Initially, we are privy to Tom De Koning’s significant milestone, as he plays his 100th game for the club, Carlton. He achieved that impressive record with a narrow win against Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday night. The 26-year-old forward was a key piece to the Blues’ victory, which ended in a score of 13.12 to 8.8. De Koning scored the last AFL goal of his career. As he did, he could hardly keep the emotion from his voice, as he considered his time with the club.
De Koning’s post-match interview was an insight into the duality of his emotions after what he described as a “disappointing” season which did not end in finals. At points while he spoke, it seemed like he had to choke back tears, signaling the emotional toll of the special day. “Farewell and thanks for all the fun during these eight years!” he shouted. He reminisced on the positives and challenges of his time with the Blues.
This season was brutal on De Koning and his classmates. They were notoriously cursed with a streak of bad luck, from injuries, to a 12 game losing streak. These personal challenges weighed heavy on De Koning, he promised fans that he was working hard to progress. “Clearly an extremely disappointing year but yeah, don’t stop and don’t stop doing great things. Best wishes,” he said.
Carlton president Robert Priestley congratulated De Koning on the new deal. He celebrated him with an incredible memento from his special appearance, 100 games for the club. His teammate and captain, Patrick Cripps, remarked on De Koning’s work ethic and competitive drive. He’s such a fierce competitor, and we enjoy playing with him so much. You cannot question how he came out this year or any year,” Cripps said.
De Koning is still weighing his options. He plans to spend time recharging with a trip to Bali before making a decision on his future at St Kilda. This week will be gigantic,” he added breathlessly. He urged home the significance this critical juncture is to his professional life.
