Sam Widmer – 200 Game Milestone

Sam Widmer – 200 Game Milestone

May 9, 2019

This weekend three-time premiership player, Sam ‘Slamma’ Widmer, plays his 200th open-age game for the Pennant Hills Demons.

Joining the Demon’s in 2003, Sam played two seasons in the Under 18s, winning a premiership in his first season  and he was vice captain of the 2004 side. Still only 16, he also had his first grade debut late in the 2003 season. His debut match was in Round 17 and was a victory over Western Suburbs played at Wagener Oval. His only recollections are that “ … I got a holding the ball free kick for tackling someone and it was the second last game of the year and we hadn’t made finals. Danny ‘Big Dan’ Ryan was senior coach and I remember talking to Alan Brawn after the game.” The record shows that Penno won that day by 36 pts and the major goalkickers were Anthony Brawn with 5 and Tim Nunan 4 goals each. Incredibly, sixteen years later Slamma and Brawny are still team-mates, Brawny’s still kicking bags of goals and his dad Alan, will in all likelihood, be in attendance for Slamma’s 200th! (Incidentally, Anthony Brawn is the Club’s games record-holder with 360 open-age games to his credit … and counting!)

 

Between 2005 and 2009, Slamma played most of his footy in the Firsts and was a member of the 2006 Premier Division Premiership side which won a nail-biter in a quagmire at Henson Park by a mere 2 pts. He missed out playing in the 2008 premiership. He also missed seasons 2010 and 2011 while on a sabbatical in the United Kingdom, returning to the Demons in 2012. After successive losses to Manly Warringah in the 2013 and ’14 Grand Finals, Slamma was a member of the 2015 side that had an unlikely win against East Coast Eagles, in an underdog performance that rivalled the effort of 2006 against the same opposition.

 

Whilst he has clearly had a successful and fortunate career, Slamma was devastated last season when he missed the 2018 Reserve Grade Grand Final after breaking a finger (which now has two screws in it) in the 2nd semi-final against Sydney University, two weeks before the GF. Such bad luck, after playing 18 matches relatively unscathed throughout the season! According to Coach Clarke  Slamma’s ‘… optimism for the year was contagious and for him to miss the final couple of games due to injury was too cruel!’ Small compensation it may be, but he did run water during the Grand Final, was presented with a consolation winner’s medal and certainly partied hard and shared the spoils of victory while celebrating with his team-mates. Oh, and he was Reserve Grade’s runner up Best & Fairest to cap off the season!

 

 

Slamma is a tall right footer and has played much of his football in the ruck and for many years was the Club’s No 1 ruckman. Arguably, he ranks amongst the best of the tap ruckman to have donned the Red & the Blue at the Demons, demonstrated by his obvious durability, longevity and on-field successes. Now, in the Reserves, he is a handy utility able to play in key positions at either end of the ground as well as through the ruck. He continues to be a consistent performer, he is a great leader and mentor to the many young men and women coming through the ranks. His tremendous commitment to the footy club now extends off-field in his role as Secretary on the Club Committee. He is distinguished by his resplendent long locks that are regularly constrained within an elegant man-bun which he wears so well and with distinction!

 

Now in his 15th season, we wish Slamma the best of luck for his milestone match and congratulate him on this magnificent achievement!

 

Go Penno!

 

Match Highlights

Premier Division Grand Final 2015 – Henson Park – 27 September 2015

Pennant Hills 14.05-89 defeated East Coast Eagles 7.12-54

Premier Division Grand Final 2014 – at Blacktown ISP – 20 September 2014

Pennant Hills 2.10-22 lost to Manly Warringah Giants 8.20-68

Premier Division Grand Final 2013 – at Blacktown ISP – 21 September 2013

Pennant Hills 11.6-72 lost to Manly Warringah Giants 11.14-80

Premier Division Grand Final 2006 – at Henson Park – 9 September 2006

Pennant Hills 5.20-50 defeated East Coast Eagles 7.6.48

Under 18 Grand Final 2003 – at Monarch Field – 21 September 2003

Pennant Hills 8.12.60 defeated North Shore 8.5.53

Premier Division debut – at Wagener Oval – 24 August 2003

Pennant Hills 14.13.97 defeated Western Suburbs 8.13.61


Games Played/Career Highlights

  • Open-age 200
  • 139 Premier Division
  • 59 Reserve Grade
  • 2 Third Grade
  • 30 Under-Age

Premierships

  • 2x Premier Division – 2006, 2015
  • 1 X U/18 – 2003
  • Premier Division Runners Up – 2013, 2014

Awards

  • Premier Division Best Team Man – 2006
  • Premier Reserves – R/U Best & Fairest – 2018

Representative Football

  • AFL Sydney Development Squad – 2007, 2008

Phelan Medla Voting

  • Total Votes received 2012 – 2017 = 17 votes
  • Snow Medal votes 2010-2018 = 10 votes

Junior Football

  • Pennant Hills JAFC U/10 and U/14

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