By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Berwick Miners came together with their Western Crusaders opponents on Sunday for a special guard of honour as a mark of respect for Miners legend Mark Petana, who played his 200th game on the weekend.
Petana entered the record books as just the sixth person in the history of the Gridiron Victoria competition to play 200 games.
The linebacker is also the Miners’ club president this year, as well as being its linebacker coach.
And his milestone game on Sunday was made all the more remarkable given that a typical Gridiron Victoria season comprises of only around a dozen games.
But the Miners were unable to get the job done, losing 22-0 to the Crusaders and consigning them to sixth in the seven-team Division 1 standings with two wins and five losses from their first seven games.
“Mark embodies what every coach wants from a player,” said Miners head coach and Gridiron Victoria state director of coaching Mel Martin prior to the game.
Berwick will look to rebound quickly from the Crusaders loss when it hosts the Geelong Buccaneers this Saturday from 1.30pm at Sydney Pargeter Reserve’s Rawling Field in Endeavour Hills.
Earlier this week, Gridiron Victoria announced that this year’s Vic Bowl XXXI will be held at the Latrobe City Sports and Entertainment Stadium in Morwell.
It will be held on Saturday, 15 August and will mark the conclusion of the 31st season of senior men’s gridiron in Victoria.
