By Callum Ludwig
A legend of the Woori Yallock Football Netball Club hit a massive milestone on the weekend in the Tigers big win over Olinda-Ferny Creek, 16.18, 114 to 8.8, 56.
Joel ‘Lingy’ Adams racked up his 300th game on the weekend, with his debut coming all the way back in 2006.
Adams said there haven’t been too many in the club’s history that have done it.
“It puts my name up there with a couple of club legends, it’s something that I’m sure later in life, I’ll be able to look back and say I’ve done something reasonably good,” he said.
“I’ve been very fortunate, I came in as a 17-year-old into the senior team and we’ve been very successful over that time. I played with a lot of great teams, played in eight grand finals, won four and played finals every year.”
Adams’ had a lucky break early on in his career. In 2006, the club didn’t get an Under 18s side together, so he played in the reserves. He impressed in Round One, was called up to the 1s, and never went back.
Adams said he was grateful for the opportunity given to him by then-coach and former AFL ruckman Damian Monkhorst.
“Under his guidance, and my coaches since then, I like to think I’ve done a reasonable job for the club. It’s nice to always hear your name on a Thursday night though I still get a little bit nervous that I might not hear it,” he said.
“I’m not really big on whether I’ll get 30 and kick ten goals, it’s just whether I’m contributing and playing a role for the team, and the feedback I’ve had over the years is that people seem to think that I’ve been doing a good job.”
He’s done more than a good job. Playing mostly as wingman, admitting that contested possessions weren’t his forte, Adams’ personal accolades include a club best and fairest, seniors captain for 4 years, and four inclusions in the team of the year in the former Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League, now AFL Outer East.
Adams said the passion and the drive to play on are definitely still there.
“It’s just whether the body wants to hold out, it’s pretty good at the moment, so I’d like to keep going until they pretty much tell me to go away, whether that’s one, two, five or 10 years, whatever it may be,” he said.
“I’d like to be a part of it for as long as I can, and hopefully that’s many more years and a couple more premierships wouldn’t be too bad if I’m being selfish.”
