WRFL 2020: West Footscray secures star Graham brothers
After four challenging seasons, West Footscray is set to be one of the big improvers in WRFL Division 2 in 2020, with star signing Nick Graham to be joined by his two brothers.
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What’s better than two Graham brothers? Three.
After unveiling Nick and Brian Graham as star signings in October, WRFL club West Footscray has also locked in Chris in another significant injection of class.
It would be an understatement to declare it a successful off-season for the Roosters.
While ex-Carlton player Nick is the biggest name, his older brothers are set to cause myriad headaches for opposition sides in Division 2.
“I’ve only had the opportunity to play with both my brothers once before, and I think I was a 15-year-old kid playing seniors down in Traralgon,” Nick told Leader Local Footy.
“When the opportunity came to have a kick together, we jumped at it.
“It took my older brother Chris a little bit of convincing, but he’s finally on board now.
“I can’t wait to get out there and play with the boys.
“We’ve got a lot of Traralgon lads in the side … it makes it a lot easier playing with some guys I grew up with as well.”
Nick, 25, is sharing coaching duties with Shane Lucas and arrives from Ballarat league outfit Darley, with his six-year stint on Carlton’s list taking in 48 senior appearances at AFL level between 2013-18.
Brian is a best-and-fairest winner at Darley, interleague representative and has been named in the BFL Team of the Year the past three years.
The 27-year-old was also a three-time North Gippsland league best-and-fairest winner during his time with Traralgon Tyers United.
Chris, 29, captained Wyndhamvale to its 2015 WRFL Division 2 flag and was a BFL interleague representative.
He also featured in Darley’s 2017 premiership alongside Brian before crossing to Springbank.
West Footscray has been rebuilding the past four seasons after qualifying for the 2015 decider and claimed five wins last year.
The club has won 13 games since its grand final defeat, underlining its struggles, but 10 of those have come in the past two campaigns.
But on the back of a busy summer – and there are more recruits in the pipeline – expectations have lifted substantially.
“There’s no denying the club’s probably struggled over the last couple of years,” Nick said.
“To join a club that’s been down the bottom and try and build something special from that, it would be a fair turn around if we could, one, make finals and then go all the way.
“Obviously with the players we’ve brought in … I think we’re building a side that can really give it a shake this year.”
Nick confirmed there was room for all three brothers in the midfield, giving the Roosters one of the competition’s elite engine rooms.
The enthusiasm has spread through the club with 40-45 players attending training sessions, laying a strong platform for a season which promises plenty.
Nick has also wasted no time imparting his invaluable knowledge on the developing group.
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“We’ll be able to put some more time into every individual player instead of Shane having to carry that load all on his own,” he said of the co-coaching arrangement.
“The culture of the club has been the most impressive things for me coming in.
“I played out at Darley, who had a great culture, and I’m trying to build that at West Footscray, and the boys just loving being at the club and love spending time together.”
Chris is set to return to the field after a season off, owing to work and family commitments.
But, while he was the last of the brothers to commit to the Roosters, his eagerness has since been palpable.
“He’s not probably the most driven individual you’ll see with rocking up to training and things like that,” Nick said with a laugh.
“But this is the most excited I’ve seen him to play a season of footy in a long time. So that makes me excited.”
Nick also said it was “the most I’ve enjoyed footy in a long time” as he pursues his passion for coaching after taking an assistant role at Darley last season.
The grind of football at the top level took a hold of him in the latter stages of his career before he was cut by the Blues.
But he said the physical nature of the WRFL was something he would thrive on, pointing to his strength around the contested ball and the small dimensions of West Footscray’s home ground, Shorten Reserve.
“At the end of my AFL career, I probably lost the passion for footy a little bit,” Nick said.
“Coaching, in a short period of time, has brought a lot of passion back. I’m really enjoying it.
“I can’t see it being a short-term thing (at West Footscray), that’s for sure.”
The trio have also reduced the time they’ll be spending in the car, with Nick living in Maidstone and Chris and Brian in Braybrook.
It was an appealing part of the move for the recruits, but so too is catapulting the Roosters back to the top of the ladder.
“I’m a very competitive guy, as are both my brothers,” Nick said.
”We’re probably more competitive against each other than we are against anyone else.
“We’ll be trying to be the best on (ground) every week. With us three out there, I think as a team we can stamp our authority on the competition and hopefully set the tone at the start of the year with a few wins.
“I don’t think the club’s won back-to-back (games) in four years.”
West Footscray will face Point Cook Centrals away in Round 1 on April 4.
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