Luke Gerecke plays his 100th senior game for Thurgoona

Now in his second spell at the kennel, Gerecke chalked up the milestone in Saturday's crucial three-goal win at home to Tallangatta.

The 25-year-old has been finding his feet after two seasons on the open plains of the Hume League but now believes the new-look Bulldogs are in a position to challenge for finals once again.

"This means an absolute lot to me," he said after reaching three figures.

"This is the footy club where I started, so to go all the way to get that hundred is pretty special.

"Thurgoona has a very special place in my heart, especially with Mum coaching a heap of the netball sides and Dad having done a lot around the committee.

"I've got a lot of mates there, who I like to get around all the time so it means the world to me."

Gerecke was part of Thurgoona's premiership sides in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and also played in the grand final defeat to Kiewa-Sandy Creek in 2018.

But since COVID killed off the 2020 season, the Bulldogs have experienced a period of transition and haven't played finals.

"A fair bit's changed down there," Gerecke said.

"A lot of people come and go, which is expected at clubs.

"We were good for all those years when we had a lot of older blokes like Matt Fowler and Tim Cossor who did a lot around the club.

"But they all got old and retired so all of us young blokes came through to try to keep it all going.

"Hopefully this year we can scrape in there.

"There's a heaps of young blokes coming through who are playing really good footy, which is so exciting.

"Lincoln Hardy has been tearing it up in the seniors so hopefully he keeps that up.

"Mason Kannenberg is tough as, like his old man, he throws his body in there so hopefully he sticks around for a few more years and starts playing some good footy."

Gerecke, who made his senior debut back in 2014, is approaching 200 games for Thurgoona across all grades after playing 32 under Lucas Mellier at Rand-Walbundrie-Walla.

"I've found it a little bit different (coming back to the TDFL) with the smaller grounds," he said.

"It was a lot more open out at Walbundrie in the Hume League but I'm probably the fittest I've ever been now.

"I'm using my fitness pretty well in the Tallangatta League so that's good.

"I just thought it was the right time to go back.

"I went out there for a little bit of a change, I suppose, but to come back, I had a fair few mates still at Thurgoona, a few of the older blokes left and they were rebuilding so I wanted to jump back on board and help them out."

Gerecke has played all 10 games so far this season, kicking four goals in his last four outings and having been named in the Bulldogs' best four times.

"I'd like to go a little bit better but you always say that," Gerecke said.

"I've been playing a little bit back and a little bit forward.

"I tried myself in the middle but I just think I'm a bit too heavy.

"I've got a few too many kilos to run around in there all day so I'll leave that to the tough nuts from now on!"

Thurgoona's next game, away to Wahgunyah on Saturday, has taken on a whole new dimension with the news Jason Akermanis will be playing for the Lions.

The 46-year-old, who won the Brownlow medal in 2001, will fly in from Queensland to give the league's bottom side a much-needed boost in front of what is expected to be a bumper crowd at Wahgunyah.

The Bulldogs make the trip sitting seventh with a 5-5 record, just one win adrift of the top five.

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