IT WOULD be hard to envisage a more decorated 200-game country football career than the one by champion Leongatha captain Tom Marriott.
The unassuming midfielder, who lets his footy do the talking, ran through a guard of honour and a celebratory banner at Bairnsdale on Saturday with daughter Ollie in his arms and contributed strongly to a 58-point win by the Parrots.
He was chaired off afterwards, saluted by players from both clubs.
In the week leading up to the milestone game, the Leongatha Football Netball Club posted his record online, noting that “this is probably one of the best CVs in country football”.
One of the best certainly:
- 2009 Peter Dixon Memorial Award recipient
- 2010 LFNC U/18 premiership player
- 2011 Member of the VCFL U19 Team
- 2016, 2018 & 2022 LFNC senior club B&F winner
- 2018 & 2022 Gippsland League Trood Award and Rodda Medal winner (Senior B&F)
- 2022 named best footballer in country Victoria
- 4 times senior premiership player: 2017, 2018, 2022 & 2023 (twice named BOG)
- LFNC's longest-serving senior captain (2018-present) making him a 3 x premiership captain).
“Tom’s achievements on field are well documented and known but as a teammate and within the inner sanctum is where he’s at his best,” they said.
“Tom has been a part of the coaching team for the U18s for a long time now and his loyalty to the club is something that will inspire the future of the club to stick around.”
So, is his record at Leongatha second to none? We put that question to club president Mal Mackie.
“I can’t think of a better one,” he said on the sidelines of the footy at Bairnsdale on Saturday.
Standing next to him club stalwart Frank Welsford, a member of the Leongatha Football Netball Club for more than 60 years, had a broader perspective.
“You’d have to include Curly Salmon and Tim Maxwell in that discussion but he’s in pretty good company,” said Welsford.
