Matthew Bosworth has spent the past 26 years making titanium look brittle by comparison, playing every season since the age of 12 while winning 10 best-and-fairests across senior and reserve level. 

The two-time reigning reserves league best-and-fairest is also a premiership player, having lined up in the Redlegs’ most recent flag in 1997.

Bosworth said he couldn’t remember much of the game, which sealed the Redlegs in history as the last team to ever take out the Esk-Deloraine Association premiership.

“I was probably little bit too young to appreciate it then - I think I was only 16 or 17 at that stage,” Bosworth said.

“I played in a few junior ones and you probably don’t appreciate how hard it is to win one when you win one early, and then you play the next 20-odd years without winning one.”

Bosworth made 59 under-16 appearances leading into a senior career of 364 games, and will play his 77^th reserves match on Saturday against Deloraine.

The 38-year-old father-of-four said his body was “still feeling ok” but indicated that at some point the time would come to hang up the boots – possibly to let the next generation come through. 

“I’ve got a young family now that are starting to play sport, so that’s a factor that might determine what I do next year or the year after.

“I think I’ve had my time of doing things and now it’s the kids’ turn - I’ll drive them around and support them.”

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