FORMER North Gambier and Glenelg footballer Brad Close was last week announced as the latest young star to join AFL powerhouse club Geelong.
Close was picked up at number 14 in the rookie draft, after a successful stint with Glenelg in the SANFL, where he helped the Tigers to their first premiership in more than 30 years.
For Brad’s father Andrew it was an exciting announcement.
“We are extremely proud of him,” he said.
“He has worked hard to get his opportunity.
“I think his head has been spinning around a fair bit.
“Once he was selected it was all about meeting with the player development managers and packing his gear up in Adelaide, then jumping on a plane on Sunday – it all happened so quick.”
Brad’s hard work came from his time at North Gambier and later at Glenelg, which culminated an SANFL premiership flag this year.
“He has worked extremely hard to balance even his year 12 studies early on in the piece,” Andrew said.
“He was in a state footy program and lived up in Adelaide for six or seven weeks and did his schooling by correspondence.
“He decided to come back and play seniors for North, which was his call and I was pretty pleased he decided to do that.
“At the time Glenelg was keen for him to pursue Under 18s, then he went back to Adelaide to Uni and to play footy.”
Brad worked his way up through the Glenelg reserves to become a regular at the senior level.
This year he played every game for the Tigers and was prominent in the premiership victory.
At that time Brad told The Border Watch it was an amazing day, a feeling he struggled to put into words.
“Brad stepped it up in the last half of this year and had a good finals series,” Andrew said.
“To be part of the Glenelg premiership and finals series was a a special experience.
“I think he was pinching himself to be part of breaking that 33-year hoodoo.
“To cap it off with a draft spot is just fantastic.”
Andrew said despite being a passionate Hawthorn supporter, he was pleased Brad was drafted to Geelong.
“I am rapt he is at Geelong because what I have heard about their coaching program and development program has been really positive,” he said.
“Plus – being a bit selfish – it is also a lot easier to get to Geelong to watch even VFL matches, as opposed to Perth or Brisbane or Sydney.”
For North Gambier Football Club president Jamie Walters it was exciting news.
“We are very excited about it for him,” Walters said.
“To be at a team as close as you can get to the Mount as well makes it easier for the family and supporters to hopefully see him him play.”
It was clear speaking to Walters he has a lot of respect for Brad, describing him as a “hard-working kid with a lot of talent”.
“I hope he gets the opportunities he deserves and has created for himself,” he said.
“He is very quiet and was always focused on his footy.
“He is one of those guys you never had a problem with.
“He always turned up and did what he had to do.
“You always get footballers who can step out of line, but Brad was not one of those.”
Walters said he was lucky to watch Brad rise through the ranks at North Gambier.
“I was coaching in the grade below him as he was going up through the junior ranks,” he said.
“I hope he is able to use his flair and excitement in his game that we have seen down here at the AFL level.
“Everyone I have spoken to is really excited about it all.”
