Richmond Football Club’s myotherapist and head trainer Matt Pearce brought the 2017 premiership cup home to Daylesford on Friday January 19.
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Mr Pearce celebrated the event with a barbecue at his home.
A life-long Richmond supporter, Mr Pearce said being a part of the 2017 premiership team was “a true dream come true”.
“I am forever grateful I got to be there on the ground of the MCG, in front of 100,000 people, when the Tigers won the flag,” he said.
“It was an incredible experience.”
Mr Pearce grew up playing football for Daylesford Football Club before moving up the ranks to working there as a trainer.
He then worked as a head trainer at the North Ballarat Roosters for four years before moving to a position as a sports trainer for Melbourne Football Club in 2006, while he studied myotherapy at RMIT University.
Richmond Football Club recruited Mr Pearce in 2008 and he has been working at the club for nine years.
Since he was a child, Mr Pearce has always desired a career in the sporting industry:
“Growing up, I always knew I wanted to work in elite sport as a trainer,” he said.
Mr Pearce lives in Daylesford with his wife, Pip, and two young boys, aged three and five years.
His boys are both keen to play footy. Although they are a bit young to be playing yet, they are both itching to join Auskick when they are old enough.
Mr Pearce says although he worked in Melbourne, he and his family love living in Daylesford.
A self-described country boy, he says he loves bringing up his children in a place where there is a small town vibe and the community spirit is so vibrant.
His love of community is highlighted through his volunteer work with the CFA, with whom he has been a volunteer fire fighter since 1999 … almost 20 years.
Mr Pearce isn’t the only member of the 2017 premiership team who come from the region. Players David Astbury, Dan Butler, Shaun Grigg and Daniel Rioli all hail from Ballarat.
I am forever grateful I got to be there on the ground of the MCG, in front of 100,000 people, when the Tigers won the flag
- Matt Pearce
Mr Pearce says the Tigers are confident going into the 2018 season and are mainly focusing on injury prevention.
He says, however, a back-to-back premiership will be a challenge.
“It was a humbling victory but it would be extremely hard work to get anywhere near the position we were at last year,” he said.
The Tigers 2017 premiership was 37 years in the making and Richmond’s 11th flag.
The Tigers were ferocious, running away from Adelaide with a victory of 16.12 (108) to 8.12 (60).