Sport
5 May, 2023
Hartigan to celebrate 300th game
TOMORROW against Ararat Demons Club legend Brad Hartigan will play his 300th Wimmera Football League senior game. The 36 year-old midfielder has had a decorated career at the club spanning over 20 years which includes a Best and Fairest, the Greg...
TOMORROW against Ararat, Demons Club legend Brad Hartigan will play his 300th Wimmera Football League senior game.
The 36 year-old midfielder has had a decorated career at the club spanning over 20 years which includes a Best and Fairest, the Greg Binns Memorial Medal for Best on Ground in a Grand Final and 12 Premierships.
Brad is proud of the achievement he has made.
“To play 300 games at one club – all senior games at that - is a massive achievement and one which I am proud of,” he said.
Brad started playing football on and off as a 10 year old. He started to play in the under 14’s competition for the Horsham Tigers before they amalgamated with the Demons when he was 12 years old. Ever since then he hasn’t looked back.
In 2003, as a 16 year old, Brad made his senior debut for the Demons. That year, he won his first premiership.
Brad’s best year was in 2010 when not only did he win another Premiership, but he was also the Demons Best and Fairest winner and was judged best a-field in the Grand Final.
Asked what Brad’s greatest memory is of his career, he noted the 2014 Premiership.
“I coached the Demons in 2014 to a Premiership with my lifelong friend Jordy Burke. To do it with Jordy was a great achievement and something I will always remember.”
Brad has no plans to slow down either.
“I am hoping to play on for a few more years. I will see how I go at the end of the year but at this stage the fitness and body is fine,” Brad explained.
With the Demons having a young team and trying to build towards another dominant era, as a veteran, Brad is trying to give as much advice to the playing group as he can.
“I have no specific roles at the club. At the moment I am bringing general leadership and mainly experience and passing on advice the best I can,” Brad said.
“My message to the youngsters is to be competitive and consistent. They have the talent but whether they can consistently perform is the key. It is not good being great one week and rubbish the next. You need to be consistent and even out the highs and the lows,” he added.
Brad is married with three kids, two daughters; Eadie (10), Scout (5) and a son, Freddy (3). Asked if they loved football, Brad concluded.
“The two girls love netball at the moment. Freddy though, he loves football already and can’t get enough of it. Soon I’ll be taking him to training when he starts playing football and am looking forward to it.”