LATE BLOOMER IS NOW BLOSSOMING AS A BULLDOG
Henry Peni would be playing rugby if his Samoan parents had their way.
Peni was born in Sydney and has lived in the Goulburn Valley for the most of his 19 years.
With no rugby league or union club in the region when he relocated with his parents, Peni turned his hand to tennis and basketball in his early primary school years.
It was not until Year six that he made the switch to AFL.
After playing with St George’s Road Primary School, Peni graduated to the Shepparton Junior Football Association where he played with Shepparton High School.
At 15 he was fortunate enough to win selection in the Murray Bushrangers program.
After breaking his wrist, Peni fought his way back to play some TAC football before returning to his home club – the Shepparton Swans.
At the end of last year the rigours of the TAC Cup forced him to weigh up whether he wanted to continue playing in 2015.
He planned to have 12 months off from the game until he received a call from Shepparton Swans premiership hero Jamason Daniels.
Daniels advised Peni he had taken the coaching role of Tatura and he wanted him to come across to check out the kennel.
Peni liked what he saw and the rest is history.
After one senior game as a 16 year old with the Swans under Brett Warburton, Peni has been a regular for the Bulldogs and he says he is enjoying it despite the club not winning a game in 2015.
“It’s really good company and I have my good mate in Benny Tautala playing with the club,” he said.
“We are working hard as a group and that’s all you can do when you aren’t winning games of football.”
Last Modified on 27/09/2016 18:00