https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/the-glory-years-family-bond-behind-premiership-til/3792865/ Some memories may have faded in the past 20 years, but Simon Mehaffey still remembers the glory days of Bakers Creek fondly. For the most part at least. It was 1999 when the Tigers last tasted premiership success. As an energetic 17 year old, Mehaffey was fit and firing for the club as he toiled in both the senior and reserve grade sides throughout the season. That is, until grand final day. The Tigers' stalwart injured his collarbone in the finals series and was unable to take the field when his side triumphed over Eastern Swans in the big dance. But still, the day is a stand-out memory from the glories of 1999. "I was really upset about that actually, I ended up going out and shaking all the hands after the game but would have liked to have had a medallion on myself. But that's footy,” Mehaffey said.
"That was my last injury until I fractured a wrist bone at the start of the year. It had been 20 years since I'd had an injury, so I've been pretty lucky. "It was still a great game to watch; I mean sitting as a spectator wasn't very fun but to see them win was great.” Mehaffey is the last man standing from the club's glory days. Just a teenager when the Tigers lifted the trophy in 1999, there is still plenty of life in the 37-year-old's legs as his beloved team make a finals tilt this season. His club-mates of premierships past will reunite at Etwell Park this weekend when the club takes on Mackay City Hawks. Bakers Creek will celebrate championship anniversaries from 1979, 1989 and 1999 as the rejuvenating club aims to instil the same winning culture that delivered the success of yesteryear. Celebrations will begin at 7.30am with the Under 12's game, and the senior's opening bounce will occur at 3pm. The day will be filled with family entertainment, including a jumping castle for the kids. Tigers A-grade coach Carl Teske said Mehaffey had the day marked on the calendar ever since the event was announced. He said it was important to mix the "the old with the new to move forward as one” and maintain the continued progress of the club. "You have to remember the history of the club to celebrate the future,” Teske said. "There's a lot of great history at Bakers Creek, obviously of late we haven't performed as we would have liked, but we're on the right track now and really trying to engage the past to be part of the present. "We really want to make it a big family club, all past players and everyone (associated) we want to be involved moving forward.” The family theme rings true for Mehaffey, whose wife Maureen and daughter Jorga, 8, also play for the club. He hopes to keep playing until Jorga laces up for the women's team to complete a trio of senior premiership contenders. A premiership still eludes Mehaffey and has given his wife bragging rights in that department. Maureen was part of the women's championship team last season and still plays for the currently undefeated outfit. Finally earning a title is still on his bucket-list, but Mehaffey said his experience and more active involvement with the club had taught him some things held greater value. "As a young player I just ran out, played and went home. Now I'm volunteering, helping out mowing the grass, cleaning the changing rooms, helping with renovations and seeing how much more work goes into running a club,” he said. "My ultimate goal is to keep playing so when my daughter is playing senior women's we can get a photo of all of us playing. I still have a fair way to go, if I can hold on for that long.”
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AuthorSelection of sport content. I was regularly called upon to assist with sport in the abscence of other staff. Archives
November 2019
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