THERE will be a few more nerves than normal when Daniel Needs lines up to try and kick his first goal for St Arnaud in the North Central Football Leauge on Saturday.
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The club veteran, of more then 320 senior games, will be lining up to break the league’s record for most goals in a career.
It was a record he was unaware he was even approaching until he was told a fortnight ago.
“Now that I know about it I expect there might be a few more nerves,” he said.
“I was trying to get a third goal on Saturday – after a teammate got a 50-metre penalty I was trying to get the cheap handball but he didn’t know about it. I told him afterwards and he apologised for not giving it to me.”
His second goal in the final quarter against Wycheproof-Narraport allowed him to equal the mark of 811 set by Wedderburn’s Alan Jackson.
Needs will turn 39 next month and spent most of his career playing at centre-half forward for the Saints. He said he had retired from seniors prior to this season but got the call up recently to cover for some absent players.
“I just want to get it out of the way and then I can go back to playing reserves and having a few beers when the seniors are on,” he said. “I was never really a full forward, and there have been far better players than me come through the league but I’ve just stuck around. I’ve only got to get one more goal but it could take me six weeks.”
He started playing at the club in 1996 and said he thought of the club as a second family.
“I’m always down there whether its playing or watching my young boy who is running around in the under-13s now,” he said.
“I’ve played in three flags, was best on ground in the 1998 grand final and have won a few best and fairest awards to go along with that.”
He said he gets just as much enjoyment from watching his son around at the club now as he does from playing himself.
“I actually umpired them on Saturday,” he said. “He’s only a small young feller coming through but it’s so great to see them having fun.”
He said he would like to thank everyone at the club for their continued efforts and his family for their support.
“They have to put up with my complaining about being sore on Sundays,” he said.
“And there is more of that now then there has ever been before.”
