It’s been a long time coming but Werribee co-captain Tom Gribble will finally reach the 100th game mark for the Big W in the club’s round 3 clash with Southport.
Just 11 games away from the milestone at the end of the 2019 season it’s been more than a two year wait for Gribble to notch three figures and with it gain Werribee Life Membership.
After Covid wiped out the entire 2020 season and half of the 2021 campaign Gribble will deservedly celebrate his 100th in front of a home crowd at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday night.
“It’s hard to put into words what playing 100 games for one club means,” Gribble said.
“The VFL system can be quite challenging in terms of guys having to dance around to try and find a home, but I was pretty fortunate to find my home at the age of 19 and here we are nine years later.
“It’s a great achievement and to see the list of past 100 game players and life members of the club, including one of my great mates Sods (Michael Sodomaco), it does mean a lot.”
A Geelong Falcons graduate, Gribble spent his first year of senior football with Geelong in the VFL where he played four matches before signing with Werribee for the 2014 season.
Gribble played all 18 games in his first year at Avalon Airport Oval before a botched surgery and ankle issue sidelined him for the entire 2015 campaign.
He returned in 2016 in round five and since then has barely missed a game with the midfielder soon establishing himself as one of the competition’s best players.
Individual accolades followed with a J.J Liston Trophy in 2019 and his first Bruce Montgomery Trophy as Werribee’s best and fairest also came that same season.
Captaincy was added to his resume for 2022 and Dom Brew who he shares the leadership with, said playing alongside Gribble has been a privilege.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to run out with Tommy every week for over half of those 100 games, it’s something I love doing and now to be co-captain with him is unreal,” he said.
“His will to win and hate to lose is phenomenal and is something we’ve bonded over the last few years and he’s now beyond a footy friend but one of my best mates.”
As one of his teammates in 2019 and now his coach, Michael Barlow said Gribble continues to develop in all facets.
“The commitment and application Tom has shown has not only been to better his own performance but to help bring success to this club,” Barlow said.
“He’s probably grown a lot since first arriving at the club and that growth, in not just football but life, has certainly been enormous since I returned here in 2019 and his progression and ability to bring others along for the ride while investing in his own career is second to none.”
Werribee CEO Mark Penaluna said Gribble had endured more than most players will at a VFL club as well as personally with the death of his father Andrew in 2020.
“It’s been a journey for Tom with partial alignments, full alignments, the travelling Tigers and temporary clubrooms and now to being standalone, you name it he’s been through it all as a player and has dealt with plenty of adversity on and off the field,” Penaluna said.
“On the field he’s a best and fairest winner and a Liston Trophy winner but that aside he’s been a wonderful servant of our club and I’ve really enjoyed our relationship and discussions over the journey, and what he means to this footy club is a hell of a lot.”
Gribble himself hopes there is plenty more to give with his sights set on ultimate team success and sharing the field with his younger brother Noah who has joined him at the club this season.
“Throughout this week I’ve been asked what games stand out and for me it’s easily the finals I’ve played,” Gribble said.
“I think I’ve played in four and they are just unreal to experience, it’s why we play. The atmosphere is something else and on the field the play just goes up another level.
“I’m 27 years old, I turn 28 after the season finishes, but I do hope there is a lot left to give and I’ll probably drag it out for as long as it takes to win that flag.
“I’m probably driven by that, but I’ve also got my brother here now and to keep playing with him for a while would be a great experience too.”
