Without Rocky Raco, there are doubts games would run on Saturdays as they do.
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Another home-and-away footy season has drawn to an end, with all four Cobram FNC football teams in finals contention for the first time in at least two years.
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But without Rocky Raco, who has reached the milestone of 25 years of painting the lines every home game, there’s a fair chance none of that would have been possible.
“He absolutely bleeds Cobram black and yellow,” club vice-president Sasha Parish said.
“If it wasn’t for him, there wouldn’t be a game of footy on Saturdays.”
Given his extensive involvement at the club, the exact length of Raco’s tenure is hazy to most.
Either way, he has been with the Tigers longer than former vice-president and committee member Robbie Allen can remember.
“He’s terrific,” Allen said.
“We’re so fortunate to have someone like Rocky at our club.”
In fact, the family name is woven into the fabric of the club itself, with Raco’s grandfather helping to make the concrete blocks used to build the clubhouse.
Raco himself has racked up over four decades at Cobram since debuting as a fourths player in 1983.
With his playing days behind him, like many volunteers who step up to the plate to do what needs to be done, he now often flies under the radar.
He’s there across pre-season training, mixing drinks, twice a week.
Come season proper, Raco is often the first to arrive and the last to leave.
Hours before games begin, he arrives at Scott Reserve, where, as he has done for the past quarter-century, he gets started on the line painting.
By now, Raco is considered a master of the fine art, taking hours to make sure each line is just right.
“He’s pretty particular about it,” Allen said.
Raco takes care to make sure the lines are done just right.
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But Raco’s job isn’t finished just because the paint is dry.
With the lines done, Raco goes about making sure both the reserves and senior teams have everything they need to play.
He not only makes sure each player’s jumper is ready, but goes one step further: taking home over 50 sweaty jumpers to wash and dry at the end of the day.
He also submits team sheets, cleans up change rooms after games, and often goes home with lost items — even smelly socks and footy boots.
It’s no surprise that conversation about Raco often turns to superlatives.
“I don’t think you could find somebody who would have a bad word about him,” Allen said.
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