Aaron Purcell, Jerilderie’s goalkicking machine, hits 300 games

COUNTRY football legend Aaron Purcell has added one last accolade to an already decorated football resume.

COUNTRY football legend Aaron Purcell has added one last accolade to an already decorated football resume.

Purcell said he was proud that he became the first Jerilderie player to notch up 300 senior games for the Demons on Saturday. The 37-year-old country goalkicking sensation booted eight goals in the Dem­ons’ 106-point win against Yarroweyah in the Picola and District league North West division.

His season tally stands at 41 goals from 14 games — and this is shaping to be the first time since 2012 he has not reached a ton of goals in a season.

Decorated player: Aaron Purcell. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Purcell made headlines around the country in 2013 when he raced to 100 goals in eight games and finished with 222 goals in 20 matches that season.

He played in the EJ Whitten Legends game that year for the All Stars, which was one of the highlights of his football career.

But he said nothing would topple his first premiership in 1999 with Jerilderie in the Cor­een league, after losing the previous four grand finals in a row.

“We were 10 goals down at halftime of that one and came back and won it,” he said.

In total Purcell has won nine senior premierships across his career from 15 grand final appearances, including seven with Jerilderie and one with Lavington in the Ovens and Murray league.

The prospect of playing his 300th game for the Demons helped convince Purcell to play again this season.

But with Jerilderie out of finals contention this year — the Demons appeared in every grand final from 2011-15 after missing finals in 2010 — Purcell could be about to wrap up his career on 302 games.