Jake Bruce kicks his 400th goal for Thurgoona

Bruce slotted two majors in the Bulldogs' win over Wahgunyah before coming off the ground with a hamstring injury.

A triple premiership player at the kennel, Bruce has reached the milestone in three spells, having relocated to Perth earlier in his career before spending 2021 in the Hume League with Rand-Walbundrie-Walla.

He retired after that season was cut short by COVID before deciding to pull his beloved red, white and blue jumper back on this year.

"It means everything," Bruce said of joining the 400 club.

"I've played a lot of footy here, I started back in 2009 and I love the club.

"It's been great to be there and now that I can get back there and give a little bit back and be able to achieve 400 goals is pretty special.

"One of the guys put the AFL app on our players page the other week and said you can see all your career stuff on there so I did that and saw I was close to 400.

"To play in three premierships and be able to play with some of the guys that I've been there with for a long time is pretty awesome."

Bruce's best year in front of goals was 2016, when he booted 68 to help Thurgoona to the first of their three flags in four years.

"The quality of our midfield that year was pretty impressive," he said.

"Even when you look at our forward line, to be able to stand down there with some of the guys we had, that meant I could potentially not have the best backman so it really helped a lot of us side guys be able to kick a few goals."

Bruce moved to Albury in 2009 and quickly knew he'd made the right choice of club.

"I felt I fitted in really well at Thurgoona and absolutely loved the club," he said.

"My partner and I moved over to Perth for three years (2012-14), so I didn't play footy during that time but when we got back, I decided to go back to Thurgoona and we had four or five pretty impressive years there.

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"Most people are lucky to win one premiership, let alone what we were able to achieve.

"It was incredible and the great part was that half the team were guys I started with in 2009 so it was great we could all stick together and really build a team that was able to win those premierships.

"It was pretty special to go back-to-back, we only just missed out the next year (2018) and won again the year after."

Bruce kicked 22 goals in his 14 games for the Giants, who were third on the ladder when the pandemic stopped play in August 2021.

"I thought I was finished after the COVID years," he admitted.

"It was a lot of effort and we didn't get to play finals with the Giants so I got to a point where I really wasn't enjoying it how I should have been.

"I had last year off, which I really enjoyed, not having the pressure of getting to footy training now that I've got three young kids.

"But I got to the end of that year and I was like 'I'm not that old yet' so I thought I wouldn't mind finishing my career at Thurgoona and giving a little bit back.

"I decided to see if I actually enjoyed footy again and try to give a little bit back as well because Thurgoona's been very good to me over the years."

Bruce, who turns 35 this year, is now helping to nurture the Bulldogs' emerging young talent.

Four straight wins have Thurgoona sitting outside the top-five on percentage only and targeting the scalp of one of the competition's top sides in a bid to play finals for the first time since 2019.

"They've got lots of ability and they've been able to get a bit of confidence in the last few weeks, which I think has really picked the team up," Bruce said.

"They've stepped up their game a little bit, they're doing what they need to do.

"We've got the potential, it's just making sure they believe in themselves.

"We've got a really good mix between some older heads and this young, fresh talent that's coming up and (coach) Dan Cleary has been really good at giving some of these younger guys a go and believing in their ability.

"I've been very lucky. I got to play in some great teams and now I want to help these young blokes reach that same standard one day."

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