DEAN Harding was only going to spend one year at Wodonga.
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After 19 games in three seasons with Fitzroy from 1991-93, the Wangaratta Rovers junior had no plans for an extended stay in the competition where he was plucked by the Lions as an 18-year-old.
Fast forward 22 years and Harding bleeds maroon and white. He’s not a Hawk. He’s not a Lion. He’s a Bulldog.
Lured to the kennel by good mates Dean Stone and Robbie Hickmott, who would go on to become a Melbourne Cup-winning horse trainer, Harding said he could never have dreamed of still being in Wodonga in 2016.
Initially when I got here I was the Rovers bloke that’s turned up at Wodonga to have a kick but hopefully now people see me as the Wodonga bloke who played some footy at Rovers
- Dean Harding
“I thought I’d come here for a year and get redrafted but that never happened. I’m still here 22 years later and I’m still waiting to get drafted,” he said.
“Initially when I got here I was the Rovers bloke that’s turned up at Wodonga to have a kick but hopefully now people see me as the Wodonga bloke who played some footy at Rovers.”
Not only is Harding a Wodonga bloke, he’s the Wodonga coach and he will lead the Bulldogs into action when they celebrate 80 years in the Ovens and Murray at John Flower Oval on Saturday.
Adding to the occasion for Harding, the celebration will come against his former club.
It’s a must-win match for both teams with the loser set to drop to 4-8 and all but out of the finals race.
“With where we’ve been and what we’ve got going on at the club, the boys will turn up on Saturday,” Harding said.
“They’re ready to put a big performance in and make sure the guys that turn up for the 80-year reunion are proud of their footy club.
“It’s more about the blokes who will get back, like ‘Bear’ Allen, ‘B’ Smith, Jonny Collins, Mick Garvey and all those guys, I want to make sure that the boys I’m leading make those guys proud.”
The Bulldogs got a boost with “heart and soul” big man Matt Seiter returning for the contest.
Harding’s draft hopes, however, remain on ice after tweaking a groin at training on Tuesday night.