BENDIGO'S Johnny Palmer has plenty of reasons for hope of a shortened football season getting the go-ahead.
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At 62, he is a little older than most footballers and somewhat of a year-to-year proposition, though don't try telling him that.
And no, that's not a misprint - Palmer, who plays for Victorian FIDA Football League club Bendigo Suns, is 62.
With a gap of 20-years in age to the Suns' second-oldest player, and a nearly 40-year gap between him and most of his team-mates, Palmer is understood to be the oldest player running around in the Victorian league, which has operated since 1991 and is this season celebrating its 30th year.
His youngest team-mate last season was 14
Not content just being the oldest, he is also one of the league's keenest footballers.
Asked how long he has been playing football, Palmer replied with his usual friendly smile: "Way too long to remember."
On the field, he is not too hard to spot.
Palmer is easily recognisable for wearing gloves.
Bendigo Suns committee member Tammy Manton said Johnny played his initial football with a team called the Warriors, largely made up players from the East Bendigo recycling centre, where he is a long-time employee.
The team eventually disbanded, leaving players sidelined until the emergence of Bendigo Dockers in 2018.
In 2019, the team entered a new partnership with South Bendigo Football Netball Club, rebranding themselves as the Suns.
Manton, whose sons Cooper and Jed play alongside Palmer, said the much-loved Johnny was known as much for his mode of transport to training and games than his contributions on the field.
"Johnny has an electric-bicycle and that's how he gets around," she said.
"He will come to training on that bike and if we are playing in Bendigo he'll travel to the ground on his electric-bike.
"He comes to every training. I know one time last year his sister (Jan) didn't think he'd make it as he had a cold, but no, he was there."
While not winning a premiership is the one regret of most players never to have achieved the feat, Palmer never has to worry about being one of those players.
He got his opportunity to experience grand final glory with the Dockers in 2018 at the ripe old age of 61.
As Bendigo continues to grapple with a coronavirus lockdown, it went without saying that all Suns players were missing their football.
With the FIDA season divided into five carnivals - one each month from April to August - one chance to take to the field has already gone begging this season.
Another will almost certainly disappear this month.
For the sake of all players, especially the Suns' evergreen midfielder, Manton hoped some semblance of competition could be salvaged.
"He's a very friendly fellow, a great guy .... and he is always polite," she said.
"He likes that everyone thinks he is a lot younger than he is.
"We're all hoping we can get at least one carnival in, Johnny is absolutely keen, absolutely keen to play."
Bendigo Suns chair Daniel Wridgway praised Palmer's infectious enthusiasm for football and his club, and his tenacious determination to keep bettering himself.
"He's generally always the first person at training and the last one to leave. He just loves being around the club and loves being around everyone in the program," he said.
"He's always looking to be involved, not just as a player - the type of person who is always willing to fill up the drink bottles, pick up something that's needed, or help in whatever way he can.
"Even at the ripe old age of 62 he is continuously looking for improvement in game. He always asks for an analysis of game after the match and will still be asking about the week later on the training track.
"He is just very committed to everything he does. Anything he commits to he just gives a red-hot go.
"He is just a great guy to have around our club."
"He's generally always the first person at training and the last one to leave. He just loves being around the club and loves being around everyone in the program.
- Daniel Wridgway
As coach of the Dockers in 2018 and Suns in 2019, Wridgway said the absence of a football season had hit players hard, severing an important social network.
"Every time I see Johnny out the front of my house he is asking when is footy starting, and it's the same response every time - 'I'm not sure Johnny, but you will be the first one to know'," he said.
"He might be the oldest guy at the club, but he is the player who is always looking to improve himself as a player and get further involved in the program.
"I have to say, I was very surprised when I found out his age, there's no way he looks anything like it.
"He shows no indication of slowing down to be honest."
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