Elsternwick’s milestone man has unfinished business!

Sheridan Harris

It’s been quite a few years since 2000, when Justin Hunter first walked into Elsternwick Football Club. 

He’d been a part of the Wickers long enough to nearly be considered part of the furniture when Facebook was founded in 2004, and even more so in 2019 when the first ever image of a black hole was taken. 

He’s seen the club through three divisions, was part of the 2005 premiership-winning side, and also suffered the heart-breaking loss in 2013. He’s kicked more than 700 goals, and more points by his own admission, and has played the great game during his time in both London and Asia. He’s been captain and has spent many years on the committee. 

But when you think about it, it’s only by chance Hunter stumbled into Elsternwick, through connections from a friend, and now the club is such a huge part of his life, that even after twenty years, he still returns. 

For Hunter, it’s the people. “Elsternwick is a like a country football club in the middle of the city, people are there because they want to be, and it just makes it a great place to be.” Elsternwick’s growth over the years that Hunter has been there means the club has gone from “one and a half sides to four,” with the women’s and thirds teams, and he believes the club’s development is another reason he keeps coming back. 

Loath to be considered boastful, Hunter has loved the challenge Division 3 Men’s has offered him and his team this year, after a promotion from Division 4 at the end of last season, where Elsternwick were comfortably beating teams every weekend. “Without saying we were better than other teams, there are more challenges [in Division 3], the games are more challenging. I’ve played all three divisions and I think Division 2 or 3 is where we’re at, at the moment.” said Hunter, speaking to VAFA media.

Having played more than twenty years of football, Hunter does have some fond memories throughout his time. “The 2005 grand final was fun, and I was on the VAFA Tragics a couple years ago.” He also mentions his 700 goals as a highlight, and specifically playing with fellow Wickers teammate Julian Yeatman. 

Hunter’s long tenure at Elsternwick so far has seen him take the field with the young son of a former teammate from his earlier years, something that Hunter calls “bizarre” but loved it regardless. “They’re both really lovely people and I get along with them both.” 

Peter Higginbotham, who coached against Hunter before coming across to coach Elsternwick, has nothing but praise for his player. “He is one of the most selfless, team-first clubmen that I have ever met,” he says, though Hunter naturally disagrees, describing himself as a full forward with “only one eye and it’s on the goals”. 

But you only have to listen to the people who know Hunter to hear more praise for the stalwart, with Elsternwick president Jarrad Nas labelling him the undisputed cultural leader of the club. “It’s amazing to see after so many years at the club how he stills gets around all the new players in particular, and makes them feel welcome.”

Since the birth of his daughter in 2021, not much has changed for Hunter on field but when asked about it, he blames age for any difference in his footy skills. “I can’t run, I’m not as fast, can’t jump, can’t tackle,” he laughs. 

“The biggest thing that’s different is that I pretty much leave straight after the awards [after a game], whereas I probably would have stayed around before.” The ‘staying around’ thing is something Higginbotham mentions when talking about Hunter, believing Hunter’s love of Elsternwick is “only surpassed by his love of a beer or ten with his teammates after the game,” though Hunter laughs about how different life is now, especially with a nine-month-old baby at home.

Echoing words sure to resonate with those of us who are footy-mad, Hunter laments the loss of footy in 2020, and the cancellation of the 2021 season, citing unfinished business as the reason he probably hasn’t hung up the boots just yet. “It’s been my last year for the last five years, but if I’m honest, I don’t think I would have played [in 2022], if we’d played the last two years.”

“I couldn’t really leave. I think we were robbed not having finals last year, and being a part of that, so unfinished business is absolutely right.”

Justin Hunter will play his 250th game against familiar foes in South Melbourne Districts, this weekend in Round 3. Get down to Holmes Todd Oval on Saturday and cheer him on!