Boston grateful for club support on journey to 100 NEAFL games

Southport co-captain Andrew Boston believes “it’s all about giving back to the club” ahead of 100th NEAFL game on Saturday.

Beginning his journey with the Sharks as a junior, premiership co-captain reflects with gratitude on his career thus far.

“It’s kind of creeped up on me pretty quickly actually,” Boston told neafl.com.au.

“It’s a good achievement I guess to play 100 games. It feels like I’ve been around forever to play 100 games, but I’ve enjoyed every bit of it playing in the NEAFL and especially playing for Southport.

“It feels like a family to me at Southport. I get to turn up to training and spend time with my best mates, my brothers. It’s just good to give back to Southport with my football.

"For the older guys around the footy club such as Bob Langford, Al Maloney, Doc McKenzie and Ron Stewart. To see us succeed, it’s good to give back to those guys who put so much into the football club.”

Boston began his NEAFL career with Broadbeach in 2011, won the 2012 NEAFL Rising Star Award before being drafted to the Gold Coast SUNS.

He played 16 AFL matches over three years, before returning to the Sharks as a 21-year-old.

The “home-like” feel of his junior club proved more appeal to Boston than the elite level, and made a mammoth impact in his NEAFL return, lining up on a half-forward flank in the 2016 NEAFL Team of the Year.

Modest as ever, the 25-year-old is happy to reach the milestone but delighted to be able to repay the club’s faith in him.

“It feels like more of a home to me,” he said.

“Southport’s given me so much since coming there and for me it’s just all about giving back to the football club. I can’t be thankful enough for what they’ve done for me since leaving the Suns.”

“Last year when we won the premiership, that was the best feeling giving back to the club.

The 2018 premiership came as a surprise to spectators, but the definitive in-club changes allowed Boston to thrive as a leader.

“In our (Boston and Seb Tape) first year as co-captains we had a pretty disappointing season, I think we finished second bottom,” Boston said.

“We had a massive change to have Stephen Daniel come in as head coach and just change a lot of things at the football club, to then have success last year to win the flag.

“He’s (Daniels) got a philosophy where his door’s always open, so you can always go in and speak to him no matter what whether it’s a bloke who’s 17 and never played a game or a bloke playing his 100th game.

"He has a relationship with everyone at the football club. I think that’s why he’s been so successful wherever he’s gone.”

The Sharks sit second ahead of Round 13, and Boston’s side are aiming to replicate last year’s successes.

“Our goal at the start of the year was to go back-to-back. For a non-AFL team to be able to do that would be really special. That’s the goal, but it’s all about focusing on the challenges of every week to get there," he said.

The road to September will continue when the Sharks take on the Thunder at home, and Boston is ready for a tough contest to bring up his 100th game.

“It’s going to be a pretty tough contest, it always is against the NT. Last time we played them at home we only got them by a goal or so," he said.

"We had a pretty disappointing day against the Suns the week before the bye so we really want to bounce back and get our season back on track.”

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