Luke Emmerton's proud football career will reach an emotional climax on Saturday.
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It's not just because the 34-year-old's final game will be between the two clubs which have given him so many good times over the years.
But Emmerton, who will retire after Rand-Walbundrie-Walla's reserve-grade match against Osborne at Rand, is also set to take the field alongside his son, 14-year-old Jai, for the very first time.
"I'm going to try to get him there," Emmerton said.
"It would be a massive thing for me.
![Luke Emmerton with his sons Jai, 14, Harley, 6, and Aiden, 8. Luke Emmerton with his sons Jai, 14, Harley, 6, and Aiden, 8.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/81565f27-1b96-4990-802f-fb305430f3cc.JPG/r132_46_949_565_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"He loves footy, gets around his mates and loves hanging out with them on the weekends so it would be something very special for both of us.
"My decision (to retire) was made a few weeks back and I saw this as a prime opportunity: my home club playing against my old club at my home ground.
"I know we've got one more game after this but I think it's more fitting this way."
Emmerton won a thirds premiership with Osborne in 2005 and then went back-to-back in the Tigers reserve grade in 2007-08.
But having begun his career as a junior at Rand, the last nine years of Emmerton's career have been spent with the Giants, where he tasted premiership success again in the 2018 reserves grand final against Jindera.
![Why my very last game promises to be the most special of all Why my very last game promises to be the most special of all](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/0f3b03f2-5651-42db-bc6c-fc2712b364e3.JPG/r0_96_1024_672_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It was unreal to be with the local boys and get a flag, which we hadn't had before," Emmerton said.
"It was really exciting.
"We had a bit of a slow start but then we picked up momentum into the important part of the year and were able to run on with it.
"Jarryd Weeding and Mason Collins, our coaches, did well to pull together a really strong group and to get the win was a credit to them.
"Some of my fondest supporters at the Giants were the late Ernie Wardius and Bruce Cooper, who would always be there, win, lose or draw to congratulate you on your game.
"Taking on the coaching at the start of last year, watching the kids come in and gain confidence has been a really rewarding experience and although I'll be hanging up the playing boots I'll still have the work boots on, doing whatever I can to continue my passion."
Emmerton has played 13 games this year, one in seniors and the rest in reserves, but he knows it's time to listen to his body.
"I've been having a few issues with my back and I've decided the value of life is a little bit more important than to keep pushing myself," Emmerton said.
"But I've been passionate about footy for a fairly long time so it will be pretty hard to give it away.
"Coaching the ressies is a bit of a blessing, I suppose, because I can still go on with the passionate side of it without playing.
![Rand-Walbundrie-Walla's Luke Emmerton. Rand-Walbundrie-Walla's Luke Emmerton.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/afa5c84e-65f3-49c5-af44-0877c5bb09e5.JPG/r313_54_1055_532_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I've enjoyed my footy career a lot.
"It's that breath of fresh air if you've had a tough week; you can have that two hours of enjoyment where you're focused wholly and solely on the game."
Emmerton spent most of his career in the backline either side of a few years in the midfield.
Winning three flags in four years at Osborne is something he'll never forget.
"We still talk about the training Chris Ralston put us through," Emmerton said.
"It was next level - but it worked!
"Craig Douglas was a phenomenal speaker and motivator and he could still play.
"I had a couple more big-name coaches in Graham Hart and Dan McAlister as well as my close friend and mentor, Jai Driscoll, who I still speak to regularly for tips about my coaching.
"One of the big things that was so good about Osborne was how the older guys, the older generation, used to really get behind you after each game.
"The likes of Jack and Peter Gleeson, Barry Smith, Keiran Gleeson and Stuey Sly were massive in terms of keeping you going, the way they got around you after each and every game.
![Having a kick with the boys at Rand. Having a kick with the boys at Rand.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/d3067c53-9d0d-41ac-b364-21846f27e68e.JPG/r63_0_3907_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I can't thank those guys enough."
More than half of Emmerton's 125 games for the Giants have been in the reserves.
"I never saw myself as being a senior-grade footballer," he said.
"I really enjoyed the mateship from the reserve grade and the social side.
"I was never really a big trainer in my early years of senior football and that's probably what held me back a bit.
"I did a bit of training on my own but I left it until the last minute really.
"I got to 30 and went 'my footy career's going pretty quick' so I started training.
"I got probably three good years of senior football in with the Giants and Pumpa (Daniel Athanitis) was big on that. He encouraged me a lot and the way he speaks, it's pretty motivating to get behind."
The reserves match starts at 12.30pm on Saturday, with Osborne top of the ladder and the Giants sitting half a game outside the top six.
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