PORTLAND Football Netball Club netballer Janelle Lancaster celebrated a major milestone on the weekend, bringing up her 300th game in the yellow and black.

Lancaster said the netball community had kept the arrival of the milestone a secret until the last moment, adding that the beginning of the presentation had caught her off guard a little bit.

“When Lauren (Hockley) said it was a ‘minor’ milestone I thought maybe it was someone else in the group, possibly Jasper (Smith)’s 50th or 100th game… but she started giving me looks and at that point I knew it was me,” she said.

“I knew it had to be coming up soon, I wasn’t sure exactly when, but I thought it was close.

“It’s a big achievement… I’m very proud, especially as I’ve only ever played for Portland, there’s not too many people who can say they only played for one club for 300 games.”

The Tigers division two side celebrated her special day with an emphatic 43-16 victory over Port Fairy, with Lancaster making note of the unusual ladder circumstances surrounding the match.

“The top five sides were all sitting on 24 points, I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like it,” she said.

“It was an important game for us to win, so to get over the line in the 300th was fantastic.”

It’s a milestone that only a couple of years ago looked like it may never take place, after missing out on the 2020 season due to the pandemic, Lancaster suffered a devastating injury in 2021.

“I tore both my Achilles and calf muscle early in the season… with the amount of rehab I had to go through, I wasn’t sure if I would ever play again,” she said.

“Coming into last season I was really hesitant, I didn’t want to go through all of that again… but it’s been really good so far, the body feels great which has been amazing.”

So great in fact that Lancaster said she can see herself playing on into the future.

“I’ve got no plans to stop at this stage, as long as the body continues to move well, I want to keep playing,” she said.

Lancaster said she had a great many people to thank from across the years, starting with her gratitude towards the club and the friendships she had made.

“(Portland) is an awesome club, it’s a great place to be… I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve made along the way, from way back when were in the Western Border league to now in Hampden,” she said.

“I’ve been lucky to have a few consistent coaches over the years, Nancy Grant and Rose Wombwell were great, especially while I was managing my injury… they would always reach out and see how I was going.

“Casey Anson has been my coach recently and also back in Western Border, she helped me transition from being a goalie into a more defensive role which is where I’ve been for the last 10 years or so.

“I’d also like to thank my husband Clint and my mum for all the support and encouragement they have given me, especially while my two girls were little which allowed me to train and continue to play every week.”