According to Michael Watt, joining the Hepburn Football Netball Club ahead of season 2014 was a way of getting to know his new community.
Watt moved to the region after time in Queensland and landed at the Central Highlands Football League club following conversations with current president Jason Dooley.
And he says a decision to join the Burras has made a huge difference in his ability to get to know people in the area.
“Even just people outside of the footy club around town... people will come up and talk to you just because they know you play footy, even if they don’t follow footy a lot,” Watt, the brother of former North Melbourne defender Shannon, said.
Initially, Watt was touted as the replacement to spearhead Lee Cox, who had a year away from the club in 2014, but has been more prominent in the ruck during the past two seasons.
A junior at Hamilton, where he played in a Western Border league senior premiership in 2004, Watt spent time playing in Queensland and joined the Burras from Redland in the strong North East Australian Football League.
The 33-year-old has now played more than 50 games for Hepburn, a club he said holds a lot of self belief.
“Probably not many clubs I’ve been at expect success like Hepburn does,” he said.
“It’s not ‘if we make finals’, it’s ‘when we make the finals’ sort of thing.
“They don’t (just) think it’ll happen… I guess that probably sets them apart from other clubs I’ve been at. And they work very hard for it.”
