By Mikayla Van Loon
A love of footy has driven Croydon North MLOC player Brit Grech to reach two major milestones in the game.
On Saturday 20 April the key forward not only played her 200th senior game but kicked her 400th goal, scoring four in the opening round of the women’s season.
The emotions were at a peak before, during and after the game and Brit said “there was so much pressure on me” but the elation has stuck with her.
“I’m literally on a high still, it’s been a week,” she said.
Unsure whether she was going to continue playing this season, the former VFL player said the opportunity to reach 200 games was something she couldn’t turn down.
“It wasn’t until late last year when someone said, ‘Brit, you’re nearly at 200 games’ and I was like ‘Do I stop playing again? Or do I start?’,” she said.
“I just kept pushing and I wanted to play 200 games. And then again, I looked at the statistics and I was like ‘I’m nearly at 400 career goals’. So that was it. It’s the 200th milestone, so I’m pretty proud of myself there.”
Starting her career at 14 years old, Brit played at Diamond Creek in the open age competition, meaning she was up against people in their 30s.
“I absolutely fell in love with the game,” she said.
At the time it was recognised by her coaches and herself that her “skill set was almost too much for that level”.
“Then Diamond Creek turned into a VFL side so we were playing in the top division. We were getting smashed at first and then we started winning games and winning grand finals.
“In 2012, we won a grand final, which is really exciting and that pushed me to keep going.”
Taking a break from footy, Brit got a call from Essendon Football Club to train with the VFL side but shin splints which turned into stress fractures dampened her ability to play.
Fast forward to 2022, Brit was asked to fill in for Croydon North MLOC, where she played five games and won the league best and fairest.
“I’ve never looked back. I’ve really enjoyed my time there. The girls are amazing. They’re really accepting and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more invested in what I was doing so I enjoyed it a whole lot more,” she said.
Not taking it too seriously and just enjoying the game, Brit said has been the best thing for her footy.
Heading out in the first round, the nerves crept in and it took a quarter for her to find her mojo.
“Going into the game, I was so nervous. I needed to kick four goals to get the 400. The first quarter, I ran out and was just too nervous. The ball was flat. I was complaining to the umpire that the ball was flat, like ‘how am I gonna play?’
“And then came the second quarter, I kicked a goal and I’m like, ‘all right, I’m on’. The nerves dropped. I can focus now.”
Getting her fourth goal in stylish fashion, Brit said she “picked up the ball and just snapped it out of nowhere and got the goal”.
“I was overwhelmed, straightaway dropped to the ground. The tears were rolling out. I have never in my entire career, in 200 games cried in a game besides losing the grand final at Marvel Stadium. That’s the only time I’ve ever cried and that is over 15 years.
“It means so much to me and the girls got around me like a queen and the girls are absolutely amazing. It’s just so nice to feel wanted.
“At Diamond Creek, I was just another number but this club, they just put me on a pedestal and I absolutely love that. They just make me feel so confident. They carried me off. It’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”
Brit said she hoped her ability to reach 200 senior games and 400 goals would inspire the next generation to “shoot for the stars” and “if you put your mind to it, you can do anything”.
