'A place close to my heart': Champion Blue reaches 100-game milestone

A premiership as playing-coach in 2022 and flags in 2018 and 2023 as a player for Nirranda only tell part of the story of why the smooth-moving defender is one of the Warrnambool and District league's most respected figures.

In two of those premierships - 2022 and 2023 - he won best on ground medals where his composure and bravery in the contest were his trademark.

And on Saturday, May 11, 2024, under the bright lights of Reid Oval against Kolora-Noorat, the Warrnambool-based financial adviser will play his 100th senior game for the club, almost 19 years since playing his first as a 15-year-old.

Despite spending a large chunk of his career in Melbourne from 2010-2016, where he was named in Wantirna South Football Club's team of the decade, Nirranda has always been home and the place where he learnt about the game.

"It's been a long association for me with Nirranda, I've been around the place for so long and I grew up around the place with my dad (Jake) playing," Harkness said.

"It's always been a place close to my heart so it kind of feels like I've been around for far longer than 100 games.

"It's been so great to be able to come back from my time in Melbourne and see everyone and be part of club success.

"We've done a lot of hard yards and it's paid dividends now with the amount of success we're having."

Harkness said success on-field didn't come without a strong, sustainable club culture.

"One of the best things we've achieved and in our grand final side last year is testament to that is maybe two players were over one point, 12 of the guys had played over 100 games for the club," he said.

"We've managed to build such a strong culture, we've had that core group since the 2016 flag and it's held us together and given us the opportunity to bring some players in selectively along the way to top up.

"We've enjoyed sustained success on-field because of that and off-field it's been a stable environment as well. The committee, volunteers have been fantastic all the way through.

"It's just such a fantastic place to be and the reason I keep coming back."

Harkness said the Blues, who are 4-1 and second on the table, were building nicely in their quest for a three-peat.

"I've missed a few games so far but the body is feeling pretty good personally," he said.

"As a team it feels like we're similar to the last few years, it's been a similar story. We haven't had everyone on the park as the coaches would have liked so far but last year was testament to that when we put it all together at the right time."

The club will also honour Corey Lambert's 250th game in the reserves on the day.

The loved volunteer and under-13 coach is regarded as one of the most loyal players at the club and will be hoping to cap off his day with a win.

Harkness said Lambert was a heart-and-soul club person who loved Nirranda.

"It's a great achievement to play that many for the one club," he said.

"If it's taken me this long, especially with COVID and everything to get to 100 I can only imagine how much hard work it is to play that many games."