Barnawartha's Jarrod Williams reflects on his 150 senior matches at Tigerland

The first is he gets to play with his mates on a weekly basis.

The second is he has front row seats to watch two of the finest players of their era in the Tallangatta league in Cam McNeill and Josh Spence.

"I really cherish running out with some good mates during the season," Williams said.

"Especially Cam and Josh although Josh obviously hasn't played this season as he recovers from a broken leg.

"I've seen them both produce some unbelievable matches over the past decade.

"Cam with his four Barton medals and Josh with his seven club best and fairests.

"The best way I can describe them is that they are both freaks and history says not many players can or will achieve what they have been able to do.

"They are both bloody legends and life members of the club and rightly so.

"Hopefully I get to play another match with Josh next season as well as Cam, that would be fantastic."

The trio alongside Tom Anson are the only four remaining players of the Tigers' 2013 flag triumph over Mitta United.

So if Williams could choose who had the better CV out of McNeill and Spence, who would he opt for?

"I actually got asked this question the other day," Williams said.

"Look four Barton medals is hard to trump and probably does take the cake in my book.

"But you can't take anything away from Josh, being a key forward you traditionally aren't going to poll well in a Barton.

"It's fairly rare for a player to win seven club best and fairests.

"Josh is definitely the most courageous and toughest player I've played with... by far."

Williams celebrated his 150-match milestone with the Tigers last weekend with a win against Dederang-Mt Beauty where he booted four goals.

The 32-year-old started off in the club's juniors and has been at Tigerland for more than two decades.

"To be able to play 150 senior matches at Barnawartha is a big thing for me personally," Williams said.

"I've lived in Barnawartha for more than twenty years and played a lot of football there.

"It's been great to play 150 games alongside a lot of great mates."

Williams also had two different stints at Corryong, initially in 2015 and again for two seasons in 2017-18.

"It got to a point where I wasn't enjoying my football as much as I had previously," he said.

"A good mate in Matt McNamara wanted to go up to Corryong so I followed him.

"I'm glad I did because I met some great people up there in the Nicholas boys (Evan and Tom) and was lucky enough to win a flag up there in 2017."

Not only did Williams have the ultimate success with the Demons in 2017, he also brought up his 100-goal milestone in the decider.

Heading into the grand final on 96 goals, he booted five goals to finish the season on 101.

Williams rates the two flags at Barnawartha and Corryong as the biggest career highlights.

The 2013 flag triumph was made even more special after the Tigers went on a barnstorming run during September to win the premiership from the elimination final under Mark Sarau.

"It's hard to go past the 2013 flag as my biggest highlight," Williams said.

"Especially considering we came from the elimination final and had the pressure of do-or-die every match.

"The 2017 flag with Corryong was great too."

Williams felt Sarau had the biggest influence on his development early on in his career.

"Mark came and had a talk to us earlier this year before we played Mitta in the pre-match when we had our 10-year reunion," Williams said.

"He certainly hasn't lost any of his aura.

"When Make speaks, he certainly commands the respect and attention of everyone and some of the players who hadn't heard him speak before were a bit in awe of him.

"Mark would have to be the best coach that I've played under.

"He certainly knows how to get the best out of his players, that's for sure."

Williams has been a solid performer for the Tigers this season rotating through the midfield, on a wing and up forward.

He has booted 22 goals and alongside Nick and Dan Sharp is the Tigers' most reliable avenue to goal.

The Tigers sit in fifth place and will most likely have to beat Thurgoona in the final round to ensure a finals berth.

"We still know we are not guaranteed a finals berth but our destiny is in our own hands which is a positive," he said.

"If we make finals, externally people probably don't give us much chance of progressing very far.

"But we proved in 2013 if you get on a roll, anything is possible and we will be hoping history can repeat itself.

"Our reserves side the other week featured 15-players that had played seniors at some stage this year.

"So we have got plenty of depth at the club which is a good sign for the future."

ALSO IN SPORT

If the Tigers do make finals, Williams is not planning for it to be his last hurrah.

"I want to play as long as I can and as long as my body is up to it," he said.

"I've got two young kids, four and two, and they just love coming to the footy every week.

"I don't like watching footy, only playing, so I want to play for a while longer yet."

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