Souris making a mark?

Souris can be thanked for their unbeaten start to the Telechoice Premier League season for the way in which he has marshaled the troops and lead by example during the first half of the campaign.
He was just 23-years old when he made his debut in the now defunct NSL when Parramatta Melita gave him a start but he has graced many a stage since with Sydney Olympic (then Sharks), Bankstown and of course with Wollongong Wolves, for whom he won back-to-back Grand Finals, still rating as the pinnacle of a career that is still producing results after 15-years.
?We are going well after a poor season last year and I would hope we are definitely Finals contenders this time around,? he says.
?It would be fantastic to become Minor Premiers, from battlers to champs you could say but the credit really has to go to Bomber (coach Brian Brown) and Cliffy (Chris Pointer) for the efforts they have put into the pre-season and getting us where we are at the moment.?
Married to Penny and with daughter Lauren (7yo) and Evan (5yo), ?Mark? Souris, at 38 years of age, has no plans to retire, which is good news for the Shire side but not for the rival teams: ?Obviously I?ve lost a little bit of pace over the years but after so many seasons playing you develop a greater footballing brain.
?You learn to read the play better and so can anticipate what and where the ball is going to do or be and be prepared for it,? states the man who, it has to be said, has stood like a rock at the back as many a striker can attest to.
?It also helps that you put the hard yards in at training and then ?age? becomes just a number.
?I like to think I am playing well this season and don?t plan to retire soon?if the body holds up and I feel I can contribute,? he laughs.
That?s the thing with George, when he laughs you get a sense of a maniacal look in the eye and if ?keepers are supposed to be a bit crazy is it the same for defenders?
?Goalkeepers are crazy but defenders are not too far behind them I suppose,? he once again erupts.
Speaking about the camaraderie within the club is pointless as results this term speak volumes on that score but it?s always nice to get a little something out of the players and George ?Mark? Souris left on this one: ?I would have to say that Brad Boardman is probably the funniest guy at the club just now because he struts around supposedly flexing his muscles?but we all know it?s just flab.?
Yet again George cracks up but many must be wondering just why he has been nicknamed ?Mark? recently of which the answer is quite simple. Appearing in the local Shire publication was a sentence that mentioned the terrific match captain ?Mark Souris? had against Penrith Nepean last week.
Seems like the only person not to have seen the article was Souris himself so mention of central defenders being slightly bonkers was??.?
-By Micky Brock