Lachlan Smith became the 15th player to play 200 games for the Penrith Rams on Saturday against North Shore (see full list below). Coincidentally, on the same day he also played his 150th Senior Grade game for the club.
Lachlan joins Alan Prowse, Jason Makin, Luke Donoghue, Jason Bradley and Christian Triffitt as the other "200 gamers" who are still actively involved with the Rams.
In 1999, the Rams were in their third year of fielding an Under 18s side. With only one junior club supplying players, the (then) Penrith Swans, players new to the game formed an important part of the 18s - Lachlan was one of those new players that year. He came down to the club with a mate to "have a game of footy".
In his first season he won the Under 18s Coach's Award, as well as running equal 5th in the 18s Best and Fairest and polling six votes in the League Best and Fairest award. He showed continued improvement with the 18s in the following season.
The Rams were going through a very competitive period in Sydney senior football at the time, so in Lachlan's first season out of the Under 18s he played a mix of senior and reserve grade football.
Life then saw Lachlan move to Brisbane, where he played with the Mayne FC. When he returned, he was a much improved player - his skills had developed noticably, particularly in that he had developed an awesome "left foot".
In 2004 he was Runner-Up in the Michael Walker medal and in the following year, he got his first taste of senior finals footy when the club's senior grade finished 5th in the SFA competition.
2009 was the first year in the revamped divisionalised Sydney senior football competition. After several years in the doldrums, the Rams were battling to find a senior coach - so Lachlan stepped up to the plate, setting the foundation for the successful years which were to come.
In 2010, he finally won (jointly - with David Bradley) the Michael Walker Medal and also took out the Association Best & Fairest Award (the McFarlane Medal). And in 2012, he at last tasted the ultimate success when he was part of the Rams Reserve Grade side which won the Sydney AFL Div 4 flag.
Lachlan is a skilled and valuable midfielder for the Penrith club, who is still plying his trade for the Rams in the twilight of his career. A great achievement for a guy who first came down in 1999 to have a kick and to try the game out.
Congratulations on your achievement Lachlan and thanks for your contribution to our great club.
*Credit to another awesome 200 gamer, Christian Triffitt, for the image which forms part of this article.
200 Games for the Penrith Rams
310 - Jason Ware (1985-2012)
268 - Michael Walker (1981 - 2007)
239 - Jason Bradley (1990 - 2013)
234 - Jason Makin (1989 - 2016)
228 - Christian Triffitt (2001 - 2016)
225 - Luke Donoghue (1996 - 2016)
225 - Robert Watkins (1989 - 2006)
218 - Alan Prowse (1998 - 2016)
213 - Daniel Barnes (1995 - 2013)
212 - Stuart Ayres (1997 - 2013)
211 - Geoff Eldering (1981 - 2001)
209 - Brad Fishburn (1992 - 2005)
207 - Alan Luke (1984 - 1998)
206 - David Cummings (1997 - 2015)
200 - Lachlan Smith (1999 - 2016)
Last Modified on 02/05/2016 17:12