Doran reaches milestone

DURABLE Nullawil veteran Tony Doran reached his remarkable 3000th career goal last Saturday. The reserves spearhead brought up the magic milestone at home against Wakool.

At 49, Doran played his 575th game while guests at a reunion of the 1964 premiership watched on.

Doran booted the goal off the ground in the third quarter, with a further three majors giving him seven for the match.

Doran said his knowledge of the game and ability to read the play were keys to his goal kicking success. 

“At 180cm, I get as many goals crumbing as I do marking,” he said.

His amazing success and longevity in the game includes the following highlights: 34 consecutive seasons, 11 premierships, 100 goals in a season on 13 occasions, 10 goals or more in 67 matches, 20 league goal kicking trophies, in 575 games of senior football. 

Doran began his career in the juniors at Woomelang.

He then headed to Birchip, where he attended school. 

Doran booted 112 goals for Birchip in 1985, to be joint winner of the North Central Football League’s Feeny Medal for the best and fairest.

Bendigo Football League club Northern United signed Doran for the 1986 season, where he won his first senior premiership and came second in the league goal kicking.

Doran was welcomed back to Birchip for 1987, before he started his coaching career at Nullawil in 1988.

He was playing coach for four years, with the Maroons playing in the finals three times.

After being approached by Woomelang, Doran returned to his childhood club in 1992, leading them to a premiership the following season.

In 1995 Doran returned to Nullawil, where he has remained since.

Doran managed 100 goals in 1997/98/99, and was a member of the Maroons premiership sides in 2000/01.

In 2003 he was equal club best and fairest, before “retiring” to the reserves in 2006.

The Maroons twos then hit a golden era, winning six flags in seven years with Doran playing in all of them.

He won the Golden Rivers Football League’s reserves best and fairest in 2007/08 and the Maroons reserves best and fairest in 2008/09.

Nullawil presented him with a football signed by all his teammates following the milestone game.