IN the lead-up to round one of the 2011 Heathcote District league season the name R. Alford appeared on the half-back flank in the North Bendigo team published in the Bendigo Advertiser.
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And in every North Bendigo team selected since, R. Alford’s name has been in it.
A North Bendigo junior, Ryan Alford left the Bulldogs for a stint at Eaglehawk before returning to Atkins Street in 2011 when Damien Lock took over as coach.
Alford made his senior debut for the Bulldogs in round one of 2011 – a 35-point victory over Mount Pleasant – and hasn’t missed a game since, with his tally of consecutive matches now at an impressive 151.
Game No.152 in a row will be another grand final on Saturday when Alford is part of the Bulldogs’ team that meets Leitchville-Gunbower at Huntly for the HDFNL flag.
“I’ve been fairly lucky with the way the body has held up,” Alford said this week.
“I had a bit of a rough trot when I was at Eaglehawk, but since I’ve come back to North Bendigo I haven’t missed a game.
“It’s not like I’ve looked after my body tremendously or anything like that… I just rock up to pre-season each year and do what I’ve got to do.
“There’s definitely been games where I’ve gone in sore, but once you get out there and start running around it’s all good.
“I think it’s a pretty good achievement to be able to play 150 games at a club, let alone 150-straight, so it is something I’m proud of and hopefully, the injuries keep away.”
Alford was a 20-year-old when his games streak began in April of 2011.
He’s now 27, married to wife Kristie – who will play in North Bendigo’s B Grade netball grand final team against Mount Pleasant – and has two kids, Hudson and Lola.
North Bendigo coach Matt Dillon agrees that Alford’s durability is a trait in which he should be proud.
“It’s a massive effort just to play 150 games at the one club these days. To be able to do it without having a breather and going all the way through shows the mental capacity in the way he goes about his footy and just how tough he is,” Dillon said.
I think it’s a pretty good achievement to be able to play 150 games at a club, let alone 150-straight
- North Bendigo's Ryan Alford
“We rate him really highly within the club. He was probably down a little bit earlier in the season with the new structure of the side, but since about round four onwards he has been phenomenal.
“He gets big jobs and gives us tremendous rebound off half-back. A lot of his work goes unnoticed, but the two finals he has played for us have been fantastic and he has earned a lot of pats on the back.
“He kept (Leitchville-Gunbower’s) Matt Perri to two goals a couple of weeks ago and then had the job on (Colbinabbin’s) Ryan Hon last week when he was starting to look dangerous.”
For Alford – a carpenter by trade – he’s stepping on to a familiar stage on Saturday, grand final day.
Saturday is the Bulldogs’ fifth-straight grand final and sixth in the past seven years, with their rivalry against Leitchville-Gunbower having become the league’s marquee match-up.
Alford is one of only three Bulldogs – along with Aarryn Craig and former skipper Jordan Ford – lining up on Saturday who have played in North Bendigo’s other grand finals of:
2012 – lost to LBU by 94;
2014 – lost to LBU by 11;
2015 – defeated Leitchville-Gunbower by 10;
2016 – defeated Leitchville-Gunbower by 20; and
2017 – lost to Leitchville-Gunbower by 26.
“It’s definitely surreal to have played in so many grand finals, but it has obviously been great to be part of… it’s what you play footy for,” Alford said.
“North Bendigo is a club I have a lot of family connections with. My pop (Keith Robertson) was president, mum (Sue) and dad (Jack) are both life members and I’ve had uncles and cousins play here, so it’s a club I’ve always been around from when I was really young.”
RELATED – WEEKEND FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Throughout his 151 games in a row for the Bulldogs, Alford has won 110 and lost 41 and played in 23 finals, with his arrival coming on the back of some lean years at Atkins Street.
A year before his return the Bulldogs reached the first semi-final in 2010 under coach Jay Weston, but before that had endured seven seasons in a row without finals, while before their 2015 grand final success they hadn’t won a flag since 1977.
“It’s been a great team to be part of through this period, but I’m just there to do my bit each week,” said Alford, who has mixed his time at the Bulldogs playing midfield, half-forward and half-back.
“If I play well, well and good, but all I’m worried about is just winning games. I’m happy just to do whatever the coach tells me to help us get the win and this Saturday will be no different.”
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• Saturday’s HDFNL grand final schedule at Huntly:
FOOTBALL:
9.30am – under-17: Leitchville-Gunbower v LBU.
11.50am – reserves: Colbinabbin v White Hills.
2:20pm – seniors: Leitchville-Gunbower v North Bendigo.
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NETBALL:
9am – 15-under: White Hills v Colbinabbin.
10am – 17-under: Elmore v Colbinabbin.
11.30am – B Reserve: White Hills v Mount Pleasant.
1pm – B Grade: White Hills v North Bendigo.
2.30pm – A Reserve: White Hills v Mount Pleasant.
4pm – A Grade: White Hills v Colbinabbin.
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