Preparing for his 300th senior Aussie rules game this Saturday, David “Croc” Little has just about seen and done it all in career spanning almost 25 years.
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He said he’s considered giving up the game a few times, but has always been lured back to the Sea Eagles time and time again.
“I say it’s like the mafia – once you’re in, you’re in for life,” he says as he reflects on 24 years of history.
Of course he’s played with other clubs as he moved around and missed a year following a shoulder reconstruction, but said it meant the world to be back in Tathra.
“I feel blessed to be living in paradise and raising my family here,” he said.
“I owe so much to my amazing wife, whose put up with my footy and I’m forever grateful to her.”
On the field, Croc is known for his leadership and skills, but particularly his safe hands under the ball and when pressed about his fearlessness and drive in mark contests, Croc says it’s an easy answer.
“That one is easy to explain – two older brothers,” he says with a laugh. “We were fairly rough and ready as kids, but of course I picked a lot of that trouble myself, but they really prepare you physically for seniors.
“To me, it's always you see the ball - you go and get it - If you start worrying about other factors, that’s when you’ll get hurt.”
His family is also a lot of the drive that saw him launch into seniors in 1993.
“I was playing footy at a young age and looking up them [my brothers], wanting to be part of that,” he says.
“I wanted to match it with them, but also being competitive and that sibling rivalry I wanted to also be better than them in a way.”
He said footy was a natural part of life on the coast and never dwelled on milestones, but remembered the simple things like playing grand finals and running on with his brothers early in his career.
“The real standout to me is getting to play with my brothers, particularly Anthony, they were there with me for that first premiership,” Croc says.
“And not only playing with them, but that one game with Dad, I was only 13 or 14 at the time, but I remember him kicking a point off his knee, I didn’t think about it much at the time, but those are the games that are pretty special.”
The flags are a boost, with six to his name, but Croc said there was a time he thought he’d never see a premiership.
“My early career wasn’t so flash,” he laughs. “I did think I was cursed never to win at one stage, the first premiership came in 2005 and is probably a standout to me.
“It was a long time coming because we had lost about five in a row before that and it felt like the monkey off the back.”
Croc said he has just one goal following his 300th this weekend.
“If I could eventually have a kick with one of the kids - that would top things off for me.”
Croc said in his time with the Sea Eagles there had been “too many good footballers to name them all”, but the ones that stick out in his mind are the blokes who made him laugh.
“Way back in the day Adam Cartwright is one who springs to mind - just the look of him, he was this tough but scrawny footballer, he would roar and demand attention, but then have you laughing the next minute,” he says.
Another, he recalls was Chris Ferry.
“He was the ultimate sledger on the pitch and I mean some of the comments would almost reduce the opposition to tears, but he'd have you in stitches all game.”
As for some of the greatest players he’s taken the field with: he fondly recalls rousing Karl Noble from naps five minutes before game time.
“He’d get up all drousy, but he was just a player that could take the game on.”
And a player getting his attention more recently was Luke Mundy.
“He retired a lot earlier for his reasons, but had he stuck around and played as many games as me, he would have won 10 best and fairests, he was almost freakish.”
Croc says he doesn’t much enjoy the fuss about his 300th game, it’s not something he’s set out to achieve, it’s just come natural with a lifetime love of the game.
He says that’s why plays, because he enjoys it and he loves the sport, he doesn’t need the pomp.
“I really haven’t thought about it,” he laughs, “I’ll probably recognise it as a big achievement down the track, but I don’t love the fuss.”
However, there is one part of the day he’ll be keen to embrace – A post-game celebration at Fat Tony’s in Tathra that will hark back to his first days in the seniors.
“Times were different when I started, but I am looking forward to a good post-match function – it’s part of Aussie rules to have that mateship and team spirit,” he said.
“The firsts, the ressies; everyone comes together to celebrate or commiserate depending on the result of course.”
“It will be nice to have the night and just have a bit of fun with it.”
*Tickets to the post-game celebrations are limited
Jacob McMaster
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
