GERARD Midson believes it’s fitting his last game of cricket will be against Yackandandah.
After all, Yackandandah was the first club to give the former North Albury and Howlong star an opportunity to coach more than a decade ago.
Midson, 39, will pull on the whites for the final time today as the Demons search for an outright victory against the Roos in what would be a fitting end to his 25-year career.
He told his teammates he was going to retire last week in what was “one of the toughest things I have ever had to do” and was given the chance to enjoy a farewell match against his former club.
Despite a creaking body that he admits is no longer up to the rigours of competitive sport, Midson took the new ball and produced another admirable spell, netting 1-12 from eight overs as Yackandandah crumbled for just 79.
Midson said yesterday he contemplated retiring at the end of last year, after Dederang won the District premiership, but tried to eke out another season despite his body’s protests.
“The thought did cross my mind at the end of last year but I thought I’d give it another crack and see how I’d go,” the father-of-three said yesterday.
“But the body’s not as good as I thought it was — I played B-grade in the first round and bowled eight overs and was still sore the next Thursday, so that swayed the decision.
“I also played against a kid in B-grade whose father I played against 25 years ago, so that opened my eyes up a bit too.”
Midson, a regular country week representative, was sad to draw a curtain on his career.
“It was very hard, I wouldn’t wish having to make this decision on anyone, it was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do,” he said.
“It was really tough (but) at the end of the day you have to look at work and your family ... the kids are starting to ask when we’re going to do things as a family, it’s pretty full-on at home at the moment.”
Midson, who won nine senior premierships, said finishing his career against the club he started coaching at was a fitting finale.
“I said to the guys (at Dederang) I’d like to play one more game, but if they wanted to move on straight away it wouldn’t worry me ... but I’m glad they gave me another game,” he said.
“Yack was the first club that gave me an opportunity to coach, back in 1996-97, and a few of the boys that I played with back then who were 15 or so are still playing today, like Mick Walker, so it’s a nice way to finish.”
Midson — who labelled Steve Wood and Andrew Lade as the best cricketers he had played against, and John Wilson as the finest he had played with — has also relinquished his co-coaching duties, leaving recruit Dan Dixon to oversee the club’s debut season in Provincial cricket.
“I think we’re heading down the right path — I hope I’ve left the club in a better state than when I got there,” Midson said.
“It was always our plan to get up to Provincial and we got there ... to win the flag last year was great.
“Premierships are always a highlight but I have also really enjoyed the development of young kids that come through.”
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