Lauderdale local Robbie McManus to bring up his double centuty for the Bombers

He has been a backman, an onballer and now Jack of all trades. Bomber Robbie McManus started as a 16-year-old for Lauderdale and will play his 200th TSL game against Clarence

TSL: Lauderdale vs. Clarence. Lauderdale Oval: Lauderdale's Robbie McManus (right) flies for a grab. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

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ROBBIE McManus knows that when you’re on a good thing, stick with it.

That’s why after 10 years he is still a loyal Lauderdale player and will be until he hangs up the boots.

McManus, 27, will notch up his 200th game for the Bombers when they take on Clarence at Richmond Oval tomorrow and he credits the club’s “awesome” environment, a family feel and a cracking coach as the reason he’s stuck around.

“Lauderdale has always been my home and there are some really good people here,” McManus said.

“I like the way a large majority of our players started here and have stuck together coming through the ranks, following some of the older blokes like Marcus Fitz and Tex Perkins.

“It was cool to know they’d been there their whole lives as well.

“It’s just a really good club environment, a brotherhood among the players, and there just wasn’t a good reason to leave.”

McManus made his TSL debut against South Launceston in a game played at North Hobart Oval while Lauderdale Oval was sodden with rain.

He started as a pressure forward, earned his stripe in the midfield and now does everything from running defender to pinch-hitting up forward.

“I don’t care where I play, as long as I’m in the team,” he said.

Playing in three consecutive TSL grand finals are the highlight of the journey.

“They definitely have been. You want to lay in the big game at the end of the year _ obviously we would have liked to have won one of them,” McManus said.

“We’re definitely capable of winning one.

“We’ve built our base and our standard has been set, over the past three years especially, and we’ve got the people around to go to the next level but you’ve got to back that up with a win on the day.”