Popular Kalangadoo veteran Chrissy Mules led his team on to his home ground on Saturday in recognition of his 300th game in a black-and-white jumper.
The 20 other members of the undefeated ladder leaders did not let him down as they clinically despatched the hapless Kongorong Hawks to the tune of 119 points.
The honoured player was in fine fettle and his trademark no-nonsense attack on the ball was obvious from the get-go.
“They named me as best player but that might have been a charity job,” a modest Mules said.
His talent came to the fore in his formative years and he was the 16-year-old “baby” of the 2000 premiership side.
Further grand final wins for the Magpies came in 2014 and again in 2019 when he was playing coach.
The glittering career of Mules includes the captaincy of the Mid South East Football League interleague team and MSEFL life membership.
Also a talented cricketer, Mules has been champion of Kalangadoo in five of his 20 seasons of senior footy.
Mules has also been prepared to do the “heavy lifting” off-the-field as a long-serving committeeman and vice-president.
He is credited for Kalangadoo reaching out to the Indigenous community with such gestures as the annual awarding of the Tim Brennan Medal and the creation of a yearly Indigenous match.
Much of his footy with the Magpies has been played alongside his elder brother Ben and younger brother Jonny.
They are the sons of Kathryn and Phillip Mules, a past Kalangadoo premiership player and president.
Although injuries this season have restricted the 36-year-old, Mules is cherry ripe for the finals.
Mules told The SE Voice that his career highlights have included the premierships, club champion awards and interleague matches.
“I have also played in some losing grand finals at Kalangadoo and in Darwin,” Mules said.
“I have stuck around Kalangadoo as it is a great place to be.
“We will wait and see what 2022 brings.”
There was also another special celebration at Kalangadoo on Saturday, when a past champion visited the ground.
A member of the 1952 premiership team Alan Luders, 92, travelled from Murray Bridge to attend on Mules’ big day.
Back in 1952 he was the Kalangadoo railway station master and a member of the town’s football premiership team.
The only other survivor from this team is Bruce Young, 96, of Mount Gambier.
