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When I trudged around the football field in the 1960s and 1970s, your “use by ticks” usually loomed large as you approached your 30s.

After that milestone, it was generally accepted that unless you were an exceptional player or made the effort to be exceptionally fit, your career was on borrowed time. Or you were just too stubborn to bow down to Father Time.

Rarely have players extended their careers beyond 35 years.

I remember reading about Girgarre’s first victory as Premier in the Kyabram League in 1952, when local dairy farmer Maurie McDonald came out of retirement at the age of 38 to help the ‘Roos achieve their history by winning. A player making a comeback was big news at the time.

I also always remember seeing Benalla legend John Martinello make a comeback with the Saints in a GVL finals series in the 1990s when he was aged 40 or over.

How well he could still play amazed me and I remember thinking at the time that he was the best senior footballer I had ever seen and probably will ever see again.

How things have changed since then.

The trend since then to keep trying to defy Father Time has been gradual but steady and even somewhat baffling.

Two of the best examples of players extending their playing careers to extraordinary lengths are Kyabram footballers Jason Morgan and Kayne Pettifer.

Four-time Kyabram’s best and fairest award winner Morgan is still one of the best defenders in the GVL despite being almost 39 years old.

Morgan has always been an exceptional GVL player – perhaps the best defender the Kyabram has ever had – but is playing almost as well now as he did in his best years, whatever they were, because you wouldn’t know it given his consistency over such a long period. .

Morgan is still a star today because he hasn’t lost his pace for the first 10 to 20 yards while attacking the ball.

Pettifer’s longevity as a player is also notable.

When he pulled the curtain on his playing career at Kyabram at the end of last year, at the age of 41, most thought he had played his last game.

But no sire.

This season, at the age of 42, he has shown with Nathalia in the Murray League that he can still make a worthy contribution, as evidenced by his recent five goals against Tongala.

Pettifer is an AFL (Richmond) player with over 100 games so he lacks no skills and his passion for the game is clearly his driving force to keep playing.

History-making former Kyabram coach Paul Newman is another local who is finding it difficult to get the boot.

He is turning 41 years old and has played games and inspired victories this season for the Kyabram reserves and also for KDL club Lancaster.

Newman makes no distinction when he decides to put on the boots, regardless of the standard, with his “you’re long retired” attitude.

Former Girgarre coach Damian Cupido is another veteran who is still playing at the age of 42.

Three years ago, when he was 39, he was still good enough to score 100 goals as coach of the Kyabram League ‘Roos.

He started this season playing for Wahgunyah in the Tallangatta Football League and now coaches Maryborough Giants in the Maryborough District League. He scored eight goals in one match to show that he can make a valuable contribution.

Other golden oldies still making the rounds in northern Victoria include Moama’s Geoff Connally, 43, a former Merrigum and Mooroopna player who represented GVL in his younger days.

He still holds a defensive position with Moama seniors, one of the better teams in the Murray League.

Benalla’s current coach Jarrad Waite, 41, and Euroa stalwart Craig Bamford, who played senior games last year and still plays at reserve level, is in his mid-40s, are other players over 40 who are still challenging Father Time with their share of success .

Yes, these Golden Oldies prove that if there is a will, there is definitely a way to keep playing, regardless of age.