Rundle to play her 300th for Eagles
SAMANTHA Rundle is preparing for an extra-special milestone this weekend.
Rundle, 45, will play her 300th game for East Geelong tomorrow in its elimination final against Thomson.
The achievement caps an amazing 34-year association with the club for the veteran, who joined the Eagles in 1985 when she was just 11.
Rundle said she never imagined reaching such a milestone after playing for the last 17 years.
“It’s a very special milestone,” she said. “If we win, I’ll feel even better.
“I thought I’d finish well before now but luckily enough my body has held up and I’ve been able to continue.”
Rundle’s highlights over the journey include the D-grade premiership in 2009, the first year of the D-grade.
“That was the year I had my twin daughters, I had them in May and started playing again in July and to come away with a premiership was fantastic,” she said.
Since that time, Rundle has worn many hats at East Geelong, including acting as club secretary from 1995-98 and club treasurer from 1999-2001.
Rundle won the A-grade club’s best-and-fairest in 2002 and C-grade runner-up bestand-fairest in 2014 and 2017.
She has coached a host of teams in juniors and seniors, as well as being selected captain and vice-captain a number of times over the years in both football and netball.
Rundle played women’s football for East Geelong, featuring in 65-plus games during 2000-04.
She was runner-up bestand-fairest in 2000 and bestand-fairest in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
The popular club member also won the league’s best-and -fairest in 2001 and 2002 and was part of East Geelong’s women’s football premiership in 2002.
Rundle also played women’s football for Victoria in 2003-04 and won the National Championship in 2004.