And now 200 games for the mastermind behind the Wollongong Bulldogs. 

It’s little wonder why they call him the Dog-father. 

On Saturday at Keira Oval, 46-year-old club coach Lee Murray will run out in reserve grade for a major AFL South Coast milestone.

It’s a top of the table clash against Bomaderry, who missed out on qualifying for the new top-six format. 

The Dogs first grade then take on Northern Districts, hoping to keep their hopes of a top-two finish alive as ladder leaders the Lions and Kiama meet across town at North Dalton Park.

 “We’ve been lucky, we’ve enjoyed some success, it’s been great to be part of,” Murray said. 

“There was a lot of hard work to establish the club (initially in reserve grade) 11 years ago. But I think I’m most proud that we’ve got a club where the uni kids who are new to town can come and really feel part of it. It’s become a home away from home for them at the Dogs.” 

The Bulldogs made seven consecutive AFL South Coast grand finals, losing their first two, before winning four consecutive flags, then falling to the Lions by a point in 2016. 

And the one constant throughout the Dogs emergence as a premiership force has been Murray.

As the Dogs celebrated Murray’s 200-game career and coaching achievements, arch-rivals the Lions put their unbeaten status on the line against Kiama Power.

Shellharbour face a must-win assignment against Figtree, to have any hope of finishing in the top four.