Tigers defender Nathan Broad goes from plumbing to preliminary final
FROM plumbing’s “bad side” to a preliminary final, it’s been a “crazy” ride for Tigers defender Nathan Broad, whose 80-year-old BFF is in town for the occasion.
Richmond
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FROM plumbing’s “bad side” to a preliminary final.
It hasn’t quite sunk in as yet for Richmond defender Nathan Broad.
Saturday’s preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney will be just the 24-year-old’s 11th AFL game — in front of an expected crowd of 100,000 people, no less — and he knows that he is experiencing a ride some players wait more than 300 games for.
Some never get there.
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It’s a far cry from Broad’s former life as a Perth plumbing apprentice.
“The (work was primarily the) bad side of plumbing — not the clean stuff,” he says.
“It was maintenance plumbing, so I was going to maybe six different places during the day doing hot water systems or toilets. I completed one year and got drafted.”
Taken as mature-age recruit from WAFL club Swan Districts, the “tradie life” suited Broad.
There were no sausage rolls or Big M’s at “smoko” as he plied his trade in the state league, but he loved the work and still hits the tools one day a week at Rod Laver Arena.
“I was very strict on myself with food and was drinking water all the time, but I loved the tradie life,” Broad says.
“I loved getting up early and going to work — plumbing was something that I loved.
“Working at Rod Laver mixes it up a bit and it’s not all footy. It’s all mechanical there — all clean and all brand new so it’s very different to some of the pipes I used to deal with. I’d much prefer that.”
To be preparing to play off for a Grand Final berth can only be described in one word.
“It’s crazy,” he says.
“My mates text me all the time saying what a crazy story it is now that I’m playing in a prelim. I would never have picked it, that’s for sure.”
Especially after this year.
Two days before Round 1, Broad was felled with a shoulder injury during a routine light captain’s run.
He was “filthy”.
Reconstruction surgery on his AC joint followed, then weeks of rehabilitation under rehab and conditioning coach Rob Inness, who he credits as “the reason that these rehab boys are coming back in career best form”.
Broad spent the preseason manning up Jack Riewoldt and learning everything that forwards hate.
As for the step from the WAFL to AFL, there’s freedom to thank.
“I thought the AFL had passed me a bit — I still dreamt of it — so I went back to just enjoying footy and playing with my best mates,” he says.
“Luckily enough Richmond threw me a lifeline.”
Broad’s bestie couldn’t have been happier.
She flew in to Melbourne on Friday, is staying on hip Chapel Street and is 80 years old.
It’s “Nan” — Evelyn.
“She’s probably my best friend,” he says, beaming.
“She’s so understanding, and just loves footy. She’s over here all the time.
“She loves the tatts, and just understands young people. I love her.”
Evelyn, who now dons a Tigers scarf rather than Fremantle, isn’t leaving Melbourne for two weeks — just in case — but wants to go to next weekend’s Grand Final regardless.
“She said ‘I’ve booked an apartment on Chapel Street because I love the shopping and pretend I’m not even here ... if you have some free time or a free night, then pop in and we’ll have dinner, otherwise I’m going to do my own thing’,” Broad says.
“You’d think she was 50. I get along with her really well and we chat nearly every second day.”
He does harbour some concern about 4.45pm Saturday, though.
“I’m a bit worried about her because she does get nervous, and she gets really worried but she’s not a yeller or anything — she sits with her scarf on and has good eyesight so she knows where I am all the time,” he says.
“She wants me to get the bright boots back, as it was a bit easier.
“If we could get into the Grand Final, for her and everyone, my mates back home and for everyone, it’d just be unbelievable.”
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