10 Geelong footy stars with longest consecutive game streaks
Geelong’s local footy scene is one of the country’s toughest, yet these players have gone on some incredible consecutive games streaks. SEE THE LIST
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The transition from an “unfit slob” to one of the GFL’s most reliable and durable players was a difficult task, but North Shore defender Brad Gerrard said the effort was worth it.
When the 2020 season was cancelled before it begun, Gerrard was questioning whether he still had love for the game.
He had spent the previous two seasons playing for Anakie in the GDFL, playing every game and being named in the best 22 out of 36 matches.
But when the pandemic hit, Gerrard said his drive to play football began to disappear.
“When footy was cancelled and everyone was locked down, people went about it in different ways,” he said.
“Some people went out running and keeping fit, but I’ve never been a big runner, so I let myself go a bit and ended up as a bit of an unfit slob.
“When 2021 rolled around I knew if I wanted to play footy I was starting from a long way back, so I had to cut out the junk food and start running.
“I had always avoided going on runs because I never wanted to see how slow I was going, but if I hadn’t started I never would’ve made it back.”
Gerrard returned to the GDFL in 2021 with North Geelong, playing all 12 games in the shortened season before moving back to his junior club North Shore.
He has been one of the most consistent players at North Shore this season, helping lead the younger group of talented Seagulls through a difficult GFL campaign.
Gerrard said he was excited for the future of the football club, despite a 4-12 record in 2022 so far.
“There’s some seriously good young talent at the club at the moment, they’re much better than I was when I was that age,” he said.
“I’ve always been a bit of a loud voice and a leader on the field, so I’m trying to help out on the field and help direct the younger guys on how to set up and how to deal with it.
“It hasn’t been the ideal year we wanted but we’ve won some games and have been competitive for longer stints, so there’s definitely plenty of upside in the group.
“Now we just need to make sure everyone hangs around for a few years and we can develop together.”
Gerrard is one of 50 players in the GFL that have played every game for their respective teams this season, with his active streak of games dating back to his last season for North Shore in 2017 where he missed one week because of a Bali trip.
The Seagulls’ active streak of 59 consecutive games is one of the largest across the Geelong region’s local senior football competitions, and he has played in 85 of the last 88 games.
He said he was “lucky” to be consistently healthy and ready to play each week.
“I think there’s a fair bit of luck that goes into it,” he said.
“There were some weeks I rolled my ankle and I was lucky that by Monday it was fine and I could train during the week.
“I never really had any major injuries.”
Tom Worpel – Modewarre
Worpel has been one true consistent force in the BFL across the last eight years.
He has played every game this season, and apart from missing one match in 2019, Worpel has played every game dating back to 2016.
Worpel has played 130 of the past 131 available games for Modewarre.
Kyle Polley – Barwon Heads
Polley was unlucky to miss one game in 2019 which has broken up what would have been an impressive streak of consecutive games.
He has played every game available to him in the past two seasons, making his current active streak 30 games, but he has played in 105 of the past 106 games for Barwon Heads.
Shane Wiffen – Portarlington
Wiffen holds one of the biggest active streaks in senior football across the region, boasting 65 games in a row.
His streak of games dates back to 2017, when he only played six matches in the seniors that season.
Caleb Whitley – Queenscliff
If Whitley had not missed a game in 2019, he would boast a 75-game streak that dates back to 2017.
Instead, Whitley has to settle for 34 consecutive games and 75 of his past 76 games for the Coutas.
Connor Jervies – Bannockburn
Jervies holds an impressive active streak of 69 games dating back to the start of the 2018 season.
He has not missed a game since joining the club, having played in Bannockburn’s 2019 premiership win that snapped a 16-year drought for the Tigers.
Aaron Seller – North Shore
The Seagulls veteran has been a mainstay in North Shore’s line-up for years.
Seller has the longest active streak across the GFL with 81 games, and if it wasn’t for missing seven matches in 2016 that streak would be even longer.
Seller has played in 146 of North Shore’s past 153 games, and it yet to play in a senior GFL final, making the feat even more impressive.
Brent Vermeulen – St Albans
St Albans’ most senior player at the club, Vermeulen has rarely missed a game for the Supersaints.
His current active streak sits at 52 games, having missed one match in 2018.
Vermeulen has played in 113 of the past 117 games for St Albans.
Lachie Patten – Bell Park
Patten missed one game in 2021, meaning his streak is not incredibly long like some others.
He has featured in 118 of Bell Park’s last 124 games, and has played in finals games for the Dragons across the past eight seasons.
Jacob Sammut-Miljevic – North Shore
The North Shore forward is another that has played consistent football for the Seagulls across the past few seasons.
Sammut-Miljevic has not missed a game in the past three seasons, clocking up 45 games in that span, and only missed one game in 2018.
He has logged 82 games in North Shore’s past 83 contests, and only missing consistent games in his first season at the club in 2016, when he played two games for the year.
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Originally published as 10 Geelong footy stars with longest consecutive game streaks
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