WOORINEN has seen it all over the last 14 years from tragedy to triumph, and the Tigers’ newest life member and 200-gamer Matthew Iannucci has been through it all.
Making his debut as a fresh faced teenager, the Woorinen winger will play his 200th match for his club when he runs out against Swan Hill at the Woorinen Recreation Reserve.
In his first season as a senior player, the now 31-year-old was part of the Tigers’ 2002 premiership side, but ten years later would be in the runners up side which lost to Kerang in 2012.
“I am proud of this, it has been a long time coming,” he told The Guardian. “I had two years away from the club in Adelaide in 2005 and 2006, and then in 2010 broke my collarbone, which was a big set back, but I am proud of this achievement.
“All 200 are senior games for Woorinen and there have been guys who said I would play until 35-40 because I look after myself, but then again you don’t know where life will take you.”
Despite all the good times spent at Woorinen, Iannucci spoke candidly about the times when the club was well and truly rocked to its core.
“The hardest part of it all are some of the issues that popped up outside of football, but because Woorinen is a family club it was great to support everyone,” he said.
“We have had a few people pass away, one of my teammates passed away during a game, and then the club rooms burnt down last year.
“Things like that make it tough obviously, but we have good support at Woorinen.”
Though the tough times were hard on the community of Woorinen, Iannucci said it would make his milestone even more memorable, doing it around some of his greatest mates.
One of those is a fellow 200-gamer, his brother Jason.
“It makes it special because out of my 200 games there are probably six guys who I have played with since the start … and to then get inducted as a life member now at Woorinen, it truly is a home away from home,” he said.
“I haven’t thought about it yet. The most important thing is us winning on the day, between fourth and seventh is pretty close. It is the team first, then I can enjoy it after the game.”
