Aiden Lawson has been through thick and thin at Pimpino, and he's hoping the good times might soon be returning once again.
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Lawson, 33, joined the club in 2003, and has not played anywhere else since.
The Pimpinio life member has stuck with the club, even as the senior football side faced a lean period across the last decade.
"I'm Pimpinio through and through," Lawson said.
"Of course I'd love to have success again - I haven't been involved in a win in more than two years.
"But I still enjoy it. It's been great this year to get out there and play with guys who are 15 or 16 years younger than me, and see them develop. I like to think I can hopefully pass on some knowledge to them as well."
Unlike many of Pimpino's senior brigade, Lawson can remember being surrounded by on-field success.
"I was involved and playing reserves in both of those years we won the premiership, in 2005 and 2006," he said.
"It was just good to be a part of, to be at the club during all that success.
"It was just amazing to see the support at those grand finals. A lot of happy faces, and tears of joy from the older people who had been at the club for so long."
Lawson said he could see the club making the gradual return to those glory days.
"I definitely hope we can return to that. We're starting to go in the right direction, with a bunch of juniors coming through and some really great leaders at the club," he said.
"Hopefully the young guys can stick around and over the next two, three or five years, the club can start seeing some on-field success."
Whether Lawson will still be playing when the turnaround comes is another question.
"I joked three or four years ago that next time I get a proper injury, I'll call it quits, but I haven't been injured since," Lawson said.
"I might have jinxed myself there.
"I'm nearly 34, but I'll keep playing while I can, and while I've got something to give to the team."
This week, Pimpinio face an injury-depleted Laharum, who slumped to second from the bottom after a loss last weekend.
It will likely be Pimpino's last chance to snag a win this year, as their remaining five games afterward are all against top-six sides.
"We're not getting ahead of ourselves this week," Lawson said. "But it has been spoken about that it's a big opportunity - we'll definitely come out there on Saturday with all guns blazing.
"We've been starting to play some good footy, it's about making sure of it over the four quarters."
Richard Crabtree
richard.crabtree@austcommunitymedia.com.au
richard.crabtree@austcommunitymedia.com.au
