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Jake joins the 300-gamers

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Saturday was a momentous day for the Birchip-Watchem Bulls, with club stalwart Jake Noonan playing his 300th game.

The 38-year-old Noonan has spent his entire football career at George Cartwright Oval, playing all his junior and senior football with the Birchip Swans and Birchip-Watchem Bulls.

He was a member of Birchip-Watchem’s under-16s premiership team in 2000 and won an under-16s best and fairest in 2001 before starting his senior career in 2002.

Jake said: “It has been good to play all my senior football at Birchip-Watchem and, interestingly, in my first senior game in 2002 and my 300th in 2024, I was coached by Trevor (Ryan).”

In 2003 he was a member of the Bendigo Pioneers squad and played part of the 2004 season as a Birchip-Watchem player with the Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC competition, before incurring some injuries including stress fractures in his back and a broken collarbone.

Jake returned to senior football with the Bulls in 2005 and became renowned as one of NCFL’s premier defenders. He played 274 games in the seniors for Birchip-Watchem from 2002-2019 before playing two seasons in the reserves in 2022 and 2023. With his 300th game looming at the conclusion of the 2023 season, he made it a goal to play his milestone match in the seniors and on Saturday, he achieved that feat.

Jake has earnt many accolades along the way, in his quiet and unassuming manner. He was named centre half-back in the Birchip-Watchem Team of 1997-2017, represented North Central Football League at interleague several times, was runner-up in the seniors best and fairest three times, club captain for many years and won a reserves best and fairest in 2022.

Having a career that has spanned three decades, he has seen many serendipitous moments, including playing alongside his brothers Sam, Billy, Oliver and Isaac in a senior game in 2005 under coach Robbie Lee, and on Saturday in his 300th played with Connor Lee, Robbie’s son. Charlie Frank, son of another former teammate Andrew Frank, also played in Saturday’s match against Boort.

Jake is currently co-coaching the reserves team with Matt Ryan, who Jake coached in his first year coaching under-16s and he is enjoying being involved in the Auskick program with his children and their friends.

Jake said: “There has been many highlights, and many years where we weren’t very good, but now it’s all about the kids. It was great to have Thomas, Imogen and Eloise run through the banner with me on Saturday and to see their excitement. Thomas is still talking about it!”

Jake has played in senior grand finals for the Bulls in 2002, 2017, 2018 and 2019, as well as multiple preliminary finals, but is still striving to win the ultimate prize in North Central football, which would be due recognition for his loyal contribution and dedicated service.

Noonan is the 14th person to play 300 games for Birchip / Watchem-Corack / Birchip-Watchem, and the first to play all his 300 games post the Birchip-Watchem merger.

The Buloke Times 28 May 2024

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 28 May 2024.

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