Collingwood mature-age recruit Brody Mihocek opens up on his seven-year journey to the AFL

FROM Burnie to Maribyrnong Park and then Port Melbourne via Werribee and Essendon, there has been nothing easy about Brody Mihocek’s ride to the AFL. Now that he is there, he wants to make every post a winner.

Brody Mihocek celebrates a goal for the Magpies in his AFL debut. Picture: Getty Images

BRODY Mihocek’s father Jack had a question for the Collingwood forward in the rooms following his impressive four-goal haul against North Melbourne last week.

Given the Kangaroos’ high number of blood rule send-offs, Jack joked to his son: “Brodes, did you get one of them?” to which the 25-year-old confessed to have been accidentally responsible for Luke McDonald coming off.

“I said, ‘Mate, that’s good, at least you got one of them,” Jack Mihocek said this week from the Burnie sports store, Balls and Bumpers, which he and wife Jan run.

Anyone who knows Brody’s feisty father wouldn’t be surprised.

FOOTY TIPS: WHO WILL WIN PIES, TIGERS BLOCKBUSTER?

BIG WIN: PIE GOLDSACK STEPS UP ACL RECOVERY

TOP RATINGS: HOW DOES YOUR COACH HANDLE THE MEDIA?

Forty years ago, he was, in Brody’s words, “a red-headed wog who used to belt people up.” Jack laughs at his son’s assessment, admitting he had to give up soccer at 16 after being suspended for two years. As a consequence, this kid from Zagreb, in Croatia, who came to Australia when he was nine, took on the national game.

He played 13 games with Essendon from 1976-78, before making an impression — literally — with Frankston in the VFA and elsewhere.

Brody Mihocek has made an instant impact since joining the Magpies. Picture: Getty Images

Jack was physically tough. But he swears his son’s toughness is more admirable, not only because he plays hard and fair, but due to Brody’s persistence in pursuing a childhood dream into his mid-20s when others may have given up, or chased cash in suburban leagues.

In an AFL season bogged down in controversy about the state of the game, Brody Mihocek is one of the feel-good yarns of the year.

The purity of someone so determined to play AFL — and so single-minded in the belief he was good enough — makes for a refreshing change to all that negativity.

“It has been a blast,” the quiet, but determined Mihocek said as he prepared for his eighth game, today’s Collingwood-Richmond blockbuster.

“On the outside, you see players going into the system and getting kicked out a few years later, wondering what happened with their two years. I knew going in that I needed to make the most of every opportunity.”

He has grasped that long-awaited chance with the firmness of a vice.

Mihocek’s pathway from Cooee, near Burnie, in Tasmania, to Collingwood ultimately took seven years.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY AND YOU COULD WIN GRAND FINAL TICKETS

In between he balanced a move to Melbourne as a 20-year-old with full-time employment in trying to fund his ambition, yet never lost faith in his ability.

That journey took him from Burnie Hawks, to Maribyrnong Park, to a short stint training with Essendon reserves, to Werribee, then to two high-achieving seasons with Port Melbourne, where he worked closely with coach Gary Ayres and defensive coach Ryan James.

Having spoken to half the AFL clubs leading into the 2011 national draft, after being the All-Australian Under 18s centre half-back, his phone dried up until the Magpies finally rang him late last year to say they were interested in rookie-listing him.

Back then, he was a warehouseman/forklift driver at George Fethers and Co in Port Melbourne, rushing off to the gym at 5.30am before working a full day, then heading off to training with ‘Borough’ at night.

Brody Mihocek in action for Port Melbourne last year. Picture: Sarah Matray

Now, he has become an important member of Collingwood’s multi-pronged forward line, having kicked a goal in every game he has played, being used in attack, despite being recruited as a defender.

“I am only a rookie; all I ever wanted was a chance,” he said. “Even when I was 18, all I ever wanted was a taste of it, but now that I’ve had it … I want more.

“I am still a week-to-week player … I have still got a lot more to prove before I can cement my spot.

“Everyone has said that the injuries at Collingwood have hurt, but it has helped players get a chance. It is good that people are fighting for their spots.

“I’ll be fighting for mine.”

He kicked four in his debut match against Fremantle in Round 11 — which brought a tear to his father’s eye — and four more last weekend.

Collingwood's Brody Mihocek and family, including father Jack. Picture: Sam Gastin

“That’s the aim, to keep the run going,” he said of his streak of goals.

“It’s been a big learning curve, but I’ve felt comfortable from day one. I always thought I was good enough, it was just about getting the opportunity to show it.”

His biggest challenge came against West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern. While Mihocek kicked two goals and had 15 disposals, his Eagles’ opponent was best afield.

“We sort of said that we would kick it away from him, but we didn’t,” Mihocek said of McGovern. “It made me play a bit more on him. I still had my fair share of kicks at goal, and I felt I went all right for my sixth game of AFL footy.

“I lost a few one-on-ones, but when I play on him again, hopefully it will be a different story.”

He won’t be fazed if Saturday’s opponent is Alex Rance.

“Even if Rance shuts me out, it might mean another of our forwards kicking goals. It might be Stevo (Jaidyn Stephenson) or Will (Hoskin-Elliott), or Coxy (Mason Cox). We are a tough forward line to contain and we pride ourselves on that.”

Collingwood’s Brody Mihocek and family before his AFL debut. Picture: Sam Gastin

Rookies earn a minimum of $71,500, but the bonus match payments means he is earning more than he did as a warehouseman last year.

But he isn’t getting carried away. He is playing without the safety net of a guaranteed contract next year.

“I’m not even worrying about what’s ahead,” he said. “I am putting everything into now.”

His father, who has almost sold out of Brody badges in his sports store given the local interest in Burnie, is hopeful a guarantee isn’t far away.

“I said to Eddie McGuire, ‘Everyone is re-signing with Collingwood, don’t leave Brody behind’. (Contracts) are not his area, but he did say the club will look after him.”

Given Brody’s form, and his dad’s former reputation, you’d be stunned if it was otherwise.

Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >