Selfless, reliable and consistent are just a few of the adjectives some of Leigh Montagna’s decorated draft class have used to describe the St Kilda star’s career ahead of his 250th game against Port Adelaide this weekend.
Plucked by the Saints with selection No. 37, Montagna is one of many recruiting coups to emerge from the 2001 draft, in a year that has provided the game with an array of bona fide champions.
In a draft littered with triple and four-time premiership players, All Australians and Brownlow medallists, Montagna’s 14-year career sits comfortably amongst the royalty that has flourished from that golden year.
Among the 2001 fraternity sits two current captains and two of the greatest players of the modern era – Luke Hodge and Gary Ablett Jnr. Both superstars lauded Montagna’s work ethic and desire to always put the team ahead of himself in pursuit of success.
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“I guess he’s the same as ‘Roo’ in how hard he works. We got drafted in the same year. He’s an on-baller who will do anything for his team, whether it’s a tagging role or go and play different positions to help young guys develop,” Hodge told saints.com.au on AFL Captains’ Day.
“I was on the International Rules Series with him and just to see the kind of person he is off-field, you can understand why the younger Saints guys enjoy their time there because they’ve got two older blokes who will do anything for them and they’re great to learn off.
“We were drafted around the same time. We’ve had many great battles against each other. He’s another guy that’s just played consistent footy throughout his career, someone that is reliable and I’m sure he’s someone that his teammates really appreciate,” Ablett said.
As it is to be expected, a number of the competition’s captains have gone to war against Montagna on countless occasions since the Melbourne inner north product debuted in 2002.
Two of the AFL’s hard men, Geelong’s Joel Selwood and Melbourne’s Nathan Jones, have faced Montagna in many epic battles, particularly Selwood during the Saints Grand Final era in 2009-10. Both captains praised Montagna’s ability to cut opposition sides apart from a wing.
“Well it’s funny with ‘Joey’ that has been able to push out 250 with these small little legs that just run up and down the wing all day,” Selwood said.
“I’ve played in some great games against ‘Joey’ – he’s a great guy off the field too. Real quality, great kick of the ball, he sets them up, a real link man that every side looks for.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play on him a few times. (He’s a) super smart player and really damaging. (He’s) an absolute pro at the wing position and midfield,” Jones said.
In the city of churches on Sunday afternoon, the man affectionately known as ‘Joey’ will become just the 13th player in St Kilda’s 143-year history to represent the red, white and black on 250 occasions, joining a prestigious collection of club greats, including Robert Harvey, Nathan Burke, Lenny Hayes and current skipper Nick Riewoldt.
