The Yass Magpies are not that far away from pushing up the ladder and claiming what is theirs, but they must play 80 minutes of footy and play to the game plan for this to be achieved.
The Magpies will have plenty to play for with the 20-year reunion of the last premiership from 2006 being held this weekend, with Walker Park set to come alive with footy action.
Tony Worthy began his career for the Magpies in the previous century (yes, to all you youngsters out there, he was playing top grade footy in the late 90s as a Half-Back and kicking goals from the sideline). Tony won’t be the only Magpie swooping in on their 100th milestone game and it’s shaping up to be a huge weekend.
One of Tony’s best friends is no doubt Chris Rawlinson, who will also bring up 300 games for the black and whites this season.
The Times caught up with Chris for a few insights to the man that Tony is outside of a man who, in his mid-40s, is still going strong after playing nearly every position on the field for the good of the team.
Before we delve in to Tony’s career, we talk about the Magpies last game with President Tim Clayton.
“The positive things for us that came up were that we brought some young guys up from reserve grade due to injuries,” he says.
“We were struck pretty hard with injuries. Caleb was away, Jesse, so that’s six, Chevy was out injured. We brought a couple of guys up to start First grade. They handled the occasion well and went really well.
“Once again, we were competitive for 60 minutes.”
Although Tim says the score didn’t give an accurate indication of the game, he says the tough match didn’t showcase their best footy, despite the grind shown by both teams.
Yass will have to mix up its kicking game, and it was apparent to those on the sideline that there was a need for more kicking to go deep and into the corners to turn the opposition forwards around.
In the second half one kick went into their 20 and it took their big boys four tackles to get back there.
Tim says, “We probably need to have a look at the way we play against those larger sides and play to the game plan.”
“If we had of beaten blues, we would have been on eight points and we would have been running fifth on the table. It is that congested. The top two have cleared out and the other seven could make the four.
“We are still a chance of making the four and we should have beat Tuggeranong at Tuggeranong we would have been sitting on 10 points and coming third.
“But once again it is our lapses that get us.”
Now onto Round Two, Tim says their home game against Woden will be a tough one.
“What they are is what we should be. They are super fit, they are well drilled and they have got a halfback that just kicks you to death,” he says.
The Magpies are hoping that the system which has been broken for years and underdelivering for the club might work for them this week.
The club is meant to get a number of Raiders contracted players in their squad each week when available, and there plenty available due to the bye.
The Raiders have got a bye and they have said that all their players are expected to play, now if that happens, the run on five is Raiders front rower, Raiders hooker, Rana Baker, Raiders back rower and Raiders back rower style of squad.
Tim says, “It would be sensational, but the likelihood of that happening is next to nothing. If it does it will be handy.”
“With three wins already, this is our most successful year since 2011.
“The main thing there is we are on an upswing, we’ve just got to maximise the upswing.”
As for Chris and Tony’s lengthy friendship, they really are as worthy as they come.
Thick as thieves on the footy field for over a quarter of a century, Chris told The Times that he used to go down as a young teenager and watch Worthy play for the Magpies when Worthy was a 19-year-old. He gave Worthy the ultimate compliment after admitting he modelled some of his game on that of Worthy’s. Rawlinson will soon celebrate 300 games himself; his career mirroring Worthy’s over the last quarter century.
When it comes to the 2006 GF, Chris says, “[Worthy] played a part during the year, maybe eight games all up, I’m not quite sure. He has just always been there.
“I still remember going up to watch him when I think he started under 19s, and I think it was a night game, and I still remember him kicking goals from the sideline, and I was at the old dressing sheds just watching him. That’s when I first started watching the seniors.
“He was a Half-back back then and then he changed from halfback to five-eight and then played a bit of hooker and then he’s played front row and then lock, into the pack.”
Worthy, Chris says, is the perfect team man.
“He’s just one of those blokes, he just loves playing footy and [is] a mate, just a good bloke. He’s one of those loyal blokes, a good footy player, and can talk to anyone,” he says.
Tony Worthy can add another 50 odd games to his tally after his stint in Binalong in the early 2010s after the team picked up three consecutive premierships across two competitions in the George Tooke and Woodbridge Cup.
Chris says, “I think he had one year off there, so I think we worked out 300 games here and then 50 or so at Binalong.”
“Being a halfback, looking up to him and one of those blokes that’ll just take you under their wing and if it wasn’t footy wise, it was just normal life stuff, he has sort of been like a dad influence to me growing up and [a] real close mate on and off the field.
“I’m lucky to play nearly my whole career with Tony.
“It is something that I look back and hold pretty special.”
Tony has been married to his wonderful wife, Wendy, for 25 years, with whom he shares three children.
As for the future, Chris says their match against Woden this weekend should be a good 300th game for Tony.
“I think we are sitting equal second on the table in reserve grade. Gungahlin are first and then there’s three teams on 14. Top four is sort of settled, I think. I don’t think anyone else will make it,” he says.
Get down to Walker Park and watch all the footy action on Saturday and cheer Tony on for his milestone match.
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