The Tigers will be taking their longest AFL Central West road-trip of the season this weekend as they head to Dubbo to take on the Demons, but one Orange star will be relishing every last minute.
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Winger Sandun Welisara is set to line up for his last game in yellow and black against the Demons before moving back to his home city of Perth in the middle of next week.
"It's been a good ride," Welisara said.
While he said it would be a "sad" occasion, he wasn't looking to have any build-up or hype around the game.
"I guess I want to treat it like any other game and I probably will, but it won't sink in until I'm walking off that field for the last time as a Tigers player," he said.
I'll miss them truly and wish them the best of luck. I reckon they'll go deep into finals this year.
- Sandun Welisara
He said he's loved his time in yellow and black, citing the 2018 come-from-behind premiership win as the obvious highlight, but the Tigers had been a massive part of his life off the field, too.
"Even though I only played a quarter, it was a memorable game, but I also loved playing in 2017 making the [grand final], we went in underdogs that whole year and to make the grand final and obviously fall short, but you can't go past that premiership," Welisara said.
"The club's been absolutely welcoming, they're a family and have made Orange home for me, if they didn't bring me in it would have been quite a different story.
"I'll miss them truly and wish them the best of luck. I reckon they'll go deep into finals this year and I want them to go back to back."
That one quarter in the grand final before succumbing to injury wasn't an anomaly for Welisara, who spend most of the week recovering from knocks to knees, ankles or heads - he was knocked out 20 minutes into the side's last game against Dubbo - but he's somehow defied injury gods.
"In the nearly three seasons if I stayed on, I don't think I've missed a game since I started in round one 2017, the first practice match. I don't think I've missed one," he said.
"The last time I played Dubbo I got knocked out, that was a good 20 minutes of footy before heading straight to the hospital."
Welisara's role has changed in 2019, with an ankle injury picked up in the club's pre-season practice match in Cowra limiting him to a forward pocket in round one - where he promptly kicked four goals.
His two replacements on the wings in that game - Angus Henderson and Callan Naden - starred and have been immovable since that game.
"I do know my roots as a winger but Gus and Naden, they've kicked me straight out with their speed so I think I've had to settle for the forward line," Welisara, who's owned the wings of Waratahs Sportsground and Country Club Oval over the past few years.
While he'll be missed up forward for the rest of the season, he won't play in Perth this year, with an aim to pull on the boots in 2020 for one of his junior clubs on the west coast.
I've apparently qualified for finals if they'll have me or need me or fall short I might pull on the boots.
- Sandun Welisara
Until then, the 24-year-old hasn't ruled out flying in for a game or two when visiting NSW.
"I reckon there might be, I've apparently qualified for finals if they'll have me or need me or fall short I might pull on the boots," he said, laughing.
"Especially if it's against the [Bathurst Bushrangers]."
Orange Tigers take on Dubbo Demons from 2.30 at South Dubbo Oval, while the Tigers women has the bye.
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