When Jon Coe strode into Wade Street to start pre-season training ahead of the 2013 BFNL season, little did Golden Square know how lucky it was.
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The fresh-faced unheralded recruit from Tatura has become arguably the best recruit Square has picked up over the past decade.
The Dogs have had classier recruits in that time, but when you look at durability, courage, team-first attitude and value for money, Coe sits at the top of the list.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs' star defender will look to add a second premiership medal to his name when Square takes on old foe Sandhurst in the grand final.
"He didn't come with any great fanfare after he moved to Bendigo for his apprenticeship (electrician),'' long-time GSFNC football operations manager Shawn McCormick said.
"Never in our wildest dreams did we think we were getting a player who would carve out the career that Jon has.
"He's been so durable and we've never had any dramas with him. He's played a decade of senior footy, he's remained loyal to the club and he's unique in that he's just as good playing on smalls or talls.
"I can hardly remember a day where he's had a bag of goals kicked on him.
"I don't think there's been a year where he's been outside of the top 10 in the club best and fairest. He finished in the top three a couple of times.
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"He's played inter-league footy and been in the BFNL Team of the Year several times. He's been fantastic, an absolute ripper."
Coe enters the grand final in supreme form.
He was named best for Golden Square in the second semi-final win over Sandhurst and was superb in the qualifying final win over Strathfieldsaye.
Golden Square coach Christian Carter didn't hold back when asked about Coe's value to the Bulldogs.
"He's so highly respected in our crew,'' Carter said of Coe.
"What he does putting his body on the line week-in and week-out is enormous. He saves that many goals for us on a weekly basis.
"He's probably our most important player, to be honest.
"The way he sets up and the way he can read the play mixed with amazing courage to go back with the flight of the ball... I can't speak more highly of the guy.
"He's done it for 10 years straight. The boys walk a lot taller when he's out there."
Depending on how Sandhurst structures its front half, Coe is likely to start on Matt Thornton or Lachlan Wright on Saturday.
The Dragons can't afford to allow Coe to zone off and have an impact on as many contests as he did in the second semi-final.
"There's countless times when there's one-on-one battles where Jon manages to get a fist in,'' Carter said.
"Sometimes when it's not his opponent he'll work hard to get across and chip in to spoil the ball.
"He's a very smart player. He knows the distance he can cover to make an impact on a contest."
Coe, Jack Geary, Hamish Morcom and Matt Compston have played in premierships at Golden Square, while Joel Brett and Liam Duguid played in a senior premiership with Shepparton in the GVFL.
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