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Pritchard to notche 100 games

Dee Pritchard

Dee Pritchard will play her century milestone game when she lines up for North Football Club tomorrow.

The round one fixture against South will be a special day for her which she has had to wait patiently.

Pritchard said it will be an emotional day and hoped her side could get up on the day.

“First game back for a while and being the one-hundredth game I want to win,” she said.

“Either way as long as I walk off with my teammates, I get more out of that then the winning and losing scenario.”

The versatile player hasn’t been able to hit the 100-game mark for some time following the null and void 2021 season.

Pritchard explained that she didn’t think she would even reach such an achievement despite last season’s ending.

“Because I’m an older player getting 100 games is a big thing for me,” she said. “The girls these days can play up to 300 games because it’s a lot more popular.”

Pritchard, who has always ‘bleed blue’, took up the sport competitively when the women’s division was formed in Broken Hill over five years ago.

Her first season saw her compete for the Central Football Club before switching to her beloved Bulldogs.

“North had too many players and being into football and wanting to play, (I joined) whatever team wanted to have me on board,” Pritchard said. “I think it’s come a long way.

“If it wasn’t for the girls footy, I think the boys footy would have struggled in terms of spectators because it was getting lesser.”

She expects it to be a tough opening round one game and believes it will be an unpredictable season.

Pritchard said a packed house at Jubilee Oval would set the scene to what is going to be a memorable day for her and the team.

“I’m hoping for a few kicks, couple of marks and if I can snag a goal on the day, it will be great,” she said.

“Whether it’s good or bad cheering, you take it with a grain of salt and it gives you a bit more mongrel.”

Her work colleagues, family and friends are expected to be in attendance.

She also wants to use her experience to guide the younger payers and help them adapt to the game on and off the field.

Pritchard admitted that it might be her farewell season but is keen on being involved with the club in another capacity.

“I love the game too much and I didn’t want to be that person that finished due to COVID,” she said.

“Being stuck on 99 games so probably not a good thing neither – I’d have to say it’s my last year.

“It’s going to be sad to walk away.”

In the meantime, she focused on helping to lead her time to a premiership and said she had a surprise celebration up her sleeve if North claimed the points in her milestone game.

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