LUKE TEBBLE has vowed he will continue to return to his home club as long as there is family to visit and mates to take to the field with.
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The Ballarat-based defender, who recovered from a final-round hamstring injury, plays his 100th game for Kolora-Noorat in Saturday's Warrnambool and District league preliminary final against Old Collegians.
"I don't think I'd get to this point if it was any other club," Tebble said. "The Power make it easy and I don't want to leave and don't see myself playing anywhere else at the moment."
It's a nice reward for the loyal 22-year-old, who started his football career in the club's juniors at the age of 11 and travels from Ballarat for games and some training sessions.
At the age of 15 he scored his first senior game against Nirranda and would start a run of regular appearances.
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Now family and friends are the reason the production worker travels with partner Naomi, who comes from the Sisters and plays at Caramut, to suit up for his home club.
"I like to play with my mates and while my pop is still kicking around I want to see him and my mum so it's important I still play at Power," he said.
The 2017 premiership player hopes to add a second winner's medal to his collection this year.
"This year a flag is probably the obvious one and then after that it is about enjoying playing with my mates," he said of his next ambitions with football.
"There are no individuals at the Power. We are all from the area and are good mates."
Tebble's move to Ballarat four years ago has had the greatest effect on his footy at Noorat.
"Obviously you don't get to train with the team much and probably just training and being able to commit is hard," he said.
"But they make it easy to commit every now and then but it is hard driving an hour-and-a-half three times a week."
Tebble drove back on Thursday night and passed a fitness test on his injured hamstring. Coach Ben Walsh said he was "raring to go" for the preliminary final.
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