As Josh Finch closed in on the Modewarre games record, he pondered calling time on his glittering career short of Paul Meesen’s long-standing mark of 329 games.
When he retires, the 38-year-old will be remembered as one of the greatest Bellarine players ever.
An equal-league record four Les Ash Medals, a club record 11 best-and-fairests, joint playing coach of Modewarre’s maiden BFNL premiership in 2018, and multiple team of the year and interleague selections is an unmatched resume in the competition’s 55-year history.
But passing Meesen, an idol to so many at Mt Moriac during a playing career spanning from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, didn’t sit comfortably with Finch.
“Growing up, I was best mates with Moose’s son, John, and I still am, and it was just one of those things,” Finch told K rock Football’s Beyond the Boundary podcast.
“I wanted his legacy and whatnot to live on.
“Growing up, it used to be going to the footy on a Saturday at ‘Modda’ and watching him playing the game, and I was like, ‘What better legend to have at the club?’
“And for him to be a games record holder, I didn’t want to break it.”
However, Finch revealed that a small piece of correspondence during 2024 from the man universally known as ‘Moose’ in the local football landscape changed his mindset.
“He pulled me aside at the club rooms on a Thursday night and said, ‘Here, here’s this’,” Finch recalled.
“It was just an envelope. He said, ‘Read it in your own time’.
“So I went home and opened it up, and it was basically an A4 page just telling me how much he wanted me to break the record.
“He just said, ‘It couldn’t go to a more deserving player watching you grow up at the club in the junior program and then seeing what you’ve contributed to the club in the seniors.”
The letter also detailed Meesen’s own struggle with breaking Terry Morter’s record of 321 games.
“He said, ‘Despite the fact that I broke his games record, like, it didn’t change the way I viewed him as a person or a player. He’s still a legend in my eyes,” Finch revealed.
“And it just gave me reassurance that it’s okay to keep doing what I love, and break his magical number.
“But I suppose reflecting on that letter as well, it gave me a chance to think: well, it’s not just about me breaking the record. It’s an opportunity to celebrate what he’s given the club again.”
Finch admits retirement has been on his mind most seasons since delivering the club a premiership seven years ago.
“Going through your 20s, I always thought my year of retirement – I don’t know why I had it – it was going to be 32,” he said.
“That was the year that I played 240, 250 games. It’s about the right age to retire.
“Life comes at you fast, and all of a sudden, you get to 32 and you’re like, ‘Well, I still love it. I’m very competitive. I still like rolling out on the training track and then rolling out on game day as well’.
“So, to offer something to my teammates on game day is still a motivating factor.”
“I’ve got three beautiful children now. Lenny’s the eldest of the three, and he’s right into his footy; he loves the fact I’m still playing.
“So it’s an opportunity to represent the family and see him and the enjoyment he gets on game day when I’m running out there and watching.”
Finch said his longevity in the game was also due to the support he’s received from his wife Emma.
“The biggest support and the rock of our family is Emma,” he said.
“She’s been saying, ‘You’ve got to keep playing. Why would you retire?’
“She’s very supportive (and) allows me to do what I love, and that’s what I’m forever grateful for. And what she’s provided us and our family is, as I said, she’s the rock and the backbone of it.
“She’s the one that says you’ve got to keep playing while you can, and a big reason why I’m breaking the record on Saturday.”
The clash with Barwon Heads is likely Finch’s last milestone, with even a deep finals run leaving him short of joining Drysdale great Darren Wilson in the Bellarine’s 350-game club.
“It’s one week at a time, which is pretty vanilla and pretty boring,” he said.
“But I think most likely this will definitely be my last year.
“As I said before, life comes at you very fast.
“I’m 38, and despite still enjoying it, I want to give back and spend more time with my family and more time with my kids and being heavily involved in their sport and whatever other interests they want to be involved in.”
Click this link to listen to the full interview with Josh Finch, which commences at the 42:50 mark
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