Sport
16 August, 2024
Swans history made as Stephen Ross breaks Natte Bealiba’s games record
It’s a mark of history for Natte Bealiba 30 years in the making this weekend — and where better to mark the occasion than a first versus second battle to try complete a perfect home-and-away season.
That’s the reality for one of the finest that has graced the Natte Bealiba Football Netball Club, with Stephen Ross breaking the senior football games record for the club in his 366th outing.
Ross’ 365th game last week saw him equal the mark set by Rod Fielding, who retired in 1995, with Fielding attending the Swans’ victory against Maldon to help celebrate Ross equalling the club record.
Making his senior debut in round 13 of the 2000 Lexton Plains Football League season against Landsborough, Ross instantly made a mark, and in his stellar 24-year career, continues to make inroads on a personal trophy cabinet that is the envy of all.
Seven best and fairests at the club, 121 of his 365 games as captain, a Lexton Plains best and fairest in 2008, and an AFL Victoria Country representative that same year is indicative of the individual player Ross is.
However, it’s always the team success that he maintains is his greatest memory — winning the AFL Victoria best on ground medal in the Swans’ 2011 premiership, before captaining their 2019 success.
Of course, there’s the matter of perhaps adding the 2024 title to his CV, with the Swans looking to complete a perfect home-and-away campaign when they take on Harcourt at Harcourt tomorrow.
Ross is level-headed about his achievements.
“It’s a long time and a long journey. But I guess I’ve been lucky in a way to not have too many injuries and blessed to play as many as I have,” he said.
“I’m trying to stay as fit as I can. I have three young boys at the club and I love them so much.
“I just hope I’m being a great role model for them, and I hope I’m making them proud. I’m putting everything into a bit of happiness for my three boys and I.
“I’m working as hard as I can for some success, and hopefully we have a bit of luck go our way. Time will tell what happens.
“It’s a massive commitment to training and pre-season, and it’s a lot of time, but all the time I get rewarded with by making friends and all the other stuff that comes with it. It’s great for the community and our footy club.”
Ross maintains, as he did when he celebrated his 350th game in last season’s preliminary final, that bringing together the club’s juniors was his finest moment at the club, one which has helped the Swans put together some brash footballers who are striving to end the club’s five-year wait for their third senior football premiership since joining the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League.
“The proudest thing I’ve done is get the under 11s started, and it’s filtered through to the under 14s and under 17s and I think that will hold us in good stead to keep us going for a few more years yet,” he said.
“The personal achievements don’t do much for me, but the mateship and the way the club is going right now is good for the area. It’s a great little community, and I’m very lucky to be here.
“I’m thrilled with the way football and netball is going at the moment. I think we have all our teams in the finals.”
Seeing Fielding at the game last week was a special moment, according to Ross.
“It was nice of Rod to come around and congratulate me. He was very pleased for me,” he said.
Ross is still focused about the job at hand, however, and he will be determined to ensure that the club can land another premiership.
“Playing a team game isn’t about yourself, if you can get a bit extra out of your teammates, it helps the team, so I think an old wise head helps at times, and being around a bit longer, you know what works and what doesn’t,” he said.
“I enjoy playing with the younger lads. That’s the culture at Natte — everyone gets along with everyone, and it’s a great community football club. I’m so lucky to play so many games at a great club.
“A lot of people are unfortunate, they do knees and have hiccups through their career, but I’ve been lucky to go through without anything major happening to me.”
Ross is currently taking things week-by-week, determined to get the job done.
“Going forward, it’s one week at a time. You never know when something pops up, so I take every game that I play as if it’s my last, because you don’t know what’s ahead,” he said.
“We are looking forward to the challenge this week. There’s none harder than beating Harcourt at Harcourt — we realise they’ve been the back-to-back premiers the last couple of years.
“Even though we’re sitting on top, we are still the underdog, and they’re the team to beat. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves there and we know they’re a good team.
“We have to work really hard over the next month, hopefully, see it one week at a time and see how we go.”
Winning a flag with players that he has previously coached would be a highlight of his career.
“It’s fantastic having young players come through. I have played with a couple that I started coaching a few years ago, and it’s an awesome feeling to see them develop through the junior levels and play senior football. It’s what it is all about,” he said.
“I know the old guys can’t keep playing football forever, so the young ones coming through, when I do retire, are hopefully at a good team to come and watch.”
Just don’t expect Ross to retire any time soon — he still has goals he wants to tick off.
“I hope my boys play a heap of games at Natte too. That’s my next aim — to try and play a game with those three,” he said.
“I still probably have about eight years to hang in there if I can, but anything can happen and who knows what can happen in the next few years.
“It’s the next goal though, so hopefully that dream comes true.”