Australia’s oldest footballer, Neil Rainbow, still playing at 76 for Bega-Tathra in ALF Sapphire Coast comp
For most people in their seventies, a weekend’s exercise is more likely to invoice a gentle stroll than a full contact sport. But one man on the far south coast of NSW is keeping his football dreams alive well into his eighth decade.
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00:00I am the oldest active Australian Rules footballer playing in a senior competition in Australia.
00:11At the age of 76, Neil Rainbow shows no sign of slowing down.
00:18What's the old guy doing out there?
00:20After decades playing amateur, suburban and masters footy in Melbourne, Rainbow made the
00:25move to the New South Wales Far South Coast, where he's had a decorated career.
00:30I'm well over 200 games with many awards and premierships at various clubs across the Sapphire
00:37Coast AFL and I'm very proud of that record.
00:43Playing the game hasn't been without its challenges, including a broken leg, but Rainbow surprised
00:48doctors with his recovery.
00:50Nurse, would you mind getting the camera, I want to show student nurses that someone
00:54at 56 can recover like that.
00:57And being around the football club helps keep him young.
01:00If there was anyone that could do it, it would be Rainbow.
01:03He's the man, he's the GOAT.
01:04For a man that age, I tell you, he's still got some good legs on him.
01:07You don't even notice he's old really, half the time.
01:09His skills are still near 100%.
01:11He's been one of the main influences in my learning with AFL.
01:15While Rainbow is used to playing alongside teammates up to six decades younger than himself,
01:19he'll soon take to the field with footballers his own age in the first ever over-70s game
01:24at the National Masters Carnival in Fremantle this September.
01:27The friendships that I've made, both male and female, throughout Australia through AFL
01:33Masters nationally is just great, you know, you can't beat that.
01:38His zest for life shows no sign of fading.
01:41And I don't feel old, no one should tell you you're old.
01:45I don't care who you are, don't let anyone tell you that you can't do things.
01:49If that's your passion and your dream, you should stick by it.
01:53You reckon you'll still be playing when you're 76?
01:56Probably not.
01:57Ah, no, definitely not, eh?
01:59I'll go for as long as I can, I guess.
02:01Oh, I have to make it to 76 first.
02:03Yes.
02:04Not a chance.
02:05Oh, I don't think it's for me.
02:07And after nearly a thousand games of footy, Rainbow still isn't planning to hang up the boots.
02:12I don't see myself retiring yet.
02:15When you retire, no, too young for that at the moment.
02:18So you have to live life and live it, because life can be short.