By Rebecca Mills
Remember when you played sport in the schoolyard at lunchtime and two captains would stand at the front and pick their teams? Well that’s what junior football was like for Greater Western Sydney GIANT Jack Hombsch.
On Saturday, Jack will head home to South Australia with his teammates to play his fourth AFL match against the Adelaide Crows but his football career started out a lot differently to many of his teammates.
Hailing from the small mining town of Roxby Downs in South Australia, the modest defender played in a junior league with only two teams.
“I lived in Roxby Downs until I was 15 and played all my junior footy there.
“We only had two teams in the competition so we played each other every week. At the start of the year there would be two captains, one for each team and they would pick their side.
“The teams would play in the first week and if one team got flogged then they would swap a few good players over to the other team.
“You could swap in the first couple of games then, once they were even, that was your team for the season.
“It was a lot of fun. We probably had 18 a side but you’d have to get a few under 12s to come and help you out. You’d play a full ground with no bench.”
After moving to boarding school in Adelaide and impressing in the Under 16 National Carnival for Sturt Football Club, Jack was selected in the 2009 AIS AFL Academy squad.
As a part of the development program in the AIS, Jack travelled to South Africa. He didn’t know it at the time but Jack was travelling with half a dozen promising youngsters who would later become his teammates at the GIANTS and the AFL legend that would become his first AFL coach.
“The AIS AFL Academy and gave me a lot of knowledge about nutrition, skills and what it takes to get to AFL level.
“In South Africa we had footy training every second day but a lot of it was about meeting the people and getting an idea of what their culture is like and helping to promote AFL there.
“Sheedy was there on the trip with us. We knew that he was the coach of GWS but at the time he kept pretty quiet about the club.
“He was just there passing on some of his wisdom and watching how the boys behaved.”
When Jack returned to Adelaide, he got a phone call that changed his life. He was asked to pack his bags and get ready to join the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS a year before the club would enter the AFL competition.
“I got back from school one day and went back in to my room at the boarding house and got a phone call from Alan McConnell. Al told me that GWS was going to offer me a contract.
“I was really shocked to begin with. I knew that a couple of the boys like Sam Darley and Tim Golds had been signed and I remember thinking that those guys were really lucky.
“I was told to keep it quiet so I just called my mum and dad and went to tell my brother who was at the boarding house with me at that stage.
“I told my best mate too… I probably shouldn’t have done that, I was just really excited.”
Jack admits that moving from year 12 exams in to full-time training was tough but after a year at the GIANTS, he credits his comfort and the closeness of the playing group to the club’s welfare set up and their home at Breakfast Point.
“I guess I was a bit shell shocked in the beginning. Training was tough.
“After a month or so I was settled in and really enjoying everything.
“I’m probably a lot more confident within myself now. Earlier last year I wouldn’t say something because I was worried that I would offend someone or that it wasn’t right.
“That happened on and off the field but now if I have something in my mind I will speak up.
“That’s definitely a reflection of the club. Everyone gets along really well and is very close so you don’t have to worry about what you say. Brekkie Point is a great set up.”
In a backline that boasts two Premiership winning players (Brogan and Power) and a former NAB Rising Star nominee and Co-Captain (Davis), Jack is making his mark and is preparing for his fourth match in the AFL.
“We have a pretty experienced back line with Phil Davis, Tim Mohr, Chad Cornes and Luke Power so they’ve really helped me settle in down there.
“I’m close with Phil and he’s great. Luke is our back line coach and we have some handball games going on in the cage at training.
“I’m winning (laughs).”
Jack’s excitement about going back to Adelaide to play AFL in front of his family and friends on Saturday is obvious and he smiles broadly when he speculates about which South Australian GIANT will have the biggest turn out at the game.
“I’ve heard that Joffa (Jonathan) Giles has been getting tickets off other blokes around the club so he’ll probably have the biggest crowd there.
“I’m not sure exactly who is coming yet. My immediate family and hopefully some cousins and friends will be there.
“I’m really excited. Growing up, you always want to play on AAMI Stadium so that’s going to be really special.”
TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON - ROUND 4
Adelaide Crows vs GWS GIANTS
AAMI Stadium, Adelaide
Saturday April 21, 4:10pm
