Tim Hargreaves is remembered for his ruthless attack on the ball with an exceptional ability to hit the scoreboard.
Proud premiership Pigeon Tim Hargreaves will be inducted into the Ovens and Murray Football Netball League Hall of Fame on July 15.
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Hargreaves was a standout player of his era, a rare footballer capable of playing as a key forward, a dominant midfielder or a tough, uncompromising defensive player.
Renowned for his ruthless attack on both the ball and the contest, Tim combined strength, skill and determination with an exceptional ability to hit the scoreboard.
His impact on the game and contribution to the Pigeons has made him a truly deserving Hall of Fame inductee.
Hargreaves said last week at a press conference held by the Ovens and Murray Football Netball League, that he was honoured to be included in the Hall of Fame.
“It’s a little bit surreal, but it’s good for the club and good for our family,” he said.
“When I first came to Yarrawonga (in 1999) we were getting beaten, we were a bit of laughingstock,” he said.
“It was great to be part of that period where we became successful.”
Now aged 50, Hargreaves has an impressive football CV, both as a player and coach.
After a stint in the AFL Hargreaves joined the Pigeons in 1999 and was a proud league representative player.
A Berrigan boy who played rugby until he was 15, Hargreaves only got serious with AFL in 1990.
He was eventually selected in the Teal Cup side and the All-Australian team and was drafted to the AFL from there.
Hargreaves played a total of 62 games with Hawthorn and Geelong from 1994 to 1998.
After 42 games with Hawthorn, he was traded to Geelong at the end of the 1996 AFL season. He played a semi-final at his new club in 1997, but from an individual point of view, struggled to make an impact.
“I was probably a little bit immature back in those days then I eventually found myself in Yarrawonga,” he said.
Hargreaves joined Yarrawonga in 1999 and was a good servant of the club for the next decade.
He returned to Melbourne briefly in 2000 to play reserves football for Carlton, but was back at Yarrawonga soon after, where he won the Morris Medal in 2002 and played a pivotal role in the club’s drought-breaking 2006 premiership against Myrtleford.
As a seasoned forward, Hargreaves leveraged his professional experience to mentor younger players and provide leadership, helping build a competitive team under coach Bob Craig amid a period of club resurgence.
After that, he coached Mulwala to the Murray Football League grand final in 2010, when they lost to Moama.
Hargreaves returned to amateur football in 2018 by joining the Rennie Football Club, where he won a premiership.
Under coach and former Pigeon great Craig Ednie, he transitioned to full-back, a position he had never played before, which allowed greater freedom on the field and reignited his passion, leading him to feature in the latter part of the 2018 season and commit to 2019.
At 44 during the 2019 season, Hargreaves maintained impressive fitness through solo training routines, defying typical retirement timelines for former AFL players and expressing intent to continue “as long as I can”, viewing amateur footy as a vital social and motivational outlet.
The Hargreaves name continues to be a big part of the Yarrawonga Football Netball Club, with Tim’s three sons, Charlie, Mac and Lewy, all proudly pulling on the Pigeons jumper, continuing the family’s strong football tradition.
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