AFL draft: Country town twins chase big league dream

Cooper and Hugh Hamilton are hoping to become the third set of twins in the AFL, but they have a back-up plan if things don’t pan out.

Twins Hugh (left) and Cooper Hamilton on the family’s farm a Colbinabbin.

Cooper Hamilton says it’s been “quietly talked about” around the house.

What if only one twin gets drafted?

How will they handle it?

Cooper and Hugh Hamilton, the twins from the small country town of Colbinabbin, have been on the journey of life together and they’ll handle next week’s AFL draft in their usual way — as a team.

“Hugh always celebrates my achievements even if he doesn’t achieve the same thing,” Cooper said.

“He’s really supportive of me as well as he tries to strive to achieve his own things.

“We’ve both got back up plans if we don’t get drafted.

“We are sort of putting more eggs in the basket of not getting drafted than actually getting drafted so if it doesn’t happen then it’s not a rude shock to us as we know what happens next and where we go from.”

Twin brothers Cooper and Hugh Hamilton.

Two sets of twins already play in the AFL — Max and Ben King and Harry and Ben McKay.

The boys from Colbo, population 120, hope to join them.

Hugh was born first, a minute before Cooper.

“So I’m the youngest in the family,” Cooper said.

The Hamiltons kicked off their footy in Colbo’s under-17s as 11-year-olds.

They quickly became standout talents and at 15, they played in Colbinabbin’s senior grand final side against North Bendigo.

“That was a hard game to play to be honest,” Cooper said.

“They just bullied us.”

They joined the Bendigo Pioneers and flourished under the coaching of Danny O’Bree, who describes the boys as “incredible human beings”.

The twins have had to deal with a lot over the past 18 months.

On top of moving away from home to board at Caulfield Grammar, plus all of their footy commitments, their mum Annette has battled cancer.

It was a difficult time.

“I was seeing her every single day and she was obviously sick,” Cooper said.

“She had to shave her hair. She put on a brave face for us but it was hard waking up every morning and seeing her and knowing you couldn’t really do anything.”

Thankfully, Annette is healthy again.

“She’s recovered really well which is great,” Cooper said.

O’Bree said it’s a credit to Cooper and Hugh for handling everything that has been thrown at them.

It’s taken a lot of inner strength.

“Moving away from home would have been incredibly tough when mum’s fighting a battle, to go to private school to better themselves,” O’Bree said.

“And being involved in four (footy) programs, Vic Country, Pioneers, school footy and club footy as well…

“How much they’ve invested into our (Pioneers) program…it’s just credit to those two boys, I haven’t seen it from private school kids before in our program. I just think it’s testament to the quality of human beings they are.”

Cooper admits his excitement levels are rising as the draft approaches.

“And the nerves,” he said.

Cooper Hamilton.

“It’s getting closer and closer and I just don’t know what to do with myself in my spare time trying to keep my mind off it.

“Dad’s got me working, doing a bit of fencing around the farm. That will hopefully take my mind off it.”

Cooper, a NAB AFL Academy member, says he’s spoken to 14 AFL clubs in the lead up to the draft.

But Richmond, the team he supports, is not among them.

“No it is not, unfortunately. It sucks…but you get what you’re given,” he said.

Cooper and Hugh’s cousin is Hawthorn captain Ben McEvoy. He is Annette’s nephew.

And Carlton AFLW star Lucy McEvoy is also a cousin.

Cooper is a hard-at-it player who loves to run and carry the ball. His favourite position is half back flank.

A knee injury at 16 held back Hugh, but he’s surged into draft contention in the past year.

“His work rate in the past three or four months has been unbelievable,” O’Bree said of Hugh.

“He wasn’t at full fitness throughout this season but his impact on the games was the most impressive in our side, he had a significant input into some of our early wins.

“In my opinion he’s more than done enough to get drafted as well.”