Ray Sarcevic might not only be one of the greatest players to pull on a Bell Park jumper, but he might also be one of the club’s greatest recruiters.
On the eve of his 200th game for the Dragons, captain Lachie Patten has revealed how the high-flying forward played a role in luring him from Bellarine club Drysdale to Hamlyn Park.
Also crucial was the input of 2011 Bell Park premiership player Steve Brown.
“Dad’s good friends with Ray Sarc, so the great man Sarc put in a word for me and said, “Don’t go anywhere else; don’t go to Leopold. Go to Bell Park’.
“And I also knew the captain at the time, Steve Brown, because he had taught me at Geelong High.
“I had two links, but to be honest, I didn’t know many other people there.”
In an era where Bell Park was a finals regular, the teenage Patten had to bide his time in the reserves before getting an opportunity at senior level in Round 7.
He made eight senior appearances in his first season. Still, he was squeezed out come finals time, instead playing two reserves finals and capping an impressive maiden campaign in the GFNL by winning the club’s reserves best-and-fairest from 11 games.
A three-time best-and-fairest, Patten didn’t play reserves again until this year as he made his return from an ongoing groin issue, giving him a 187/12 split heading into tomorrow’s milestone meeting with St Mary’s at Hamlyn Park.
Among those senior games are six finals. However, with the Dragons in a 12-year finals-winning drought, Patten is yet to taste any success in September.
And it’s something the 31-year-old, who has four GFNL Team of the Year selections to his name, is keen to change before hanging up the boots.
“I just need to win a final just to get that off my case,” Patten said. “A couple of them I bleed over… I think about them.
“S***, we were a good team. (Steve) Paulke and (Jarrod) Garth.
“We finished in the top three a couple of times
“In 2017, I think we overachieved in third.
“But 2015, 2016, so good. The two Sheringhams (Tim and Jack), (Tom) Couch, (Luke) Rounds, (Mitch) Cuthill.”
To be part of finals action and give Patten what he’s been chasing for 12 years, Bell Park still needs to qualify for this year’s top five.
A challenging final month of the season begins against the Saints, against whom the Dragons haven’t beaten since before Covid – a six-game losing streak.
We need to take a scalp, and that’s all part of it,” Patten said.
“You’ve got to beat the teams above you.”
Further incentive for Bell Park is reliable defender Steve Bensted, who also started his football journey at Drysdale, making his 150th appearance.
“He’s a genuine legend of the club and a gun player,” Patten said. “It’s pretty special to share the occasion with him.
“He won’t like the limelight, so he’d probably be happy because he can just hide behind me.
“But we’re going to make it a lot about him as well. He’s a genuine star.”
Bell Park has lost Kobe George to Geelong Falcons duty, while Jacob Nihill will be sidelined with a minor wrist problem.
They’ve been replaced by Jonty Scott and Zach Lamb.
St Mary’s has included co-captain Brayden Ham, premiership trio Keidan Rayner, Jesse Travaglini, and Trent McMullan, and youngster Nick Saunders.
They replace unavailable brothers Hamish and Sam Bourke, ruckman Fletcher Hughes (corky), Noah Biggs, and Nick Dowling.
South Barwon will have access to Geelong VFL midfielder Paddy Kelly for the first time since Round 1, among two changes for its meeting with Newtown & Chilwell at Elderslie Reserve.
The Swans also welcome back Tom Burke, but lose Jack Driver (hamstring) to injury, with Chris Hughes omitted.
The high-flying Eagles are unchanged.
Premiership pair Tom Feely and Billy Ritchie return for Leopold, which begins a five-week run of elimination finals, starting with St Joseph’s at Drew Oval.
They replace Geelong Falcons duo Mason Williams and Harry Morphet.
Meanwhile, captain Marcus Thompson has re-signed for 2026, where, injury aside, he will play his 200th GFNL senior game.
Joeys have lost James Gow and James Buckley to injury, with Felix Henderson and James Hose among the inclusions.
And they will be without Werribee VFL young gun Liam Kershaw for up to six weeks with a hamstring issue.
Former Geelong and Collingwood big man Nathan Kreuger will make his GFNL debut for Grovedale when it meets St Albans at St Albans Reserve.
Kreuger is available, with the Cats VFL team having the bye.
The Tigers, who were kept goalless last week, will be further strengthened by the return of Nathan Deans, Will Jeffrey, and Bailey McDonald.
They replace Tom Schulze (illness), Eamon Dowd (injured), Bailey Spicer, and Tyler Cummins.
The Supersaints get back spearhead Tom Higgins, who has been invited to train with Carlton’s VFL squad for the rest of the season.
Gun Lara midfielder Darby Henderson has been named in the Cats’ team for the meeting with Colac after missing the past fortnight with a concussion suffered in the Round 12 loss to St Albans.
Lara has also confirmed Cam Edwards and Sam Hoffman will play, with Levi King and Tom Parker omitted.
The Tigers aren’t taking any risks with Zach Zdybel (leg), Lachie Simpkin (calf), and Jarrod Walters (soreness) against an opponent they’re expected to beat comfortably.
They’ve been replaced by Darcy Howard, Billy Buchanan, and Cooper Forbes.
Lara recruit Zekiah Davey will play his first senior game for Geelong West since Round 8 when the Giants host North Shore in the Ron Sells Cup clash on Sunday.
However, West will be without Angus Codd.
Lachie Hayes is back for the Seagulls following five matches on the sidelines. He replaces Will Milsome.
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