- Nov 23, 2015
- 15,051
- 23,743
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Moderator
- #1
I guess we never bothered to make a thread for poor ol' Lachie Keeffe, coming in as a DFA and with a bit of a black mark hanging over his head. But here we are, 6 years later and this journeyman player is about to play his 100th game of AFL. There's a lot more in this story - especially about his drugs suspension - than I've posted, and it's a decent read, even if to just understand a little bit more about the man.
I've cursed him at times as being useless, I've loved him at other times when he's played above himself. However, it appears that he's well-loved within the Giants group, and has gotten the absolute most out of himself since coming to the club. So, congrats Lachie, and enjoy the game.
www.gwsgiants.com.au
At Blundstone Arena on Sunday, the 33-year-old GIANTS defender reaches a milestone that once felt out of reach when he plays his 100th AFL game against North Melbourne. It comes eight years after his career looked over when he and Josh Thomas were both hit with two-year bans for testing positive for clenbuterol.
Keeffe has seen it all. From missing two prime years that ultimately led to being delisted by the Magpies 12 months after being reinstated, to nearly four years between games No.40 and 41, to not one but two knee reconstructions almost a decade apart to a career of one-year deals. It is why the journey matters more than the destination.
"For me, it is more about the 16 years rather than the 100 games," Keeffe told AFL.com.au at GIANTS HQ this week. "I wasn't too worried if I got there or not – 97 games would have been the same as 100 – it is probably more the journey I've been on for 16 years that I will look back on over the 100 games. "I think my family gets more out of it than I do. Mum loves it but still doesn't know the rules. Dad and my sisters will come down and they will love it. Family is why I do it."
Not many are as respected as Keeffe inside the GIANTS. You don't last this long in the game, having done it the hard way, if you don't bring something to the group, especially a group that has had more first-round picks roll through its doors than anyone else since its inception. "He is a great human, he is just universally loved, even Collingwood still have deep affection for him. I reckon that's where he has got his longevity, just being a great character. He is a really good footy player on the field, but just a really good teammate off the field," Hazell said.
When it comes to off-field dedication, it is the Queenslander who now sets the standard in terms of application at the GIANTS. Matt de Boer was the leader in that space until he retired. Toby Greene is also revered internally for making the most of his time away from the club. Both have been involved in de Boer's investment syndicate, Athletic Ventures. "I'm very thankful for the opportunity that the GIANTS gave me. I obviously got the arse in the end from Collingwood at the end of 2017. Little bit of an unknown after that. I still felt I was capable of playing at the highest level, and it just so happened that I fit what the GIANTS were looking for. I'll be eternally grateful for that," he said. "We were lucky enough to be a pretty good team when I got here, lucky enough to play in some big games. We haven't been able to climb the mountain yet, but it has been great to be part of the journey. I've really appreciated the opportunity."
Keeffe has climbed his own mountain, even if he doesn't realise it. It has taken him longer than most to reach 100 games, but he has seen more than most.
I've cursed him at times as being useless, I've loved him at other times when he's played above himself. However, it appears that he's well-loved within the Giants group, and has gotten the absolute most out of himself since coming to the club. So, congrats Lachie, and enjoy the game.
Ultimate Teammate on a Journey Bigger than the Destination
Lachlan Keeffe will bring up a long-awaited milestone against North Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
At Blundstone Arena on Sunday, the 33-year-old GIANTS defender reaches a milestone that once felt out of reach when he plays his 100th AFL game against North Melbourne. It comes eight years after his career looked over when he and Josh Thomas were both hit with two-year bans for testing positive for clenbuterol.
Keeffe has seen it all. From missing two prime years that ultimately led to being delisted by the Magpies 12 months after being reinstated, to nearly four years between games No.40 and 41, to not one but two knee reconstructions almost a decade apart to a career of one-year deals. It is why the journey matters more than the destination.
"For me, it is more about the 16 years rather than the 100 games," Keeffe told AFL.com.au at GIANTS HQ this week. "I wasn't too worried if I got there or not – 97 games would have been the same as 100 – it is probably more the journey I've been on for 16 years that I will look back on over the 100 games. "I think my family gets more out of it than I do. Mum loves it but still doesn't know the rules. Dad and my sisters will come down and they will love it. Family is why I do it."
Not many are as respected as Keeffe inside the GIANTS. You don't last this long in the game, having done it the hard way, if you don't bring something to the group, especially a group that has had more first-round picks roll through its doors than anyone else since its inception. "He is a great human, he is just universally loved, even Collingwood still have deep affection for him. I reckon that's where he has got his longevity, just being a great character. He is a really good footy player on the field, but just a really good teammate off the field," Hazell said.
When it comes to off-field dedication, it is the Queenslander who now sets the standard in terms of application at the GIANTS. Matt de Boer was the leader in that space until he retired. Toby Greene is also revered internally for making the most of his time away from the club. Both have been involved in de Boer's investment syndicate, Athletic Ventures. "I'm very thankful for the opportunity that the GIANTS gave me. I obviously got the arse in the end from Collingwood at the end of 2017. Little bit of an unknown after that. I still felt I was capable of playing at the highest level, and it just so happened that I fit what the GIANTS were looking for. I'll be eternally grateful for that," he said. "We were lucky enough to be a pretty good team when I got here, lucky enough to play in some big games. We haven't been able to climb the mountain yet, but it has been great to be part of the journey. I've really appreciated the opportunity."
Keeffe has climbed his own mountain, even if he doesn't realise it. It has taken him longer than most to reach 100 games, but he has seen more than most.
