Bendigo Advertiser | CASTLEMAINE stalwart James O'Brien is defying logic.
You'd think at age 37 and with a body that has been battered from pillar to post at the coalface through 13 seasons for his beloved Magpies that the midfielder's output on a Saturday would surely now be on the decline.
But on the eve of his 200th Bendigo Football League game with the Magpies against Kangaroo Flat, O'Brien remains an integral member of the Castlemaine side whose output this year is arguably at career-best level, as shown by him being only one vote off the leader, team-mate Justin Dorward, in the Bendigo Advertiser-ParcelPass BFL Player of the Year.
"My body is feeling good at the moment. I've been a lot more diligent in terms of my recovery… I go and get a massage during the week, which is something I never used to do," O'Brien said.
"I've been more pro-active in trying to prevent something that may take a while to get back from and it seems to be helping."
O'Brien joined the Magpies in 2003 from Newstead, where he played in a Maryborough-Castlemaine District Football League premiership in 2000.
While O'Brien, who has been either captain or co-captain since 2007, has been a constant at Castlemaine since joining, the club's coaching position has been a revolving door.
He's played under nine senior coaches in his 13 years – Steven Oliver, Lachlan Brown (co-coaches), Paul Eyles (twice), Ian Martin, Jamie Elliott, Len Watson, Rod Keogh, Brett Fitzpatrick and Shane Robertson.
O'Brien says the lack of stability that comes with the constant change of coach hasn't helped the Magpies' cause when it comes to ending their finals drought.
O'Brien played in two finals series in his first three years with Castlemaine, but the Magpies haven't been back to September since 2005.
"It has been a bit of a dry spell, but there's some good young kids there at the moment and it's just a matter of having some stability coaching-wise at the club," O'Brien said.
There is some light at the end of the tunnel for the Magpies, who at 3-7 are among the group of sides – of which Saturday's opponent Kangaroo Flat is one – that are jostling for fifth position.
As for his 200th game this week, it's just business as usual for O'Brien, who the club describes as "built like superman and plays accordingly".
"It's something I'll look back on with a bit of pride when I finish up, but at the moment it's just another game," said O'Brien, who has missed just 19 games in his 13 seasons.
Round 11 BFL tips:
Adam Bourke (43) – Gisborne, Kangaroo Flat, Strathfieldsaye, Golden Square, Sandhurst.
Luke West (42) – Gisborne, Kangaroo Flat, Strathfieldsaye, Golden Square, Sandhurst.
Nathan Dole (34) – Gisborne, Kangaroo Flat, Strathfieldsaye, Golden Square, Sandhurst.
