THIS Saturday, Scott Sherlock will run out at Simonds Stadium to play his 100th senior game for the Werribee Football Club, a club he watched as a young lad with aspirations to eventually don the black and gold as part of his sporting dream.
On the eve of this personal milestone, Scott shared his football journey with Kevin Hillier.
Your early footy days were at Werribee Juniors. When did you start?
My first competitive season was in 2001, playing in the Under-12’s as a bottom aged player.
Who were your early coaches and what was their influence on you?
Earliest coaches that come to mind would be my Under-14’s coaches, brothers Adrian and Anthony Pante. From memory I think we were bundled out in the prelim final both years. They were very good motivators and to this day I still have a fair bit to do with them. Last year of Under-16’s I was coached by John Thomson and although we fell shortin the Grand Final, I found that in this year I was really taught the meaning of hard work.
Personal success: you won the WRFL Under-14A B&F in 2004. Any others?
The year before I happened to win the league Under-14B B&F, this along with club best and fairest awards along the journey too.
How do you look back on your time at the Western Jets?
Great experience all in all. Looking back, there are a lot of current and former AFL players that I got to play with or against. Ultimately it was a stepping stone into the VFL pathway for me.
What are your memories of your senior debut at Werribee?
It was Round 4 of the season and we played Collingwood in a night match at Werribee. I remember not knowing what to do with myself all day in the lead up to the game and the hours just dragging on. Finally arriving at the ground the nerves really started to kick in. They settled pretty quickly as I got into the game. Turned out to be a pretty disappointing loss in the end, but definitely a game I will remember for the rest of my life.
What advice would you give to the young blokes who still have the AFL dream on what they should do at VFL level?
I would have to say don't give up. More and more guys are being picked up from the VFL every year. Make the sacrifices you need in order to keep improving your game, and be a sponge to all of the coaches you have around you. Biggest one is to continually play for the team and not for yourself. Guys that play selfish footy get found out pretty quickly.
Highlights from your 100 games?
Playing my first game for the club is definitely the number one. Playing in some pretty close finals over the years and just being part of such a great club is a highlight in itself.
Will you go back and play local when your VFL days are over?
It is something I have always looked forward to, but at the same time I want to get everything I can out of playing for Werribee. While I would still take it pretty seriously, it excites me that one day I’ll be able to have a kick with some close mates that I've never had the opportunity to play with.
Last Modified on 21/07/2016 12:46