FOOTBALL has taken Scott Gladman across district -- and even state -- lines for more than three decades.
Gladman's story started at Serpentine in the 1970s as a junior, where he eventually graduated to senior ranks for Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
He made his way up to the Mid Murray Football League in the mid-1980s, with coach and ex-VFL star Carl Ditterich offering him a chance at Woorinen.
"I was there for two years and then went back to Bears Lagoon Serpentine and came up to Tooleybuc for three years," he said.
The return to Serpentine and the first stint at Tooleybuc, however, were briefly punctuated by a trip to Caloundra, where Gladman was chasing an invitation to play for a local club with the chance to train with the Brisbane Bears.
But with employment not forthcoming, Gladman soon made his way back to Victoria.
"I rang up Carl (Ditterich) and said, 'What are the chances of getting a game'," Gladman said.
"And that's how I ended up at Tooleybuc."
While at Tooleybuc, Gladman's won the league's highest individual honour, the Jack Betts Medal, before transferring to Beulah.
"My wife (Geraldine) was from Birchip and so I got a job over there and played for Beulah," Gladman said.
Nearing his 500th senior club game, it is at Beulah and Bears Lagoon Serpentine that Gladman's recorded most of his appearances.
And while Gladman has represented the Loddon Valley, Mallee, Mid Murray and North Central at interleague, the concept now was in desperate need of rejuvenation - particularly for the Central Murray.
"When I won the senior league medal I didn't even make the interleague side, that's how competitive it was," he said.
Gladman said he felt circumstances had led to other leagues - particularly the Mallee and North Central ù having a greater sense of importance of the concept.
"They used to suspend you for two weeks if you didn't pay, although I'm not saying that's the right way to go about it now," he said.
Although he was not around the district in 2004, Gladman said the merger that year of Tooleybuc and Manangatang was preferable to the alternatives.
"I wasn't here for that, but it's better than (clubs) dying when push comes to shove," he said.
But underpinning it all is a love for family: while premierships and trophies have come along the way, it has been the opportunity to play with sons Matthew and Jayden that has meant the most to Gladman.
In 2007, Gladman and eldest son Jayden played in a premiership together at Beulah, with the elder Gladman serving as coach.
"It's something you probably don't think too much about at the time, but as I get older I'll appreciate it," he said.
And while he was able to play in a game with 18-year-old Matthew in recent times, Gladman reckoned his second son was "just a bit too young" for anything more than the odd game or two together to be possible.
And, on the subject of age, Gladman was happy to admit that he now felt "too old" to keep playing senior club games.
"I love the training and all that, but after a while your muscles don't let you do what you want to," Gladman said.
But making the full transition to Masters Football was a move that has been hampered by commitments elsewhere, Gladman said.
"You want to play super rules but then you play on the Saturday and you're too sore for the Sunday," he said.