By Jonty Ralphsmith
“The build up to the game or the build up to the 200th?”
It was the tongue-in-cheek line from milestone man Michael Henry at the end of his chat with Star News which best encapsulated his 2023.
It’s been a long time coming.
“Frustrating,” he says summing up the wait in one word.
Henry’s milestone game was just his fifth of the season – he was targeting 10 – after a home and away campaign punctuated by repeated injuries and cautious management.
Just once has the two-time Doves best and fairest played consecutive games – and he only lasted “about 10 minutes” in the second outing – after coming out of retirement in 2023.
“But each time I’ve rolled out has been exciting and felt like my first game ever,” Henry continues.
“Doveton’s my home, so I started coming back to watch the second half of the year and started thinking about it, and got back into it and it’s taken me all year to get five games.
“I miss being in there.
“It’s hard when you’re always injured or watching, and this stuff after the game, you miss sitting down exhausted and reminiscing about the funny parts of the game.
“Johnsy (Aaron Johns) hadn’t kicked straight all year and banged one through so that sort of banter.”
Henry wound the clock back on Saturday with a best on ground performance.
Playing in his natural small forward position, the beautifully balanced player delivered laser kicks inside 50, his work rate, courage and experience also standing out.
He saved the best action until the last quarter, getting up high and pulling down a specie in front of the Doves’ interchange bench.
“He came off and said he’s not feeling well and I said ‘what’s wrong’,” coach Michael Cardamone laughed.
“He said ‘I’ve got a bit of jetlag!’ he reckons he got up that high, I reckon he got up about 10 centimetres to be honest.”
He then delivered a dart to Daniel Zajac, who kicked the first major of the last quarter to make a certainty of the result.
“He’s a superstar, left or right foot, he’s the best kick I’ve seen at local level,” Cardamone revealed.
“It’s great that he got through and a bit more match fitness next week, and hopefully he’s right to go for a big finals series.”
The Doves faithful compare him to a local Caleb Daniel – only that none of the scouts picked him up from Endeavour Hills junior footy club more than a decade ago.
He’s about the same size and brings the club’s trademark toughness to boot.
Henry’s leadership on-field will play a role in Doveton navigating its way through September.
The club is the only one to beat East Brighton in the home and away season, but will likely have to beat Murrumbeena, who they’ve twice lost to, Highett (1-1) or Hampton Park (1-1) to face them.
The veteran is happy with whatever role he plays, aware that the likes of Ash Brown and Cam Williamson will receive more attention in attack.
“I’ve known coming back I’m not going to be the number one or number two focus, and that’s fine for me because I can float around and do my own thing while Cam lights it up,” Henry said.
“I have never played around the ground as much as in my five games this year, but I’m okay with that, it keeps me fresh and switched on.”
He led the team out, then was chaired off, with kids Ashton and Ellie, after a comfortable win.
Fittingly, Bernard Fanning’s ‘Wish You Well’ rang out in the background as he lists off some of influential people who have played a part in his 200 club games and reached out during the week.
“So many people made it feel special,” Henry added, naming Ryan Hendy, Brad Downe and Daniel Charles among them.
“I could have come here today and played just another game, but having people here made it different.
“Even playing against Keysborough, that isn’t something you can manufacture, but if I wasn’t going to play (former club) Hampton Park, it would be Keysborough because of the old (South East Football Netball League) rivalry.”
