By David Nagel
As loyal and as honest as the day is long – it’s an apt description for Officer champion Ben Tivendale who this week chalks up the remarkable milestone of 300 senior games.
The 36-year-old star will run out to take on Beaconsfield at Holm Park Reserve, joining his childhood hero Robbie Young, and former team-mates Mick Moylan and Kable Dowsett on the club’s most illustrious honour roll.
The seven-time best and fairest winner, who bleeds blue and white, said it was a great honour to join Young, Moylan and Dowsett in a quartet of high achievers.
“It’s a pretty special achievement I suppose,” he said.
“I remember coming here when I was seven or eight years old and watching Robbie Young, he was a legend, and I got to play senior footy with him. I played a lot with Mick and a bit with Kable as well, so to reach a milestone that only three other blokes have achieved – I’m very proud of it. It’s a lot of footy to play, especially with the one club.”
Ben, who now has a family of his own – married to wife Kim with children Harry, 8, and Tilly, 5 – remembers family, sport, the ROC Football Club and the town of Officer as playing huge parts in his upbringing.
His mum Tina is a legendary netball figure at the club, while dad John was a talented sportsman himself. His brother Greg played 188 games for Richmond, while sisters Amy and Kelly played in the club’s last A Grade netball premiership in 2007.
“The Tivendale’s are spread far and wide, dad’s grand-dad owned land in Officer, he’s the one Tivendale Road was named after, but there are a lot of Tivendale’s around from different families,” he said.
“It was always sport, sport and then more sport at our place; Greg and I would always be out having a kick of the footy, or a hit of cricket, and we’d even get the mower out sometimes and mow a putting green.”
The Tivendale house had two golden rules, that there would be no football played until Year 7 and that the only club to play with was ROC – but Ben broke the first, playing his first game of footy in Grade 6. He would follow Greg, two years his elder, to the ground, train with the group and eventually play.
He showed promising signs as a junior, playing in a losing Under 17 grand final in 1998, losing to a Chris Newman and Shane Tuck-inspired Beaconsfield.
He spent two years training with Gippsland Power, missing squad selection both times, before playing his first season with the ROC seniors in 1999. He then spent a year with VFL club Springvale in 2000 before returning to Starling Road.
“I remember watching ROC as a youngster and we were pretty weak back then,” he said.
“We got a new coach and some new players, won flags in ’95 and ’96 so I walked into a strong senior side. We missed finals in 2001 and then won the flag in 2002. Paul Corrigan was a superstar; he basically carried us to the promised land in his one and only year. We made prelims the next two years, but then Casey Cardinia started and we haven’t played finals since.”
He said the lack of success had taken its toll at times over the journey.
“There have been times when I’ve been feeling sorry for myself and I’ll say to Kim, ‘I don’t know how much longer I can keep on doing this’,” he explained.
“You’ve given your all, you’re buggered, but things aren’t quite happening and that can be tough at times. But it gets to Tuesday and you’re ready to go again.”
The Kangaroos champ said he would swap all seven of his best and fairest awards for one more crack at September glory. It’s been 13 years since he last played a final.
“I’d give them all up in a heartbeat,” he said.
“That feeling you get when the siren goes on grand final day, and you’ve won, it’s unbelievable, impossible to describe. You don’t know where to go; who to hug, the satisfaction and happiness you feel is just amazing. Team success far outweighs any individual success that’s for sure.”
Initially reserved about giving an opinion on what has served him well over his 300 games, he reluctantly admits his versatility has been the key.
“Being a utility is an advantage I guess, being able to play in multiple positions and having an impact when you do get moved around,” he said.
“I’ve always been better on the outside, I’ve always been fit and tried to run harder and for longer than my opponents, but when it’s my turn to go I still go. I think I can read the play okay and make good decisions and use the footy pretty well – although I can butcher it like anyone else at times.”
Tivendale, who rates Corrigan, brother Greg and Moylan among his greatest peers, and Michael Collins, Marc Holt, Dan O’Loughlin and Jared Goldsack as his toughest opponents, said he would love to leave one lasting legacy.
“The loyalty that was instilled into me from my parents, that’s something I’d love to pass on to these boys,” he said of his current-day team-mates.
“If people are just rolling through the joint you’ve got no hope and hopefully these boys can enjoy success together and make lifelong friendships along the way. Hopefully divisional footy comes in next year and I can be part of that success.”
The soon-to-be 300-gamer wanted to thank all at Starling Road for playing a big part in his wonderful journey.
“Just everyone from the ROC Football Club, without them, the players, coaches, committee, and the volunteers, there wouldn’t be this place that has played such a massive part in my life,” he said.
‘My family as well, mum and dad, my brother and sisters, my wife Kim, she was not from around here but never tried to take me away. She’s embraced the footy club and pushed me all the way.”
We don’t think you’ve needed much pushing Ben Tivendale – you’re a loyal and true champion of the game!
