With his impending retirement, Greg Nash walks out the door as the most capped player in Goulburn Valley Suns’ history.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“Play for the badge on the front of the shirt and they’ll remember the name on the back.”
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Legendary Arsenal defender Tony Adams coined the term, but it marries up perfectly with two Goulburn Valley Suns legends set to hang up their boots following Saturday night’s showdown against Melbourne Victory.
Ironically, Greg Nash and Adam Gatcum only had numbers on the back of their kits.
Yet everyone knows their name and what they’d give for the next 90 minutes.
Flying down the flanks on either side of the Suns’ defence for the best part of a decade, Gatcum and Nash have both provided surety and robustness you could set your watch by.
In some ways, though, they couldn’t be more different in the way they play.
Nash, or ‘Kiwi’ as he’s known at McEwen Reserve, joined the Suns in 2015 from Shepparton South and went on to hammer down a reputation as a hard-running, never-say-die left-back throughout his 175 league games for the Orangemen.
Local barber Tommy Giuliani summed him up to a tee.
“Kiwi has three lungs and two hearts,” he said on frequent occasion.
Meanwhile, Gatcum arrived at the Suns in 2018 from Cobram Roar and wore the badge on 113 league occasions, nailing his a spot at right back with astute covering abilities, standout passing range and superb dead ball prowess.
Adam Gatcum is set to retire as the Suns’ most consistent right-back the club has seen since its inception.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
He’s provided the Orange army with countless corking moments, whether it was a wicked set piece delivery, fizzing volley or bone-shuddering tackle, and as he prepares to leave, Gatcum reserved words of thanks for the Suns.
“The Suns gave me an opportunity to play high-level, competitive football,” Gatcum said.
“The memorable moments were definitely beating Hume City in the Australia Cup and playing APIA Leichhardt in the Round of 32 on TV.
“Not to mention, watching players like Alou and Garang Kuol come through and become pros as well as getting to spend time with my mates every week.
“I’ll miss the changing rooms and the banter, and I’d like to make a special mention to the gaffer (Craig Carley) too.”
As for Nash, the sentiment was largely similar.
“Obviously I’d like to thank Nikos Kalafatis and Serks Aktas for bringing me to the club, I was lured in by the professionalism and training standards,” he said.
“Then Craig Carley and Jacqui Stojanovski came in and created a great atmosphere and have built the club up to be a good beacon for the region.
“The run in the cup was a highlight, even down to the survival of relegation and staying up in NPL2 when the division was split in half.
“Also playing with all the players throughout the years - it’s the camaraderie which separates us from the Melbourne clubs.”
Together, Nash and Gatcum have been the Suns’ sentinels for years, guarding the goal like seasoned gatekeepers.
But after Saturday night, ‘Kiwi’ and ‘Ads’ will finally take leave.
One thing is certain though: their names will be remembered.
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