By Tara Murray
He may be as competitive as ever, Bundoora’s Gary Moorcroft has decided to call time on his playing career.
The veteran small forward, who is still mixing it with the best in the Northern Football League, announced last week that this year would be his final.
At the age of 43, Moorcroft said his body had had enough.
“I was pretty sure during the pre-season that this would be my last year,” he said.
“The body isn’t coping and getting up week after week is a bit of a struggle.
“They now need a key forward to take the limelight and take them forward.
“I’m giving 100 per cent, but the body can’t keep up.”
Moorcroft has been a mainstay for the Bulls since joining the club in 2011.
His record puts him up with the best the club has had.
He’s been part of three premierships, is an eight-time club leading goal-kicker and three-time league leading goal-kicker and he has been named in the league team of the year seven times.
He said the three premierships held deep meaning for him.
“To break the ice against Heidelberg after pushing them for three or four years was pretty special,” he said.
“The comeback against Montmorency is one of the best games I’ve been involved with.
“The Macleod one I kicked the goal to win. Premierships are what you play football for.
“As I said in one of my speeches, I’ll have plenty of premiership reunions to go. That’s something I’ll look forward to.”
Picture Damian Visentini
He said that while he sat among the leading goal-kickers in the competition this season, his form has been up and down – like the team, which won’t play finals.
Moorcroft’s journey with the Bulls has been a family one, with son Beau and daughter Chloe both playing for the club.
Gary has played several games with Beau – and that was a factor in him continuing to play.
He coached Chloe in the women’s team in the past two years, including to a premiership last year.
Moorcroft’s career started long before he joined the Bulls.
A talented under-age player, he won the Morrish Medal with the Northern Knights.
Essendon drafted him at pick 45 in the 1994 national draft.
He played 98 AFL games, 95 with the Bombers and three with Melbourne.
The highlight of his AFL career was the Bombers’ 2000 premiership.
Before joining the Bulls, he played for Silvan and Romsey.
“As a young fellow, you dream of playing AFL and I was fortunate to get drafted and have success at the pinnacle level,” he said.
“It’s something I’ll look back at over the next few years while sitting back with a few drinks.”
Moorcroft is most remembered for his high-flying mark against the Western Bulldogs in 2001, which won him mark of the year.
He said it was something that he was still asked about.
Moorcroft said he would let the dust settle before deciding whether he would continue coaching.
“I might take the year off and take the wife away on a holiday – it’s something I haven’t done in 25 years,” he said.
“Footy has been my life. I’ve got to get used to life without it.”
