“ENJOY the wins with your mates – you’ve just spent two hours with them fighting it out, so enjoy a beer and just cherish the moment,” Swan Hill Football Netball Club legend Brian Burke says.
They are wise words from the club stalwart who played his 300th game for his beloved Swans at the weekend.
“It’s not something I set out to do, but I am proud of it,” Burke said.
“I went away for a few years then came back, and I suppose it’s helpful I’ve been involved in a pretty good era for the club, playing finals consistently.
“The club means a lot to me – I came here in under 14s, and I’ve met so many great mates, and the memories we’ve made will last a lifetime.”
Burke is one of the most adored Swans of his generation and received a remarkable number of messages and congratulations from family, friends and supporters for his milestone.
“It’s been overwhelming the response, to be honest,” he said.
“It was a great day at the club on Saturday, and it was so good to get a couple of wins, especially in the seniors – they’ve had a tough season and played awesome in that second half.”
It was a massive day for the club, with Burke’s 300th coinciding with the ladies’ day function.
He is overjoyed to see the club get back to normal after a rough couple of years through the pandemic.
“Not really being able to play footy for the past two seasons has been tough, and having days like we did on the weekend, with ladies’ day and suits day, is so important for the club,” Burke said.
He joined the club in 1999 and has played in four flags, including three senior triumphs in 2005, 2008 and 2011, along with the 2019 reserves premiership.
“We lost a couple of grand finals in 2002 and 2003, so to get some redemption in 2005 was pretty special,” Burke said.
“In 2011, we finished fourth, and from memory, we only just got over the line in the elimination final at Lake Boga, but from there, nobody even got close to us.
“As you get older, you start to appreciate the wins even more, so that reserves flag in 2019 is special also.”
While premierships are the ultimate on-field achievement, Burke said the off-field memories were something he remembered just as fondly.
“The footy trips are the great memories,” he said.
“The one that stands out is definitely the 2010 Bali trip – that was incredible.”
