Retiring great ‘forever grateful’ for last Roos chance as former coach ‘sheds tear’ after final act
Retiring North Melbourne legend Ben Cunnington says he owes the club a great debt for the opportunity to bow out in style in front of the Roos’ biggest home crowd this season.
Cunnington was among the Roos’ best players with 24 disposals, two goals and a game-high 10 clearances, willing his side back into the contest late in the final quarter when his second major cut the margin back to nine points.
With his three kids alongside him he gave a rare on-field interview after his 238th and final game as his teammates waited to chair him off, thanking the club for the chance to “finish on a high”.
“I’ve tried to soak it all in this week, especially because I’ve been in the twos for a couple of weeks, I never could have dreamt to finish on a high like this,” Cunnington told Fox Footy.
“So for the club – I’ll be forever grateful to finish on a high and get so much love … I’ll be forever in debt.
“I just tried to enjoy every minute … we were in the game for a bit, so that made it even more exciting. I don’t know where (the two goals) came from – we got a couple for the kids.”
Cunnington said his competitive side might miss football but he wouldn’t miss much else, eager to “begin (his) best life back at the farm” with his wife Belinda and kids – but not ruling out the occasional visit to Arden Street.
His former coach Brad Scott, who “shed a tear” when Cunnington booted his final goal to bring the game back to a knife’s edge, lauded his passion for the Kangaroos and his progression from an outstanding junior footballer into the AFL star he became.
“I suspect he‘ll be back on the farm in the next 24 hours. And he may not leave the farm for the next 24 years,” Scott said.
“Two club champion (awards) and just an integral part of the North Melbourne Football Club and the AFL industry for a long time … so clearly, I can‘t speak highly enough about him.
“Some people wrote him off very early in his career … he’s the first to tell you he’s not an aerobic beast, he’s not the greatest runner.
“I can tell you if he was a great runner, there would have been very few players to rival Ben in this generation because his inside stoppage work is as good as anyone in the competition … and he did it today; two goals; contest; stoppage, he’s still got it.”
Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson lamented his side delivering “not quite a fairytale finish” for Cunnington, but said the side had lifted to farewell the powerful on-baller.
“It would have been a real fitting finale to what’s been a fabulous career for the Kangaroos,” he said.
“He’s been a great player, he’s been able to contribute enormously on the field, but through the hardship he’s had to confront he’s been a great role model for others in terms of coping with hardship.
“He’s going to retire as a really decorated player of our footy club as a result of that – for what he’s done on the field, but also what he’s done off the field, which is a real credit to him.”
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