KYLIE Murphy had every reason to retire at the end of last season.
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At 37 years old and coming off a torn Achilles that derailed her 2015 season, the ever-reliable goal-shooter could easily have hung up the sneakers and called it a day.
But all it took was a quick chat with husband Steve – the 1992 Morris medallist – to ensure she took the court for Wodonga again this season.
“He’s very encouraging, every year I say ‘we’re too busy, the kids are growing up and playing sport, you’re president of the footy club, we have a lot going on’,” she said.
“He just tells me that he would keep playing footy if he physically could so I should go for it as long as I can.”
The Bulldogs are glad she has.
Twenty-two years after first lining up in maroon and white, Murphy will play her 250th match for the Bulldogs against Lavington on Saturday.
Five years in Bendigo, which included a hat-trick of premierships with Kangaroo Flat, a season at Yackandandah and three young children – Lizzy, 9, Joseph, 8, and Maggie, 3 – meant Murphy has taken the scenic route to her milestone with the Bulldogs.
She started in B grade as a 15-year-old, winning the best and fairest a season later, before going on to coach the A grade team for four seasons – 2009-11 and 2014.
Murphy has played in three losing grand finals for the Bulldogs and her Achilles injury meant she couldn’t take to the court as Wodonga downed Yarrawonga in last season’s premiership victory.
“A lot of people felt sorry for me that day but I was pretty honoured to be part of it,” she said.
“I was on the bench last year and I felt part of it, I played half the season and went through that experience with a lot of the players that I’ve played with for a long time.”
The Bulldogs are four points and percentage behind fifth-placed Wangaratta Rovers after last weekend’s shock loss to Wodonga Raiders and face a big challenge against the second-placed Panthers on Saturday, where Murphy will be a key player in attack.
“We knew at the end of the last year when we had so many girls retire and Jane (Cook) moved on and Steph (Gorman) has gone on to basketball that it was going to be a tough year,” she said.
“We didn’t think we’d be winning a premiership this year and we knew it would be a tough ask to make finals but part of the incentive to come back and play netball was working with the young girls and providing a bit of support.
“It’s been really rewarding for me.”