Milestones and Wodonga Saints are two words not usually associated with the Tallangatta and district league battlers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With the Saints struggling to make inroads up the ladder in recent years, recruits more often than not only have a brief stint at the club before searching for greener pastures.
But coach Zack Pleming is one player who has refused to walk when the going gets tough.
Pleming who joined the Saints from Wodonga Raiders in 2017 will chalk up his 100-match milestone against Dederang-Mt Beauty this weekend.
It's a milestone that he is immensely proud of.
"I feel it a big achievement, especially at the Saints where history says not a lot of players reach the milestone," Pleming said.
"But for me personally to stick it out during the tough times and clock up the ton is something special and it means a lot to me.
"You delve into the past and you quickly realise that not a lot of players stick around, maybe for one or two seasons at the most.
"Then they move on.
"So milestones mean a lot more inside our four walls than it probably does at other clubs.
"But recently we have had a lot more players who have been at the club for longer than two years and have played 50 plus matches, which is pleasing."
Pleming is entering his eighth season at the club and can count the amount of his wins he has had during that time on both hands.
However, he feels the tide is turning and the Saints have laid the foundations to start climbing the ladder which is his motivation for staying loyal.
"After being at the club for so long, I can see the change in culture," he said.
"When I first arrived it was tough going and the club wasn't striving to be a finals force, it was more a case of just playing footy for the fun of it and something to do on a Saturday.
"Now we have a lot of players who are young fathers including myself who have played a bit of football together.
"Having kids gives you a different perspective and I guess now we all want to build something long term that we can all look back on and be proud of.
"I was counting the amount of wins I've had at the club since I arrived and unfortunately I only need two hands and have won 10 matches."
Pleming was quick to pinpoint last weekend's win against Mitta United as one of the sweetest victories he has had during his time at the Saints.
Ironically, Pleming played his junior football at Mitta United and made his senior debut for the Mountain Men in 2010 while still a teenager.
"I played juniors at Mitta and played seniors under some handy coaches in Nic Conway, Phil Packer and Clint Gilson when the club was a powerhouse," he said.
"The Mitta supporters like to remind me that I'm at the wrong club every time we play them with a bit of sledging from the sidelines.
"So it was good to get a bit of revenge back on the weekend when we beat them for the first time in a while."
Pleming's father, Brett 'Porky' Pleming, played in multiple flags with the Blues and wasn't initially happy when his son joined Wodonga Saints.
"Dad keeps reminding me that he won a couple of flags for Mitta United and was best on ground against Tallangatta in the 1993 grand final I think it was," Pleming said.
"When I first told Dad I was going to the Saints he was disappointed I wasn't playing for Mitta.
"Then he started getting involved a bit at the Saints and would give me advice since I started coaching on how we can improve as a group.
"Then my brother Jake started playing for Saints as well so dad would come to most matches.
"But old habits die hard and whenever we play Mitta he wears his Mitta jacket but comes to our huddles... so work that out."