A good dose of luck might be the main reason emerging star Brooke Lochland ended up at the Montmorency Magpies, but it appears a match made in heaven, writes David O'Neill
Lochland, a former Olympic standard ice-skater and professional inline skater, is rapidly making her mark in the football world, but so too are her Magpie teammates.
Less than 10 games into her football journey and the 24-year-old already owns a premiership medallion, and is quickly building a reputation as one of the best midfielders outside of the Premier Division.
Such is her rise through the ranks that Lochland has already donned her first Big V jumper, representing Victoria in the victory over NSW on the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
And still she’s just getting started.
After her recent “shock” selection for Victoria No.2, the tough on-baller now has her sights set on even greater honours.
“It was a huge shock just to be asked to try-out for the Victorian side and huge honour to represent the State again,” she said.
“The opportunity has really motivated me to train harder and work hard and hopefully one day I might be good enough to be drafted.”
What gives Lochland a slight edge is her knowledge of how to push herself to the limit after leaving for the Netherlands as a 16-year-old to be a professional inline skater.
After training as a full-time athlete and travelling around Europe competing, the Melbourne girl quickly discovered ice-skating and went on to represent Australia and finish in the top five at a World Cup.
While her pet event, the Mass Start, was unfortunately excluded from the Sochi Winter Olympics program, Lochland came within a whisker of qualifying in the three-kilometre long track event.
Despite her passion for skating, home was calling and Australian football was the winner.
After playing as a junior in a team full of boys many years earlier, Lochland had considered giving our native game another go but it was a chance meeting with the Montmorency committee that got the ball rolling.
“I was working in a pub in Greensborough and the Montmorency Committee were holding their meetings there,” she said.
“I heard them talking about football and they invited me to come and join the club.”
While Lochland’s rise has been exceptionally fast, it has been only marginally quicker than the entire Magpie side.
After forming a senior team at the start of last season, Montmorency has a trophy cabinet that already boasts one premiership flag, has moved up to Division 2 and is pressing for again for Grand Final glory.
Adding to the hype at the club is the fact that Lochland is just one of three players to earn representative honours this year.
Rebounding defender Erin Barker joined her teammate as the VWFL combined side took on the girls from the Australian Defence Force, while young star Deanna Berry was part of the Vic Metro Youth Girls that recaptured the National Tittle in Perth during May.
All three, coach Craig Chillinglaw said, had been pivotal to helping the Magpies thrive in the higher standard of Division 2.
Despite the step up in class, Montmorency currently sits undefeated and is building towards a clash with powerhouse Port Melbourne in a few weeks.
“Being such a new team and having a lot of girls who haven’t experienced representative football before, it’s been a huge boost,” Shillinglaw said.
“All three have been able to bring back to our trainings the standards and attitudes required at that next level.”
While building towards a big final series, the Magpies are also on the lookout for more players to help strengthen their second side which competes in a lower division of the VWFL.
Any girls wishing to join a great club with strong social culture is urged to contact Craig Shillinglaw on 0410 585 047
Photo courtesy of Russell Canham
Last Modified on 17/06/2015 16:37