Rocherlea’s Andrew Cox-Goodyer is uncomfortable at the suggestion that he comes with a premiership guarantee.
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“I don’t know if it’s a guarantee,” he said. “I’ve had a few clubs ask me if I’m interested in joining them because they think I come with a premiership but I think most of them know I’m loyal to Rocherlea.”
The 25-year-old with the Midas touch heads into Saturday’s NTFA grand final seeking his sixth straight flag.
“I can see why it appears a good effort looking in from the outside but I’m just doing what I’ve always done, playing footy. It does not feel any different.
“I suppose when I lose one I’ll know what that feels like, but I’m happy to keep enjoying the winning feeling and I’d like to think I’ve got a few more flags in me yet.”
Having played under-13s to 16s for North Launceston, the former Brooks High student joined Rocherlea and played under coaches Dayle O’Neill and Brett Mansell, losing the 2009 NTFA grand final as George Town claimed their record eighth straight.
“That was a terrible, horrible feeling I don’t want to experience again,” he said.
In 2010 a four-point loss to Scottsdale denied the Tigers another grand final before three straight flags under coach Andrew Philpott, whose relationship with Cox-Goodyer has since morphed into his boss at a scaffolding company.
“2011 was Andrew’s first in charge and we went through undefeated so that was pretty special. It was my first premiership at senior level so was obviously fantastic so then to get a second and third was a bit of a dream, but it’s still going. To be looking for six in a row is a bit of a surreal feeling.”
A desire to test himself at the state’s highest level and also play with brother Brad took Cox-Goodyer back to North Launceston where Zane Littlejohn masterminded State League grand final wins over Western Storm in 2014 and Glenorchy last year.
“It was quite a step up from Rocherlea but great to feel I had achieved something at the highest level in the state.
“Of the five flags, that game against Glenorchy was probably the first one where we were underdogs. What Zane put in place that day was fantastic and got us over the line.”
Despite not wanting to leave Aurora Stadium, the extra responsibilities of new-born daughter Luca and the chance to play with another brother, Kaiden, saw Cox-Goodyer return to Rocherlea and reach another grand final.
He said in a tragic year which has seen Rocherlea lose stalwarts Brian Daley, Greg Burling, Brendan Cousen and Bobby Pearce, the club would love to end the season with some good news.
