Matt Dussin steps down as Myrtleford co-captain after long stint

Myrtleford's Matt Dussin has spent the bulk of his senior career in the role with Mitch Dalbosco, but the latter will now fill the co-captaincy role with Ryley Sharp.

"We've had leaders at the footy club that have been ready to take the reins for years and it was just time for transition, a new face, a new voice," Dussin offered.

Since making his debut as a Year 11 student in 2009, Dussin has racked up 168 matches with COVID over the past two seasons potentially costing him joining the 200 club.

Quite remarkably, the 29-year-old moved to Melbourne in 2012, so he's now spent a decade travelling past a stack of clubs to play with his junior outfit.

"I don't know that there's a simple answer to it to be honest," he suggested when quizzed on why he's travelled well over 100,000kms for the Saints.

"First and foremost, it's where I grew up, I've got a lot of friends who still play at the club and the ones who don't play still live in town, so it's an opportunity to see them.

"The biggest one obviously is my parents, they still live in Myrtleford, which again is a really good chance to spend time with them, which makes it a hell of a lot easier.

"And there's just the footy, just the club itself, even take away my mates, just the rest of the people at the footy club, I've just built such a relationship with so many over a long period of time, it's so easy to come back because they're such good people.

"They're incredible people, hard working people, so the sacrifice of travelling is not much compared to what they do in the background, just to get things running, so it's more of a pleasure than it is a chore and until that changes, I probably don't see myself stepping away."

Co-coach Dawson Simpson joined the Saints after the 2019 season, but he's seen in a short time Dussin's standing.

"Matt's at that stage in life where he just wants to concentrate on footy and has opted to take a back seat role," he explained.

"The club is in absolute debt to what that man has done for it, he's been an enormous part of our footy club as a captain."

Interestingly, it's been the work ethic of co-coaches Simpson and Jake Sharp which has also had a major impact.

"When I retire will chop and change I reckon on how the body goes, I've been very lucky up to this stage to have had no major injuries, I'll play footy for as long as I can, I love it," Dussin explained.

"I'd be interested in moving into some sort of coaching role.

"I was one of those players who never thought they would have an interest in coaching, but that's changed over the past 18 months to two years.

"I've just seen what Jake and Dawson have done, how satisfying that looks and working with a group and getting a team together and working towards a common goal, it's the whole reason I love footy.

"I never thought I'd be ready for it, but the more and more time I spend watching them do what they do, it's driven me to do a little bit more too."

Dussin is the ultimate Mr. Fixit, capable of shutting down the opposition's best defender or starring in the ruck.

IN OTHER NEWS:

A club best and fairest, ex-Saints' co-coach and long-time rep player Tim Looby described him "as good as anyone I've played with".

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: