By Aaron Kirkby-Rodier – @AzKirkby9
Believe it or not football life for EFL legend Craig Anderson actually started in the eastern suburbs.
“Junior footy for me started at Mt Evelyn because we lived out there for a few years. When we moved back a bit closer to town I played the rest of my junior football at Alphington in the Diamond Valley League.”
Anderson was a star during his junior career and was rewarded with a call up to the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup. He would play all of his bottom and top age football with the Knights with success.
“I played at the Northern Knights in ’96 and ’97. I was lucky enough to win the premiership in 1996.”
At the end of his TAC Cup years Anderson had some contact from AFL clubs.
“There was a few clubs interested and I ended up on Essendon’s supplementary list for ’98.”
Anderson would start well in AFL Reserves football feeling right at home and not missing a beat.
“I had a pretty good year, I think I came 4th in the best and fairest and we made the grand final.”
After a strong finish in the clubs best and fairest Anderson would again gain some interest from AFL clubs and this time he would find himself on a list for season 1999.
“From that season I managed to get rookie listed to Collingwood in ’99.”
“I felt I had a decent year but I did my hamstring three or four times. At the end of that season Mick Malthouse came in and cleared everyone out and unfortunately I was one of those.”
After being delisted at Collingwood Anderson would find himself back doing an AFL preseason but unfortunately wasn’t offered a spot for the following year.
“I did a preseason at Richmond and nothing really eventuated so that how I ended up at Willie.”
“The dream was always still there but the opportunity never really came about again, no regrets at all though.”
Anderson would spend four seasons at Williamstown during which the club won the 2003 VFL Premiership.
“I loved it and I wouldn’t have been able to meet the people I did if it wasn’t for Williamstown. I had Andrew Bews as my coach for the first two years he was like one of the boys but he knew when to draw the line. We played finals in every year I was there and in my final year ’03, I had osteoitis pubis so I missed a lot of footy and I missed out on winning the premiership.”
After a successful tenure at the Seagulls Anderson would turn his attention back to local football.
“After that I decided I’d had enough of VFL footy and decided to go and play with a few mates out at Epping in the Diamond Valley for a few years.”
Anderson would spend the 2004 and 2005 seasons with Epping but almost ended up at the Bullring a year earlier.
“Weirdly enough I spoke to Denis Knight early in ’05 about coming over and playing for Noble because we were living in Mt Waverley at the time but it didn’t eventuate and I stayed at Epping for that season.”
Noble Park would get their man for the 2006 season when Anderson would move across, the high standard of football the EFL offers was a big drawcard.
“Just the standard of footy, I’d always heard about it. Ben Logan is a relative and he was good friends with Daniel Donati so seeing them at family functions they had all great things to say about it.”
“I’m really happy I made the move and things have turned out pretty well in the time I’ve been there.”
Anderson would suit up for the Bulls in season 2006 and have an immediate impact, with Noble Park going all the way to the grand final.
“First year was good, I remember my first game was a pretty good one and my second was one of my worst.”
“In the end we lost the grand final to Vermont.”
Noble Park would have heartbreak for a second straight year in the grand final this time after a strong last quarter fight back they would fall at the very final hurdle. Anderson would win his first Chandler Medal as the most outstanding player in Division 1.
“In 2007 we missed the shot after the siren to win the flag and I can honestly say I thought about that every day until we won one, I still think about it.”
2009 for the first time in a long time Noble Park would miss the finals and for Craig Anderson it was a first at the Bullring.
“It was my first year that I’d missed the finals, you know that not making finals is not the Noble Park way it was a real wake up call to everybody. We had a clean out and we got Mick Fogarty in and been pretty successful since.”
The next two seasons the Bulls went on to win back to back Division 1 Premierships and to top it all off Anderson would captain and be a dual Chandler Medalist by the end of 2011.
“Obviously the first one was really special to win my first senior flag in 2010 but honestly to do it in 2011 and do it two years back to back that was something else.”
“It’s hard enough to win one but two in a row was pretty good.”
During his time in football especially his decade with Noble Park, Anderson has played with some terrific footballers but one stands alone on top of the pile.
“It makes things a little bit easier when everyone is chipping in and doing there bit, played with stars like Peter O’Brien, Kris Barlow, Dan Donati and Stuart Kemperman but to be honest Kyle Martin for me stands above everyone else. I’ve played with him for a few seasons and I’m just in awe of what he can do and how good he is.”
Season 2014 was a tough one for the Bulls as they would miss the finals, Anderson hopes that the year is quickly forgotten.
“Speaking for not only myself but a lot of the guys it was our lowest time at Noble. I just think we didn’t gel with Jon Knight and lots of other things, it is definitely a year I’d rather forget.”
Noble Park made some big recruiting moves in the off season to add to their already star studded outfit, exciting times ahead at Pat Wright Senior Oval and Anderson hopes for some more success in the not to distant future.
“It is exciting to have Marto and Ziggie back and to sign up Shane Valenti who we have been trying to get for a couple of years.”
“It started with Foggars coming back and the rest all fell into place, it personally is one of my last chances to win a flag so I am hoping like anything we can do it this year.”
Craig Anderson, a terrific clubman, a dual Chandler Medal winner, Premiership Captain and a part of the modern greats in the EFL.
