KEN MOORE spoke with Nilma-Darnum’s marquee recruit MAL MICHAEL after the Bombers grand-final
victory over Cora Lynn on Saturday.
Michael played more than 250 senior AFL games in a career that spanned three clubs from 1997 to 2008.
He made his debut at Collingwood before a move to the Brisbane Lions where he was a triple premiership player and then finished his
wonderful career at Essendon.
Ken Moore (KM): Have you enjoyed your first season in the Ellinbank Football League?
Mal Michael (MM): It’s been a long campaign. I haven’t missed a match, but it’s been very enjoyable.
It was a team effort all the players committed themselves for 10 months to the campaign that has now been fruitful with today’s premiership.
KM: How did you enjoy today’s game and the atmosphere?
MM: It was good – I really enjoyed it. It doesn’t matter what level you play at, the tension and all those things are still always there.
At training on Thursday night you could feel the weight and pressure among our 21 players, the town and the supporters and it was just great to win today.
KM: Tell us about your team-mates in general?
MM: Honestly there are not a lot of outlandish characters and most of the boys are pretty much a lot of humble chaps. They’re a bunch of good guys.
KM: Did the standard of football in the Ellinbank League come as surprise?
MM: A little bit. We recruited some very good midfielders, so I always knew our skill levels were going to be pretty good, but I was surprised by the standard of the centerfields.
My initial thought was that the standard would be little worse until I started playing.
KM: And what do you think you have brought to the club?
MM: I’d like to think I’ve put them on the map.
I live in Melbourne and without blowing my own trumpet, the people in Melbourne are starting to learn there is an Ellinbank Football League and a place called Darnum and perhaps that is where my value is.
I guess being an experienced player field wise I think I’ve brought a bit of professionalism to the club and hope the young guys have learnt that to win games like today they have to take things seriously. That rubs off on the young kids in our team that played today.
KM: Big celebrations tonight?
MM: Yes, absolutely. I won’t be going home and have booked in at Warragul tonight.
KM: And have you made a commitment to next year?
MM: They’ve asked me to come back, but I’ll take things 12 months at a time.
