Westy plays game 200

SEAN Westaway was the centre of attention in his 200th game, with Leongatha teammates going all out to help the usual backman boot a final quarter goal in the Parrots’ comfortable win over Warragul.

With Leongatha 61 points ahead at the final change, and to the delight of the home crowd, Parrots’ coach Trent McMicking swung Westy forward.

However, he had a few nervous minutes on the bench at the start of the last term to endure first.

Once he took the field, almost every pass into the Leongatha’s attacking arc then headed his way.

One teammate apologised to the popular clubman for kicking a goal rather than dishing the footy off to him.

“He was right behind you,” he told Westy, explaining his opponent was waiting to pounce.

After some near marks, Westaway managed a juggling effort, with the umpire confirming the mark.

An air of expectation hung over the Parrots’ nest as he lined up his set shot and let the Sherrin fly goalwards.

A raised Westaway finger celebrated the golden moment as the ball sailed toward goal, only for it to slam into a goal post.

While slightly disappointing at the time, the moment mattered little after the match, with Westaway chaired from the ground through a guard of honour of teammates and a respectful Warragul opposition.

In the rooms, the milestone man was doused in liquid during a raucous version of the club song and was then mobbed by Parrots, being completely enveloped.

Afterwards, it was time to catch his breath, enjoy time with those nearest to him and reflect on a special milestone.

The achievement was made more meritorious by the fact Westaway has lived for 12 years in Melbourne, where he is a teacher, but continues to travel to represent the Parrots.

He said the day became bigger as it went along and the magnitude of the occasion really hit him during his six minutes on the bench to start the final stanza.

“Everyone’s staring at me, everyone’s calling my name,” he was thinking as he waited for his opportunity to celebrate the occasion in style.

He was delighted with the win, saying he couldn’t have asked for anything more, before adding that a goal would have been nice.

“It just never curved enough,” Westaway said of his now famous behind.

He reckons it’s probably 10 years since he notched the last of his three senior goals.

Westaway has played all his footy for Leongatha, starting in the Under 12s.
The occasion of his 200th built from the eve of the game as Westaway was inundated with messages of congratulations, and running though his milestone banner was a special moment.

“They’re just fantastic people and it makes me want to keep coming back,” he said of everyone at the club.

Westaway plans to continue pulling on a Parrots jumper for as long as his body holds up, so there may be some more noteworthy milestones on the horizon.

While the scoreboard appeared to lose all relevance by the last term, it recorded a handsome 68-point win for the still unbeaten Parrots.

Jake van der Pligt and Tom Marriott were named the winner’s top performers, with Westy squeezing onto the best players list.

Justin Pellicano continued to have an impact up forward, booting another three goals for the Parrots, a contribution matched by teammate Jack Ginnane.

While the home crowd’s focus was on the bloke who almost kicked a goal, Warragul’s Jed Lamb played a gallant hand up forward, booting the Gulls’ entire six majors, continuing his outstanding season.

At Parrot park, though, memories of Westaway’s famous near miss and his storied contribution to the club will last much longer.