Some of the Hepburn Shire’s oldest Carlton fans were able to catch a glimpse of the boys in navy blue last week when the club visited Daylesford and Hepburn for a training camp.
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I still buy my member’s ticket each year even though I don't go.
- Beth Thornycroft - Carlton Football Club member
Almost all of the club’s senior side made the trek to the region on Thursday and Friday, visiting a number of primary schools and Daylesford Secondary College as well as conducting a training clinic for male and female junior players at the Hepburn Football Club.
The players also got the chance to take it easy with a session of barefoot bowls at the Daylesford Bowls Club on Friday morning.
However, some of the side’s biggest fans came from the region’s aged care facilities, with players visiting both the John Curtin in Creswick and Hepburn House.
One such fan was 92-year-old Hepburn House resident Beth Thornycroft.
Ms Thornycroft began attending Carlton games back in 1932 with her father, watching generations of club champions come and go.
She has been a member of the club for more than 80 years, and was in attendance for club great Alex Jesaulenko’s first and last games in the navy blue.
“I still buy my member’s ticket each year even though I don't go,” Ms Thornycroft said.
“I think I’ve been to just about every grand final they’ve ever been in!”
The member said while she had known many of the players from previous generations, it was great to meet the next crop of champions.
Meanwhile Creswick’s Marie Lewis was another longtime follower who was able to meet the next crop of players last week.
Ms Lewis has been a Carlton Football Club fan since she was 29 years old.
In April, the centenarian will turn 104.
This year marks her 75th as a Carlton fan.
Mrs Lewis met with some of Carlton’s biggest names including captain Marc Murphy, vice-captain Kade Simpson and Matthew Kreuzer at the John Curtin aged care facility on Friday.
“We built a new home, and the button to press to go in played ‘We Are the Navy Blues’,” she said.
“They knew who we barracked for before they got in.”
Mrs Lewis went to Melbourne to see Carlton play Richmond for her hundredth birthday.
“We left at 9 o’clock in the morning and got back at 9 o’clock at night, we had a real good day.”