VFL: North Ballarat Roosters' Sharkey lines up for 100th game

By David Brehaut
Updated November 2 2012 - 2:44pm, first published September 14 2010 - 12:41pm
North Ballarat defender Matt Sharkey is one of the Roosters' most decorated players. Picture:
North Ballarat defender Matt Sharkey is one of the Roosters' most decorated players. Picture:

A QUIET achiever. There is no better way to describe North Ballarat defender Matt Sharkey.He is one of the Selkirk Roosters most decorated players.Sharkey is a two-time VFL premiership player and a club best-and-fairest, having tied for the honour with Michael Searl in 2008.And he is quiet.Just ask any of his teammates.Fellow defender Marc Greig says so quiet is Sharkey ntsais ntethat you hardly know he is out there sometimes on match days or on a training night.To try to get Sharkey to speak up, the Roosters have gone as far as developing a training drill which isolates him and forces him to raise his voice.Sharkey admits he prefers to let his actions speak for him."I just get on with the job," he said.It has worked a treat Sharkey, 24, plays his 100th senior game for the Roosters in Sundays grand final against Northern Bullants at Etihad Stadium.He can think of no better way of celebrating the milestone than playing in his third premiership.Sharkey is in his seventh year with North Ballarat and has developed into one of the competitions most reliable and consistent defenders. Even his quiet nature means he keeps a relatively low profile.What this approach ntsadoes nteprobably does help him do is get under the guard of opposition players.He gets all variety of assignments, sometimes having to pick up talls and other times smalls.Originally from Ballarat Swans and having played with North Ballarat Rebels, Sharkey believes his increased physical strength is one his best assets.He said he was a skinny kid when he started out with the Roosters and had made a concerted effort to build himself up.Sharkey says this has given him greater confidence to tackle whatever assignments he is given.The half back is feeling good ahead of the grand final - much different to his first grand final appearance two years ago."The first year was nerve wracking."I feel more comfortable (now).Sharkey said he could not wait to get out on the Etihad Stadium ground again."The week will go slow."I just want to get on with it, he said.Only captain Shaune Moloney (186) and Marc Greig (174) have played more VFL senior games with the Roosters in the grand final team.Sharkey is one game ahead of Orren Stephenson, while Steve Clifton (92) and Dan Feery (90) are closing in on the century.

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