Sisters Rebecca and Madison Brett are celebrating their combined 750th game for Tallygaroopna on Saturday.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
At Tallygaroopna Football Netball Club you can bet your bottom dollar a Brett is never further than a ball toss from the action.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
For more than two decades Rebecca and Madison Brett have run until they’re done — and then some — for the Redlegs on the netball court.
On Saturday, like usual, the sisters will run again.
But this time a big banner will stand in their way.
The Bretts will celebrate the almost unfathomable landmark of 750 games for the Redlegs, with Rebecca’s 400th and Madison’s 350th arriving on the same day.
It’s a remarkable turn of fate that allows the siblings to share the same milestone and the same court, with the pair plying its trade for Tallygaroopna’s B-grade outfit in 2024.
If that wasn’t enough, the Redlegs are set to square off against Merrigum.
That may not mean much to the untrained eye, but with both sides undefeated after 10 games, Madison Brett expects it to be one hell of a day.
“It was a bit of a surprise actually that we’re both playing our milestone games on the same day, so that’s nice,” she said.
“Hopefully, we can come away with the win; we’ve been undefeated so far.
“We’ve got a really good team (this year). We’ve had a few A-graders drop down into B-grade this year, so we’ve got strength in either end — goals and defence — and we’ve got a handy midcourt as well.”
Madison began her Tallygaroopna career in 2003 — a year after her sister — and stands as the club’s ninth-most featured netball player.
She won two B-grade premierships in 2008 and 2019, raking in a B-grade best-and-fairest in 2012 while also holding various roles within the club.
The end-to-end defender has only missed one active netball season in more than 20 years.
One of her premierships arrived while she was pregnant. That's dedication.
And funnily enough, her sister is much the same.
Rebecca was absent from the first halves of the 2011 and 2013 seasons due to pregnancy, but returned for the latter half of both campaigns to play out the remainder.
That level of commitment has earned her the distinction of being the fourth-highest appearance maker for the netball club and second most in A-grade.
Only Redlegs legend Kelli Halden hovers above her.
Though she doesn’t expect to overtake Halden, Rebecca's career retrospective reminded her of what brought her to Tallygaroopna and what’s made her stay.
“I was coming home every weekend from Melbourne from uni, (Tallygaroopna) always needed players so I played and never really left,” she said.
“There’s been some really great teams over the years and we haven’t always been able to get those grand finals, but we pulled in one a couple of years ago.
“I’ve played 20 years of A-grade and won two grand finals, so it’s very rare to come across.
“I don’t know what it takes; it comes down to who plays well on the day. Someone could come out and play an absolute crap game and it’s all yours.”
Rebecca and Madison Brett have formed a formidable defensive pairing for Tallygaroopna’s B-grade side this season.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Rebecca has a pair of best-and-fairest awards and three premierships to her name, with two A-grade flags (2008, 2022) partnering her sole B-grade flag in 2003.
She regards those years as her favourite, but sidling her sister in defence this season has been a new but welcomed challenge.
“Actually it’s been really good. It’s been really enjoyable dropping back down to B-grade, there’s a bit less pressure on the body,” Rebecca said.
“But it’s the first year we’ve actually played defence together. When Mads played A-grade, I played goals.
“It’d be great to go all the way, finish off on a high note playing with my sister and finish up — I think, maybe?”
Even if Rebecca hangs up her runners at the end of the season, the Brett name stays.
Madison will eventually retire, too.
But one day in the not-too-distant future, their daughters will carry on their legacy at the Redlegs.
That’s just what Bretts do.
“It’s our home town, our parents and grandparents all grew up there and we lived in the town as well,” Madison said.
“Everyone is just there; it’s our home, it’s our family, it’s our community.
“It’s definitely family-oriented — everyone knows everyone and most people are related to someone within the club — but it’s just about community and being a part of that.”
12°C