Hawthorn is one club, many teams, including a wheelchair footy and an AFL Blind team. With lots of time to be spent at home over the coming weeks, we thought it was the perfect time for Hawks fans to learn a little bit more about the players that make up these teams. Hawthorn’s Wheelchair and Blind football teams are made possible by the club’s social inclusion partner, Afford, one of Australia’s longest-serving disability service providers.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do outside of footy?

I work at Vision Australia doing system administration for their Salesforce client database. I am a self-confessed petrol head and love HSVs; so much so that I have one of their vehicles in my garage that I like to tinker with. Lately, I have been trying to get back into (amateur) woodwork which is another hobby that I like to do a bit from time-to-time.  The biggest part of my life is my family – I have four kids, so altogether that takes up most of my time.

What made you pursue AFL Blind and how did you get involved? 

I learnt about AFL Blind through my path of work. I often like to try new sports and as footy has been a life-long passion of mine, I jumped at the opportunity.  At the time, my son Jasper (who also has the same eye condition as me) was about to hit the required age to play AFL Blind too, so this was another motivating factor to get involved.  I went to the first AFL Blind come-and-try day, and it took off from there.

So, to play AFL Blind you need to have a visual impairment. What is your visual impairment, and what are some of the challenges you may face daily and in AFL?

The main condition I have is Optic Atrophy, however, I also have Nystagmus which causes my eyes to flicker sideways and makes it hard to focus. Optic Atrophy is a retina deficiency where the optic nerve at the back of the retina is much thinner than most and slowly dies off. My Ophthalmologist explains it like a USB cord that connects a camera to a computer - if the USB cord is frayed, only a certain amount of information can pass through the cord until eventually it’s, unfortunately, going to stop functioning.  As I get older, I am losing more central vision detail and clarity and things such as depth perception are becoming increasingly harder to deal with.

In terms of AFL Blind, I need to focus on the noise of the ball more than anything. I struggle to see the ball at times, so I try to watch the movements of the players around me to establish what direction the ball is headed.

What is it like playing footy against your son?

It’s awesome! There is a bit of banter amongst us during the week and between games, but we really do support each other. I am so proud of what he has achieved in footy, and it’s beyond the expectations of a first-year player. While it can be frustrating when he runs around the field and makes me feel like a statue, it is really great to see.

Can you briefly explain how AFL Blind works and what does it mean to you to play?

We play with a high-visibility football that’s fitted with a ‘buzzer’ to help us track the ball, as well as give us a chance to use whatever little sight we have to go after it. There are many audio cues that really help me when the ball is at the other end of the field – this includes noise behind the goals and commentary throughout the match. The rules are as close as you can get to regular AFL.

For me, being involved in the sport is a great eye-opener into the life of a professional footballer. Knowing how tough it is fitness-wise for an ‘old fart’ like myself, I have a greater appreciation for the game, as well as all the work that the kids coming through the AFL system need to do. Essentially, AFL Blind has given me a great appreciation for sport in-general.

What do you love most about the game?

The competition, our team, and being a part of Hawthorn Football Club! It has been an incredible experience and the feeling of succeeding through adversity, as well as watching my kid play, is pretty special. Compared to any other sport, the difference I feel playing footy is unmatched. Footy has always been a massive passion of mine, and to be honest with you, it was something I never felt I could do. To be a part of it all is awesome.

What did it mean to you when you found out you were drafted to Hawthorn?

It was a strange feeling in the beginning, and I actually felt quite guilty. My son Jasper played for the Hawks last year before the team was fully affiliated with the Hawthorn Football Club. He was then drafted to the Bulldogs. I honestly felt guilty in many ways and it took me some time to be comfortable with the situation - especially when I got to experience so much at an amazing club like Hawthorn. However, in saying that, I am so grateful for the opportunity to be drafted to Hawthorn. The way the club has welcomed us is incredible, words cannot explain the feeling and sometimes I find I have to pinch myself.

How has your experience at Hawthorn been so far? What are some of the things the club has involved you in?

The experience has been an unbelievable ride so far, and it’s incredible how the club has welcomed us in - words can’t describe the feeling, it’s been a dream from start to finish. To be around the club’s facility and go to events such as the best and fairest, you often have to look around and say, ‘am I really here and is this really happening?’. I think, ‘this poor kid with a visual impairment is now living his childhood dream’. I’m getting so many opportunities that I never thought would happen, and it’s just so special.

Winning a premiership is always a special achievement. What did last year’s premiership-winning season mean to you?

Winning last year’s premiership was a special moment for us. Coming from a 150-point drubbing in our opening round against the Bulldogs, especially at the hands of my own son, wasn’t an ideal start to say the least.  As the season progressed, I got a sense that things were turning in the right direction, especially when we got teammates Ned and Johnny back in Round 3. We were building up to something great, and I knew we were never going to get thumped on the scoreboard again. Throughout the season it felt as though we were building to this big crescendo, especially when the stars aligned, and we got into the big dance – the AFL Blind Grand Final.

The grand final could have gone either way, and the result wouldn’t have mattered too much to me. But what a game it was! The match was very close the whole way through, however we were the lucky ones to come away with the chocolates in the end. Defeating the unbeaten ‘goliath’ Bulldogs in the Grand Final was the ‘icing on the cake’ to a pretty amazing year, and one that will be a highlight in my life, forever.

Do you play any other sports?

I have played many different sports and over the years have been involved in the trialing of different blind sports. Outside of footy, I have played a lot of blind cricket. It’s quite amazing to witness the support for blind sports nowadays, particularly with all the backing from big organisations and sporting clubs such as Hawthorn and the AFL. I’d love to be young again and have the chance to try out everything that’s going on across blind sports these days.

Do you have any heroes or idols that you aspire to be like?

Being a ‘Roos’ man at heart, I have always loved Glenn Archer for the way he went about football and the impact he had on the game both on and off the field. I can’t name too many others to be honest, just Arch.

What is your ultimate sporting goal and what is a life goal of yours?

In terms of sporting goals, I don’t think it can get much better than what our team achieved last year - seeing our premiership trophy in the club’s cabinet and being able to pay back the club for all it invested in us. Being a part of Hawthorn has already been very rewarding this year, so maybe two more flags, or even a ‘three-peat’ would be nice! As I come to the end of my playing career, my attention has turned to my kids more as I watch them achieve their goals. I would also love to give back to the game and coach the young kids who are coming through the ranks and playing AFL Blind.

Outside of the above, I have a few ‘little’ life goals - one of which is to drive down Route 66 in an old ‘Chevvy’ car with my wife. I would love to do more traveling with her, showing her some of the spots that I’ve been around the world.

If you could encourage someone with a visual impairment to try your sport what would you say to them?

Go for it. Absolutely go for it. Until you have given it a go don’t listen to yourself saying that you can’t do it, and don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t achieve!  

All interviews in the Getting to know series are hosted by Hawthorn’s AFL Blind Vice Captain Ned Brewer-Maiga.

Find out more about Hawthorn’s Social Inclusion Partner, Afford, by heading to their website.