Donaldson for his superb season by offering him a three-year contract, which he promptly accepted.
Even his boots were auctioned off for $500, the money going towards the players’ trip away.
On the same day in ‘02, a 33-year drought was broken when Moore drilled his 100th goal in the second quarter against Bonbeach at Cannes Ave.
In doing so he became the first Langwarrin player to achieve a century since Peter Jones got there in the 1969 grand final — 12 years before Moore was born.
Of course, when talking goals, you can’t go past the great Simon Goosey.
There has been none better than the Mornington maestro.
With 11 successive goal centuries — 12 in total — and almost 2000 majors, he stands atop the goal mountain.
Goosey kicked a century of goals in each of the first six seasons in the 2000s.
His biggest haul in a game came in 2005, when he fired off 20 goals against Hastings at the Kennel.
His 10th major that day took him to his 10th ton in a row and stirred emotions inside the normally laid-back 37-year-old.
It was, at the time, to be his last game as Mornington playing-coach.
Goosey notched the ton in the third term when got on the end of a pass from Carj Collins and, in familiar style, split the centre from 30m.
In a ceremony before the game, Mornington named its scoreboard in honour of Goosey.
The game was also the last for Goosey’s great pal Paul Garrett, who hung up his boots.
There were no wild celebrations for the Goose.
He spent a short time at the club before racing home for his son William’s 10th birthday, a sleepover. (Will is now playing in Mornington’s senior side).
In 2004, Anthony Agius was mobbed by a bunch of adoring teenagers after kicking his 100th goal of the season in Seaford’s thumping 95-point win over Hampton Park at Seaford Oval.
Starting the game on 91 goals, Agius kicked his ninth early in the third quarter to reach the milestone. He finished with 11.
The Tigers’ Under 18s made the achievement memorable by gathering behind the goals with a banner that read: “Agius — we’re all big fans of the great smiling man.’’
The banner also had the numbers 91 through to 100 printed on it and as Agius kicked each goal the young Tigers crossed off each number.
They streamed on to the ground when Agius drilled his 100th.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in local footy,’’ Seaford coach Paul Kennedy said.
It was Agius’ third century, after he achieved the feat at Rosebud in 1994-95. And it was the first time a Seaford player had kicked 100 goals since Steve Jones in 1981, a premiership season for the Tigers.
Former Richmond and Collingwood forward Steve Ryan booted successive tons for Rye in 2005 and ‘06.
After reaching his first century in ‘05, he made a point of thanking his champion teammate Greg Doyle.
Ryan, who finished the game with seven goals, and said some lace-out passes from Doyle made his task easy.
“Thanks to Doyley. He gave me five out of seven,’’ Ryan said.
Ryan was the first Rye player to crack the ton since 1956.
Keysborough’s Luke McGuinness brought up the ton in style in 2006, firing off 13 goals in a vital win over Berwick that secured a finals berth for the Kookaburras.
The then 33-year-old also topped the ton in 2000 and 2003.
On the same afternoon in ‘06, Narre Warren spearhead Lee Clark drilled 10 to bring up his ton of goals.
Rosebud star Ben Schultz chose the biggest stage of all to celebrate his ton, drilling his 100th goal during the 2007 Nepean League grand final.
Capping a dream day, 24-year-old Schultz helped the Buds to a memorable premiership victory over the Frankston Bombers — and he became Rosebud’s first century goalkicker in a dozen years.
In 2013, Cranbourne star Marc Holt brought up his second successive century of goals in a 72-point victory over Doveton.
Holt kicked seven goals in the final round, bringing his tally to 101 from 18 games.
The previous year, in 2012, Holt helped himself to a 157-goal bonanza.
In 2012, Narre Warren goal machine Kerem Baskaya kicked his 100th goal in the match against ROC.
Two weeks after breaking Narre Warren’s single-game goal-kicking record with 21 goals, Baskaya brought up the ton in style, booting 13 in the club’s 12th win of the season.
The most recent century of goals in the MPNFL came in 2015, from the blazing boot of Mt Eliza star Justin Van Unen.
JV became only the second Mt Eliza player to reach the milestone, after Anson Brownless did it in 1997.
Van Unen’s 100th goal was perhaps his easiest of the season, from a metre out, after a sweeping handball from teammate Sam Wettenhall.
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But as Van Unen was mobbed by jubilant teammates, Wettenhall writhed on the ground clutching his knee.
Van Unen also kicked a century of goals in the 2012 season, playing for Rye. Going into the finals on 98, he brought up three figures in the elimination final and finished with 121 for the season.
Van Unen’s ton that year was the 100th time the feat had been achieved in MPNFL history. Frankston player John Legge was the first to do it in 1930.
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