One of Sunshine’s most exclusive clubs welcomed its second member on Saturday.
When Brad Connor ran onto Kinder Smith Reserve for the Western Region Football League outfit it was for an incredible 400th time.
The 32-year-old became just the second player – after Darren Green – in the Kangaroos’ history to reach the milestone.
And his teammates ensured the milestone was celebrated in style, beating Altona by six points in division 1 reserves.
After 20 years at the Kangaroos, Connor said it was the family-oriented nature of the club which kept him coming back.
“It is a great honour to reach this milestone. It’s very humbling to be only the second,” he said.
“Everyone at the club is really close. A lot of players these days are my age or around my age and they have kids now. Everyone brings their kids down. Everyone is there and helps out. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
While Saturday was about celebrating an individual milestone, it’s the team accomplishments that stand out for Connor among his highlights as a Kangaroo.
He lists the club’s 2008 premiership win as his most cherished Sunshine memory.
On that day Sunshine beat the more highly fancied Spotswood 10.9 (69) – 8.7 (55).
“We weren’t a team of superstars,” Connor recalls. “We were just a good, even team who played for each other.
“We weren’t favourites to win, but we all really gelled. When everyone is so close and when everyone is mates, it makes our team so strong. That got us a win on the day.”
While the Sunshine 400-game club has doubled in size, the Kangaroos’ 300-game club also continues to expand. Two of Connor’s premiership teammates, Ricky Martin and James Nardella, got there earlier in the season, taking the total to 17.
While the reserves side has a finals campaign in front of it, the Kangaroos’ senior team’s season came to an end on Saturday.
Sunshine produced a late run towards September but fell just short, finishing sixth.
Despite missing finals, Connor believes the club’s long-term future is in good hands under first-year coach Brendan Hallinan.
“Brendan has reinvigorated the place with some new strategies,” Connor said.
“He’s brought some younger kids along and I think we’re in that development phase.
“That will hold us in good stead for the next few years.”
