Football
12 August, 2024
Summers notches up incredible milestone
At Edenhope Football Ground, Swifts' forward Paul Summers kicked his 100th goal of the season in the Horsham District Football Netball League early in the second quarter against the Saints. This is the first time the feat has been achieved in the Wimmera since 2017, when Kain Robins kicked 117 in the season for the Southern Mallee Giants, also in the HDFNL. Robins also notched up the feat in 2016.
Summers kicked 12 goals in the Swifts' 116-point win over Edenhope Apsley. It has been a remarkable year for the forward, who moved to the Swifts this season after previously playing for the Stawell Warriors, where he was a defender.
Swifts coach Brett Hargreaves told the boys to appreciate the milestone after the game.
"I told the boys that it doesn't happen often and to appreciate it as it may not ever happen again in their careers," Hargreaves said.
"He was given the game ball after the game, which was good to see, as the Saints acknowledged the feat.
"We held back the talk about the potential milestone until after he reached it, and it's an incredible feat with his dad and family coming up to watch it."
Hargreaves said one of the selling points of getting Summers across to the club was the ability to play forward.
"When we identified that we wanted to recruit him, we knew that he could play up forward, and we could offer him that opportunity to do that," Hargreaves said.
"He and us could never have dreamed of what he has achieved this year. It's paid dividends.
"He is a super talented footballer and was one of the best backmen in the Wimmera league, and backs make good forwards."
Paul, a humble man, is focused more on the team and said the feeling has started to sink in.
"I really wasn't thinking much of the milestone at the time. I just went back and kicked the goal, and the boys got around me, which was good. It has started to sink in now," Summers said.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about the potential feat in the lead-up to the game, but now it's done, we can focus on our game going into the finals, and we are starting to gel and hit form at the right time of the year, which is good."