Sport
11 August, 2022
Sarge retires a Lexton legend
A LEXTON legend has hung up the boots after a stellar career spanning 50 years.
A LEXTON legend has hung up the boots after a stellar career spanning 50 years.
Malcolm Sargent, affectionately known as Sarge, played his last game of football with Lexton’s Reserves team last Saturday against Campbells Creek.
Sarge began playing junior football in 1972 with Ballarat North at the age of nine, before moving to play senior football with Gordon ten years later, where he won the club’s best-and-fairest in 1985.
In 1988 he was recruited by Ballarat and was instrumental in the Swans’ premiership against North Ballarat.
He returned to Gordon in 1990 where, six years later, he thought his playing days would end.
But a convincing sell by Robert Palmby to join Lexton for a “couple seasons” would see this decorated career continue a little while yet.
Little did Sarge know, when he put on the Tigers guernsey, he was signing up to play for another 26 years, and would become well known throughout the Lexton, Lexton Plains and the Maryborough and Castlemaine District Football Leagues.
Sarge was judged the league’s best and fairest player in 1998, is a five-time best-and-fairest winner at Lexton and four-time league representative.
This, along as the premiership with Ballarat and the 2016 flag with Lexton’s reserves, stand out as some of Sarge’s fondest memories over the journey.
A Lexton senior premiership eludes him, but Sarge reflects on the many finals and years with the first team as “very special” times.
Despite only being reported and suspended twice, Sarge’s list of injuries is almost as long as his accolades.
These include: breaks to a leg, three collar bones, an elbow, little finger, thumb, ribs and four broken noses.
He has also had 20 stitches above his left eye, numerous concussions, punctured lungs and a couple of sprained ankles
Off the field, his impact has been just as significant – taking on the roles of president, merchandise coordinator, marketing manager, senior captain and reserves coach.
He is also a Lexton life member.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Sarge’s son, Joshua, has inspired him to keep going over the last leg of the journey.
The pair played alongside each-other in 2018 when Josh made his first appearance in the reserves after graduating from the juniors.
Despite Josh now being an established senior player, he was granted permission to play one final game with his dad last Saturday; a fitting end to the career of one of Lexton’s favourite sons.
Sarge bowed out the only way he knew how, with the same attacking style and flare his teammates have come to expect over several decades.
Congratulations Sarge, well played!