Southern league: Caulfield coach Chris O’Keefe reaches mighty games milestone

Chris O’Keefe’s honour-filled career takes in another achievement this Saturday: his 350th senior match. As he reflects on it he names his top 20 local players.

Chris O'Keefe shoots out a handball for Caulfield. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Chris O’Keefe’s journey to 350 senior games began at Bungaree in 1998.

He was 17 and on the Ballarat Rebels’ TAC Cup list.

Bungaree was playing its great rival in the Central Highlands league, Dunnstown.

“I remember it very clearly,’’ O’Keefe was saying today. “They had a bloke named Paul Wood. Tough bugger. He cleaned me up an absolute beauty, got me a ripper. It was like, ‘Welcome to senior footy’.

“Back then I was about 60 kilos wringing wet. I got up though.’’

Chris O'Keefe enjoys a goal for Spotswood.

And in the 23 years since O’Keefe has got up to some great things in football.

This Saturday he’ll hit the 350-match milestone when, as playing coach of Caulfield, he lines up against East Brighton in the Division 2 Southern league match of the day.

O’Keefe turned 40 in May. Having dropped some weight since his first season at Caulfield in 2019, he’s still playing good football.

But he knows the finish line is in sight, and it’s had him thinking about his long career.

It started in the town where he grew up, Bungaree, where his ability was identified early and had him in development and representative squads from the age of 13.

He had two years at the Rebels and then crossed to North Ballarat in the VFL in 2000, to be play under Gerard FitzGerald, then a fourth-year VFL coach, now a VFL coaching legend.

Chris O'Keefe in North Ballarat colours.

O’Keefe had five seasons with the Roosters, playing alongside notables such as Julian Field, Spider Moloney, Brett Goodes and Marc Greig.

He took off overseas at the end of 2004; now he wishes he hadn’t, believing footballers start to play at their best from the age of 25.

“Would have been nice to have had a bit more time there (North Ballarat),’’ he said.

When he returned he began to live in Melbourne, but travelled back to Bungaree for two years.

His move to Spotswood in the Western Region in 2008 brought him much success and acclaim.

He played in six grand finals in six years and in three premierships (2008, ’09 and ’11) for Spotty, won the 2012’ and ‘13 league best and fairest medals (the years his club lost the grand final by a point) and was pipped by a vote in two other counts.

His reputation as a midfielder spread beyond the grounds of the west.

“They were amazing years,’’ he said.

“I took over as coach for the last three. We had a really good environment and really good teams. Good fun.’’

Chris O'Keefe coaching Spotty.

Then it was back to Bungaree in 2014. The club won its first premiership in 25 years and O’Keefe helped it to the finals in the following two years.

In 2017 he returned to the Western Region as coach of Albion.

In 2019, after a move to the bayside area, he landed at Caulfield, where he will play out the final days of his football.

“It’s funny. This year, more than any other, I’ve sort of been looking back over the journey and realised how long it has been,’’ he said.

“But I tell you what, it actually goes very quickly. I wish I could keep playing forever, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.

“I’m pretty sure I’m coming to the very end of it all. It’s been a hell of a lot of fun. A lot of hard work as well, and one I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. I love the competitive side of the game, going out there and putting my best foot forward every week and hopefully coming out on the winning side.’’

Chris O'Keefe playing for Bungaree.

He’s glad the journey that began at Bungaree will conclude at Caulfield.

“Sometimes you end up at the right place at the right time,’’ he said.

“With Spotswood I knew one bloke who was there and when I started training with them the one bloke I knew didn’t actually play there that year. I ended up deciding to play with them anyway. It was just a stroke of luck.

“Even with Caulfield, I moved over to the south-east and wanted a club close to home. The job was available and it’s been one of the better decisions I’ve made to take it. The buy-in and the character of the players and the club have been outstanding.’’

O’Keefe said that all he ever wanted in football was to earn the respect of teammates and opponents.

He did that a long time ago.

Chris O’Keefe’s top 20 players in local football

Played with

Ben Harris (Spotswood)

Jason Cloke (Spotswood)

Tom Langlands (Spotswood)

Todd Finco (Albion)

Lachie McGhie (Spotswood)

Mark Keenan (Spotswood)

Chase Morgan (Spotswood/Bungaree)

Luke Mirtschin (Bungaree)

Jake Buggy (Caulfield)

Chris Smith (Caulfield)

Played against

Kwame McHarg (Deer Park)

Tim Jenkins (St Albans)

Chris Stewart (Deer Park)

Torren Bonnett (Port Melbourne Colts)

Danny Jacobs (Port Melbourne Colts)

Steve Kennedy (Altona)

Andrew McKay (Hepburn)

Reece Miles (Altona/Hoppers Crossing)

Matt Wetering (Springvale Districts)

Travis Lunardi (Altona)