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TIGERS CLUB NEWS ARCHIVE
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Meet Tiger’s New Administration Manager
Tuesday, 18 January 2005
Filling the shoes of a dual Mulrooney Medallist is never
an easy job but the size 13 feet of 193 cm (6'4”) Jordan Longmore
appear to have it covered.
Last week the 23-year-old was appointed Queanbeyan Tigers'
Administration Manager, taking over the role from Tigers' former assistant
coach Keith Miller.
With Miller leaving the club to fulfil the position of Football
Operations Manager for the Eastlake Demons – the club where he netted
both Mulrooney Medals during his playing career – the door has opened
for Longmore to complement his playing career for the club with an off-field
role.
The position of Administration Manager involves overseeing
the Tigers Juniors, AusKick, ClubStart and schools programs, as well as
assisting Tigers Football Operations Manager Ron Fowlie, with the behind-the-scenes
running of the senior club through organising player requirements, transport
and club functions.
While many would shirk at the prospect of having to organise
22-plus footballers, Longmore is excited about the opportunity that has
been afforded to him by the Tigers club. "I was stoked when Chook
[Fowlie] gave me the call and offered me the job – I was over the
moon," Longmore said. "I realise that it is only a week into
the job but I'm really looking forward getting into it. It's all pretty
full on and I'm still learning the ropes but I'll get there."
Now into his third year at the club, Longmore moved to Queanbeyan
in 2002 to study primary school teaching at the University of Canberra
and join the Tigers playing list from the rugby league stronghold of Bathurst.
After playing rugby union throughout school, the born and bred Bathurst
boy took up Australian Rules at the age of 15 competing for the Bathurst
Eagles in the Central West AFL.
Now settled in to his new home of Queanbeyan, the new job
has already afforded Longmore a homecoming of kinds when a Central West
representative side converges on Margaret Donoghoe Oval to play the Queanbeyan
Tigers Under 16 side in a pre-season match on February 20.
Whilst aiding others with their football, Longmore is eager
to get his own career back on track after a much disrupted 2004. The ruckman/backline
player missed twelve weeks from last season when a work mate cut through
his leg with a chainsaw in an accident whilst landscaping. "I actually
didn't feel when it happened but I realised that something was wrong when
I looked down and saw blood all over my jeans," he said. "The
fella who did it is a really good bloke – I felt terrible for him."
The incident severed four tendons and has left him with
no feeling in his leg, an almighty scar and several tasteless nicknames
(including "Chainsaw" and "Tex"), yet the upbeat Longmore
returned for the last three regulation games of the 2004 season before
squeezing his way into the Tigers' Reserves side for the finals series.
Claiming that he now has "no dramas" with the
injury, Longmore is focussed on securing a place on the Tigers Seniors'
list. Along with his team mates, he must overcome a turbulent off-season
that witnessed the loss of popular team mate and close friend Mick Haddock.
"I'd like to play Seniors and I don't think that that
is an unreasonable goal," he said. "It has been a tough off
season but I think that now the club has dedicated this season to Mick
it will spur the boys on for a good year."
Determined to impress coach Mark Armstrong and incoming
assistant coach and 100-game player for the Tigers Ken Campbell, Longmore
has scaled his studies back to part-time and even managed to fit in some
added weights sessions while working at "the Chook House" at
Margaret Donoghoe Oval.
The new job completes Longmore's football orientated life
that also involves living with Tigers team mate Mick Doyle (after formerly
residing with players Brett Gill and Jeremy Blyth – "I've lived
with everyone at this club").
With hopes of one day taking up a position of Football Operations
Manager, Longmore realises that he has much experience to glean from his
current role. "I can see myself being here for a while," he
said. "I love the place and it's the best club in the world."
The Tigers have unfortunately lost another of its Club Legends
with the passing of Stan Anderson last Friday evening (14 January).
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