Neil Harvey is a proud father and knew Brent Harvey was going to play AFL from a young age

FATHERS don’t come much prouder than Neil Harvey and to appreciate Boomer, you need to understand Neil, writes MARK ROBINSON.

NEIL Harvey, the rambunctious and proud father of Brent “Boomer” Harvey, would like to talk to Greg Beck.

They are not mates, Harvey and the former Richmond recruiting boss, and Harvey would like to remind Beck of a conversation held in a Wodonga Woolworths in 1995.

If I knew how he was going to grow up, I’d have had 10 of him.

Neil Harvey

Brent Harvey that day was the standout in an under-18 championships game and the Harveys were cock-a-hoop.

They always knew their boy would play AFL and, after a best afield performance in the nationals, now the rest football world would know as well.

But Beck wasn’t so enthusiastic.

“Me and my wife, Debra, were doing some shopping in Woolworths after the game, we had some relatives up there, and ‘Becky’ said to me, ‘Harves, your son is a gun, but he’s too small and he won’t make it’,’’ Neil claimed.

“Gee, I’d love to see Becky now ... 427 games later.

“He’s a good bloke, but I wish I had his number. Because he’d say, ‘Harves, I made a mistake’. That’s all I want him to say.’’

Neil Harvey with pictures of son Brent and father Bill. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Harvey was taken at pick No.47 in the 1995 national draft. Richmond had the pick before, No.46, and drafted Ben Moore. With their first pick, at No.35, the Tigers selected Brad Smith.

Moore played 24 games for the Tigers and Smith zero for the Tigers and one game for Collingwood.

On Saturday night, Boomer plays his 427th.

Beck says he can’t recall the conversation. Can’t even recall being in Woolworths. “You’re never too small to play league football. We drafted David Rodan and he was probably smaller than what Boomer was,’’ Beck said. “I wouldn’t have said that, we’d never say that to a dad about a kid. You don’t say those things to mums and dads.’’

Neil: “I remember it 100 per cent ... you can ask Debra.’’

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Neil actually wanted Geelong to draft Boomer and not North Melbourne. He was a lifelong Cats fan and he knew Geelong had the next two picks in the draft - picks 48 and 49 - and he knew Geelong had planned to draft Boomer.

“We were all in the backyard here and I was saying, ‘I hope the Kangaroos don’t pick him up,’ because I knew Geelong was going to,’’ he said. “I was praying, but they did, but we don’t look back. It’s been an amazing ride, he’s a just a freak, a freak of nature.

“If I knew how he was going to grow up, I’d have had 10 of him. He’s been an amazing kid. I swear to God, I’d have 10 of him.’’

Neil loves all his kids. He has three of them. Brent, Shane, who made it to the AFL but didn’t cut it, and daughter Tara, and though he doesn’t play favourites, it’s difficult for him not to be wowed by the achievements of son No.1

His earliest memory of Boomer is playing at Preston RSL. At 11, Boomer would dominate games. Small, slick, skilled, the opposition couldn’t catch him and being so diminutive, they probably couldn’t see him. “He just dominated, you could just tell he had something,’’ Neil said.

Shane Harvey in action for Heidelberg. Picture: Mark Wilson

At 13, Neil knew his son would play AFL. Boomer won three league best and fairests as a junior, lost another by a vote after kicking 21 goals in the final game of the season and receiving just two votes from the umpire, and also won several league goalkicking awards. The kid was a superstar.

“After games, people would say, ‘Oh my God, you’re son’s a freak, he’s going to play AFL’,’’ Neil beamed. “When they say that to you, you think, you’re probably right, and as soon as he got a bit bigger and he went to the Northern Knights, you could just tell.’’

I said he’s playing league footy this kid and he was one.’

Neil Harvey

Boomer grew up in Enfield Ave in Preston, four torps from Northland.

It was a rough and tumble neighbourhood. Blue collar. Commission homes. No silver spoons.

“No, not in Preston,’’ Neil said.

There was trouble in the streets, but the Harveys never found any. “There were the Crevelli St boys, it was hard going down there, but other than that it’s been terrific, we’ve had no problems,’’ Neil said.

To appreciate Boomer, it’s best to understand Neil.

Neil was born in 1952 and grew up three blocks from Enfield Ave, when Preston as a municipality underwent enormous population growth.

Neil’s dad Bill - Boomer’s grandfather - died in 1957 after an asthma attack. Neil was four and Bill was 31.

The Harvey genes are unique. Bill had size and skill and was a key forward. He played football for Heidelberg in the Diamond Valley League and was invited to play at North Melbourne. In 1948, he played two games for the Shinboners and then returned to play for Heidelberg.

In 1950, he kicked 102 goals and is the only Heidelberg player to kick more than 100 goals in a season.

“One hundred per cent it’s in the genes,’’ Neil said.

“I asked mum a few questions about dad and she said dad was probably the best player ever.’’

Dear ol’ mum. But the old-timers at Heidelberg bring it back a notch. “They say he was the best player ever to play at Heidelberg ... he was a centre half-forward, I know that,’’ Neil said.

In Neil’s home, there’s a black and white portrait photograph of Bill from 1950. There’s a strong resemblance through Bill, Neil and Boomer and on this day, there was a sense of sadness that not only did he not know his dad, but his dad would never know about his grandson.

“I always think about it,’’ Neil said. “He never got to see me play and I never got to see him. When I look at dad, I just know he would be so proud of Boomer. I don’t even remember him, not as a four-year-old.’’

Neil’s Mum, Flo, also won’t be there on Saturday. She passed in 2013.

The resemblance between Neil and Boomer is striking.

Their legs are muscly and slightly bowed and the feet stand wider than normal in stance. The hamstrings and the thighs are thick and strong. There’s the rolling shoulders, thickish chest and the impish grin. ‘’I get told that a lot,’’ Neil said.

True story this. At Boomer’s 400th game at the Gabba last year, Neil arrived and as he was making his way to the rooms, a bloke bailed him up. “For some fricken reason, the bloke said, ‘Aren’t you playing today?’

Brent Harvey and dad, Neil Harvey.

“I said excuse me. He said, ‘Sorry, mate, I thought you were Boomer’.

“I swear to God it happened. He’d had a few drinks, he had a scotch and something in his hand and he asked if I was related and I said he’s my son, and he said: “OH MY GOD’. He asked if I wanted to drink, but I said I can’t I’ve got to present his jumper.’’

Boomer is 38. Neil is 63 and Neil played his last game footy at 48 in 2001, a fill-in reserves game at North Heidelberg, where Shane is completing a stunning suburban career.

There’s those genes again. Neil joked he’s played “about 1000 games’’ of football and never pulled a hamstring. “I broke my ankle against Geelong West at Brunswick one day and that was it.’’

He was a similar player to Boomer, but not as gifted.

He played at West Preston, where he won the league under-18 league medal, and then played with Brunswick in the VFA.

In 1977, he was invited to train at Collingwood when, one day, coach Tommy Hafey and footballer Ross “Twiggy’’ Dunne knocked on his door. But also being an asthma sufferer, the training was too hard. “Phil Carman was there. I remember him lapping me running around The Tan. I thought I was pretty quick like Boomer, but Phil Carman’s fitness was unbelievable.’’

So, it was back to Brunswick before following Brunswick teammate, and Liston Trophy winner, Barry Nolan to Ganmain Football Club, near Wagga in 1981, because the offer of a free house and $1500 a game was too good to refuse.

In that first season at Ganmain, when Boomer had just turned one, Neil won the league best and fairest.

As parents do, a potentially horrific incident in Ganmain first alerted them that Boomer might be special.

Brent Harvey with his commemorative Mark Knight poster. Picture: Alex Coppel

Neil and Debra were visiting neighbours who were undertaking heavy renovations. Boomer had a footy in his hand, he threw the footy in the air, caught it, stumbled and fell through the renovations, which was a seven-foot drop to the ground.

“We panicked, we thought he might break his legs or arms, and we looked down and there he was with the footy still in his hands,’’ Neil said. “I said he’s playing league footy this kid and he was one.’’

Neil is a typical dad with a knockabout style who loves to watch his kids play their sport. He still plays himself. Last summer he won the bowling average at Heidelberg Colts, tossing down some leggies and has plans to keep playing. There’s those genes again.

Being dad, he’s also protective.

There’s highs and lows in football and Boomer clearly has had plenty of positive, but Neil hated Dermott Brereton’s belief his son was selfish. “Selfish? Turn it up, there’s no way known. I know he’s kicked 511 goals, but he’s probably given off 2000 as well,’’ he said.

As part of Saturday night’s historic milestone, Boomer has put a up a series of videos on Facebook, one of which brought Neil to tears.

In the video, Boomer says to music background:

(Italics) “I was never supposed to make this far,

“I was told I was too small ... not strong enough,

“They told me I was dreaming, that I would never play in the AFL,

“And when I made it, they said I wouldn’t get a game, that I couldn’t handle a tag, that I wasn’t a team player, they said I was selfish, they said I should retire.

“To all the doubters, and all the sceptics, to all those who never, ever gave me a chance, thanks for inspiring me and spurring me on.

“Thanks for motivating me to get better, every ... single ... day.

“I hope you’ve watched me give my all for North Melbourne, for the fans, for my teammates and for my family.

“To all those who said it could never happen, even once, thanks for being so wrong ... 427 times.’’

Neil says he thought of Beck and Brereton when he heard it.

“How good is that,’’ he said.