Damian Monkhorst — hanging up the boots at 40.
By Kath Gannaway
DAMIAN Monkhorst walked from the Woori Yallock oval on Sunday ending 24 year AFL and YVMDFL career as a player.
It wasn’t the final game the towering Tigers’ captain/coach, or his young team, would have hoped for.
Woori went down in a hard-fought grand final battle with Upwey-Tecoma by 31 points.
It’s fair to say it’s the young players, who he has mentored since returning to the club in 2001 who felt the disappointment of defeat most.
They would have wanted it for the man who – at 40, twice the age of most of them – has shown them and their club leadership, loyalty and mateship on and off the ground for the past eight years.
Back in the rooms he validates their emotion and provides some perspective.
“It’s disappointing,” he said. “It rips your guts apart.
“Well battled today. We had them and we let them back in. That’s the way it goes. That’s footy. To all of you. I love you as footballers and as mates… it’s been an honour.”
The response is immediate.
“We love you, too.”
Looking back Monkhorst said football was more or less an accidental thing for him.
He played with the Woori juniors from the under-nines but at 15 his real passion was basketball.
He was in his first year in the under-17s when he was picked to train with Collingwood. He played with the Magpies until the end of the 1999 season in the under-19 premiership team and the unforgettable 1990 senior premiership team – the highlight of his AFL career.
After a season with St Kilda he returned home to Woori Yallock, leading the Tigers to grand final victory in his second year as coach in 2003 against Upwey-Tecoma.
At the risk of sounding a little “mushy” he said, it’s not the flag which has provided the most reward. “The 2002 premiership is definitely a highlight but I would say that comes secondary.
“Just playing with these young kids and seeing them grow as footballers, and as young men, that’s been the highlight.”
It’s not the end of football for Monkhorst who has had an involvement with the Richmond coaching team for the past three years.
“It’s just the playing. I’ve been in it a long time and it’s up to the young guys now but I can always offer the coaching and experience I’ve learnt along the way.”
