The 29-year-old was presented with the match football by the club, signed by his team mates, as well as a silver, engraved, stubby holder as a special memento from fellow North Clare footballers.

Known around the club as Foal or Jeckles, Craig is a highly respected player, club person and this year A grade coach.

North Clare past president Steve Pink said Craig was undoubtedly one of the fairest and best footballers he had seen.

“I’ve watched him play most of his games for North Clare and he’s probably one of the fairest players I’ve ever seen and probably one of the best,” he said.

“I started playing for North Clare in 1968 and I tried on Saturday to think of a player who could win a game individually. There were only probably four people I could think of and they were Alan Bongetti, Paul Dohnt who we knew as Mr Magic, Brendan Smart and Craig Jaeschke who could change games by themselves.

“There have been other players that have been really, really good but Craig just gets the ball and makes opportunities, he just cuts sides to shreds.”

Steve said there were no real standout games but every game played by Craig was a “pleasure to watch”.

“The biggest highlight with Jeckles is when he’s got the ball on the wing and he just uses that explosive pace and runs down the ground with two or three bounces,” Steve said.

Off the field he has given a lot back to the club through his work on committees and there is no argument that, along with his talent for football, he is a “genuinely nice guy”.

Craig began playing football for the North Clare junior colts in 1987, winning a premiership the following year. He went on to win a junior colts best and fairest award as captain in 1991.

In 1993 he played in the Samboy Cup for the Central Districts Country Team.

In 1994 Craig played in the senior colts premiership team and tied for the best and fairest award with team mate Shaun Loughhead.

In 1995, Craig completed year 12 at Urrbrae Agricultural High School in Adelaide, playing football there during the week where he captained the side and went on to win the AA Cotton Medal for the Best and Fairest player in the Southern Zone High Schools Football Competition as well Urrbrae’s best and fairest award.

Craig made his A grade debut for North Clare in 1996. In 1997 he played in the North Clare A-grade premiership team, winning against South Clare 88 to 82.

Craig captained the A grade team for four years, winning the club Best and Fairest award in 1998, 2006 and 2007, and has been runner up three times. He has represented the North Eastern Football League numerous times, captaining the team to victory last year, and has played zone football.

Craig said he caught the footy bug as a youngster watching his uncle Andrew play and simply enjoyed the team spirit of the game.

“I’ve always just enjoyed going out and having a kick and a catch and being with my mates along the way,” he said.

“My approach really has been that everything you do in life, do it to the best of your ability and enjoy it along the way.”

Now as A grade coach, it is this approach to the game he has also tried to pass onto other players.

“All we’ve tried to do is get numbers back to football and get guys enjoying their game,” Craig said.

“It’s been about simplifying the game plan and sticking to it.”

Craig said he was a little taken aback by the ceremony at the club on Saturday night, but was honoured to become a player life member.

“It’s a great honour to become a player life member of the club,” he said.

“I love the club and have been involved for a long time. (On Saturday night) I looked around the room and there were four or five guys running the bar, footballers and netballers running the kitchen, and everyone getting involved in some way. It’s just a good environment to be in.

“I’ve been given a lot through the club over the years and it’s nice to give something back.”