Old Collegians' Tamara Bull to reach 300 senior netball games

Nevertheless, Saturday's milestone - which will arrive in an away game against Kolora-Noorat - is significant for the A reserve midcourter, who joins her mum Lyn in surpassing 300 games at the Warrnambool and District league club. It also makes Bull, 33, just the fifth Warriors' netballer to crack the milestone.

Bull is a life-member at the club, alongside her mother, whose 407 appearances ranks second at Old Collegians for senior games, and father Tony.

"There is some pretty amazing players up there, mum is one of those," Bull said of the milestone. "So it's pretty exciting I can join her."

Admittedly, Bull is stats-driven, and through her role digitising and maintaining all the program's records, can confidently rattle off both her own and the club's rich history of games-holders.

Sixty-one A grade, 208 A reserve and 31 B grade games make up Bull's 300 senior appearances, before you add on the 109 junior games she played after starting at Old Collegians in 2001 as a 15 and under player.

She is second for overall club games, behind league record-holder Jayne Toleman (who played 437 senior and club games).

A largely injury-free run on the netball court has seen Bull rarely miss game-time, with her most serious injury coming through touch football.

"Over the years, since 2001, I think I've missed 10 games," she said. "A couple ankles here and there... but nothing substantial touch wood."

Bull, who will turn 34 on league grand final day, said she never had any desire to play at any club except Old Collegians where she has celebrated premiership success.

Playing in the club's 2007 B grade premiership alongside her mum ranks as a top playing highlight, as well as two junior flags, made special playing alongside one of her now best friends Jessica Toleman and others who also became close lifelong friends.

"Those premierships were more than about winning," Bull said. "They've been with people who are still in my life. A lot of my close friends I've met through the club and it's always been a really close-knit netball group there. It says a lot about the culture of the club - the friendships you make."

This year Bull is enjoying playing in a tight A grade competition which has her team eighth yet only two points from fourth place.

"It's a really tight and unpredictable ladder and competition this year," she said. "We went down by two (goals) to third place (Russells Creek) on the weekend. (Finals) it's a possibility... who knows what can happen."

Coaching is another of Bull's passions, with the midcourter coaching the club's B grade team to a flag in 2018. This season she is mentoring its 15 and under squad and has it atop the ladder after 14 rounds, while she is an assistant coach for South West Academy of Sport's netball program.

"I think I started (coaching) when I was 16 out at the netball stadium," she said. "I love teaching people and seeing people grow and improve and junior development is probably where you get a fair bit of that to come through. I've done all three junior grades over the years. My under 15 (team) are going really well and hoping to go deep into finals this year."

Bull, who works as a project manager at Wannon Water, doesn't know how many more seasons she has in her as a player, instead preferring to take it season-by-season.

"It's a hard one, you never want to take the opportunity from young ones coming through but at the same time when you're still enjoying it and you're holding a spot, you do see yourself doing that," she said. "I think it will be a year-by-year decision."

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