By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS
GROWING up in Namibia, Michael Brooker never thought that one day he would be playing Australia’s favourite sport.
The 28-year-old was born and bred in the South African country, but after deciding to travel to Australia as a teen and ultimately decide to settle in Melbourne, the home of AFL.
After a few years of playing rugby he chose to have a crack at the local sport and after just a couple of months Brooker finds himself playing football at the West Footscray Football Club.
“I have been in Victoria for the past six or seven years, I spent the three years before that travelling around, so all in all it has been about 10 years in Australia,” Brooker said.
“I played rugby most of my life, being from South Africa it is pretty common to play rugby.
“I was getting a bit tired of rugby, I am not old, but I am not young and I am not chasing that dream of being a professional anymore, so I thought I would try a different sport.
“I have been living in Victoria for a long time and I have got my citizenship, so I thought why not try the local sport. It would be a bit of sin if I didn’t try it.”
Brooker, whose family also now call Melbourne home, was training with Western Region Football League club Altona, but due to the high number of players already on the Vikings’ list, he wasn’t guaranteed a spot.
He said Altona coach Saade Ghazi pointed him in the direction of West Footscray, a club who at the time was struggling to field a senior and reserves side and needed players.
Brooker said he is still adjusting to the nature of the sport, but since joining the Roosters he says he has learnt a lot.
Before making the move to Australia he hadn’t seen a game of AFL.
“When I first saw a game I thought it was a very interesting sport,” Brooker said.
“There was obviously a lot of running, I thought it was very chaotic.
“In rugby if you drop the ball it is a bad thing, but here it is sort of part of the play.
“AFL is definitely more dimensional, it isn’t head on, so there is less structure but there is still tactics, that is what I first thought when I saw the game and that’s what it feels like when I play the game.”
Since joining West Footscray he has played in four games across both seniors and reserves.
Brooker said because he is still getting the hang of the game, coach Shane Lucas has been experimenting with where his best position is.
“I am aggressive on the ball, but I am not necessarily a great jumper,” he said.
“I have also played at centre half forward, mostly for the contest and not necessarily the mark, once the ball hits the ground I can attack the footy.”
Brooker was a part of West Footscray’s first win of the season in Round 10, when it defeated Manor Lakes by 37-points at Shorten Reserve.
“It was great (to win),” he said.
“It is good to be a part of the team that is winning, we played really well and I was able to score my first goal.
“It is always a good feeling to win regardless of the sport.”
Last Modified on 30/06/2016 14:01