WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
After an undecorated junior footy career, Phillip Hard (30) has finally bitten the bullet.
The young plumbing apprentice from the Golf Course Estate has today decided that it’s time to face the inevitable, and as a result has signed himself up for a refereeing course.
The Dolphins clubman, who’s played a few games of reggies this year, explained that he wasn’t quite ready to hang the boots up yet so to speak.
“I knew that my reserve grade skills and lack of physical prowess made me a liability now that I am playing with the big boys,” Hard said.
“But I didn’t want to give up footy entirely, and I don’t have anywhere near enough rep to command a coaching gig around the club.”
“So I decided that I need to transition out of full contact sport with blokes who’ve got 20 or 30 kegs on me, and so I am becoming a referee,” he said.
Hard explained that he has had a tough time convincing friends and family that it is the right path to follow.
“Jesus Christ, he is going to get pasted if he follows through with this,” said friend and former team made Aaron McDonald.
“And not just by pissed blokes in the crowd telling him his eyes are painted on. By all his mates as well. There will be subtle and not so subtle jabs about becoming a referee on a regular basis,” he said.
“The poor bloke could be in for a rough ride. He should have just played another year or so until he blew out his knee or shoulder and could have hung up the boots gracefully.”
