FOOTBALL
Travis Brighton has missed just seven games in almost 16 years of senior football at the Churchill Football Netball Club.
A Cougar through and through, the 34-year-old has achieved just about all there is to achieve at Churchill and can now add 300-game player to his impressive resume.
Brighton, affectionately known as ‘Sauce’, became just the third player in the club’s history to clock up the triple century on the weekend and joins stalwarts Gary Welsh and Jim Dear on the honour roll.
Friend and coach Chris Williams said Brighton’s milestone spoke volumes about his determination, strength and commitment.
“Trav could have went and played a higher level of footy, and probably a really high level of footy,” Williams said.
“He has probably sacrificed a lot of money and experience elsewhere to remain at his club and he’s done everything he can possibly do at Churchill.
“He’s the heart and soul of the footy club. The young guys really look up to him and hang off every word he says, but he brings so much more to the table than just football.”
Brighton arrived at Churchill as a teenager in 2002 and played in the club’s under 18 premiership side in his debut season – the same year the seniors won the flag.
He impressed enough to earn promotion into the Cougars’ senior side the following year and quickly became a key cog in the midfield.
Churchill won back-to-back flags in 2003 – the first of three for Brighton.
“I grew up idolising the players at Churchill so to get an opportunity to play with them … I was pretty lucky,” he said.
“A lot of older guys had a lot of success in that team and for me it was a lot of hard work and making sure I did all the right things to get myself into the side.”
After enduring a “quiet patch” for the next few years, Churchill went on to win the flag in 2008 and again in 2014 against the odds over minor premiers Heyfield.
“The 2014 final was definitely a highlight for me,” he said.
“The whole finals series was big for me … we were second best behind Heyfield all year and had a run of close finals, so to beat them was a real highlight.”
Not surprisingly, the triple centurion is reluctant to make too fine a point of his individual achievements but the list is impressive.
He has won a record six club best and fairest titles, multiple club most valuable player gongs, the league best and fairest title in the 2014 premiership year and is a five-time league team of the year representative.
By his own admission he could have pursued a career at the top level but there was never a lure strong enough to draw him away from his beloved Churchill.
“It was a sacrifice but I’ve always been lucky enough to have success throughout my time at Churchill,” he said.
“I’ve been very fortunate to be able to continue that success, particularly with a core group of about 15 during the mid-2000 who were probably all in the same boat.
“We just decided to stay together, so to go out there with your best mates every weekend and have a lot of fun was all worth it.”
