Milestone - Brett Gneil 300 Seniors Games - 18/04/2009By Ziggy Arness
The quirk of fate that had the first-round unfurling of the flag coincide with the 300th senior appearance of Brett Gneil was a glorious circumstance. When our must decorated Dingo ran through the banner proclaiming his 300th game, the Dingley faithful applauded loudly. He is the only dual premiership player at the club, although that is an accolade he fervently hopes will be shared and even surpassed in the not too distant future.
The Gneil story started when in 1989, Brett (yes, that’s how you spell it, unlike one of his contemporaries whose father sadly short-changed him when it came to the handing out of the letter ‘t’) came to the club as a junior from Springvale South (I’ll reluctantly call him a local as they at least share the same postcode) and accumulated something like a hundred junior games. In those days he would have appeared as a little gnat, gnawing away at the opposition’s heels, and he played with such luminaries as Tighe Chandler, Kent Waring, Robbie Lemon and ‘Ringo’ Culph, whose father Barry was actually his first coach. To this day, he still numbers those abovementioned players, along with Ash Brooker, among his best mates.
He obviously showed early above average ability, being called up for his first senior appearance at the tender age of 15! From those early years, he remembers presidents and team managers such as Brian Dingle, Alan Reeves, David Meeve and Ronnie Mohamad. His father Doug (who we all know) had played for two years here (circa 79-80) and went on to serve as vice president and then club president for one year in 2004.
A family move in 1997 to Darling Downs in Queensland with his parents (and 4 siblings, of which he is the oldest) saw Brett lost to the club for 2 years. In that time he played for Toowoomba and shared in a premiership with his two brothers, Heath and Wayde. On more than one occasion in that period the centre line for Toowomba read; Gniel-Gniel-Gniel, which would have caused much gnashing of teeth among the commentators! Incidentally, his brother Heath has since accumulated 7 B&Fs for Toowoomba FC.
Upon his return in 1999, Brett became a fixture in our senior side. Some players appear to play tall, I reckon Brett plays big, belying his 73 kg frame. In the 1994 GF, he got 2 and a half quarters as a half back flanker, but subsequently he became a pivotal part of our midfield. I remember taking my then young son to a game at Sorrento in 2003 and although we were on the receiving end of a hiding my boy left me in no doubt as to who he thought Dingley’s standout player was. That was Brett’s first year as captain and also the year he won our Best and Fairest.
The low point of Brett’s footy career came in those dark days of Casey-Cardinia in 2005. Sick of being thrashed in every game, and disappointed that despite the players’ vote to move into SFL, circumstances prevented that transition from occurring. Brett, along with a few other players, opted to move to Rye in search of greener pastures and discovered immediate premiership success (although, by his own admission and due to an early injury, he did not personally enjoy a stellar year).
When the call came in early 2007 and the facts were weighed up there was no reason for him not to return. A new committee headed by his old team-mates Troy and Robbo, a fresh start in a new league, the offer of an assistant role under a new coach, and, above all, the fact that his wife Brooke was pregnant and that the travel was starting to take its toll made his return inevitable.
From his early days as a gun midfielder, Brett these days plays as a forward line rover/goal sneak, a role that he relishes. His unabashed fans number among them Barnesy from the SFL, who marvels especially at his ability to rise to the occasion in big games. That was never more evident than in our four blockbusters against our nemesis and biggest threat for premiership honours last year (Heatherton) when he produced returns of 4, 4, 4 and 5 goals. “Nielsy”! (the only nickname he has ever had), the crowd yell, as he performs another stunning dogde/weave and slots it through. You can almost hear the silent: “Gee…”
Brett and Brooke share their Narre Warren home with their two beautiful children, girl Scarlett (2) and boy Tarrant (recent arrival). Hardly names I remember from my Woman’s Day lift out in 1978 highlighting the 200 most popular tags you can give your newborn babies. Wonderful names just the same. But really Brett-Scarlett and Tarrant? Heaven help the next one if it’s Prestigiacomo!
When asked to reminisce a little bit about the personalities he’s played with, Brett mentioned Nick Lynch, Gary Maxwell, Bruce Mullen and Mick Bartholmew (his career overlapped with a couple of those) as the standouts. Of the current crop, he has particular admiration for Pitty (the boy from out of town who has stuck with the club), the Lavars Boys for their courage, and nominates Luke Bartholomew as his favourite up-and-comer. He also leaves no doubt that his most fulfilling year of football was last year’s premiership season.
Our favourite son is not ready to hang up his boots yet, and has not unequivocally ruled out remaining in a role in football after his playing days are over. Who knows what could happen if a coaching role becomes vacant at Gnarwarre or Gnotuk?
(Click on a photo to enlarge and scroll.)
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