Past #29: Brent Harvey - drafted w/ #47 in '95 ND - 432 games/518 goals for NM - AFL games record holder

[Contra Mundum]

No love for Pilger ??

Can you imagine of John Pilger wrote about Football - "The AFL conspiracy to destroy Victorian clubs' - we need him on the case to expose Duff and the rest of the frauds on the North Board

 

[Mr Reliable]

I enjoyed it. It was a damn good read.

He always calls Glenn "Archie". Mostly I hear people call him "Arch". I liked that bit especially.

 

[Lovethoseroos]

Have to agree with Vlad on this one - I thought it was a really weak article. It lacked depth and not only could have been written in 20 minutes - read like it had. And it may not have mentioned "Gold Coast" or "cash strapped" but I did question the fact that we are the most "unfashionable" club going around. According to who?

 

[Ballaroo]

This article didn't disrespect the club, but it had very little info. What do you know about Boomer Harvey now that you didn't before reading it? That he played triathlon in the backyard with his brother? What do you know about Harvey's injuries that have impacted him in the past 5 years? What do you know about how he feels about this season, our chances and his personal view of where we're at? What do you know about Boomer's feeling on Archie's 300th? Or about his brother not making it?

These are just some of the things I would have liked to find out from a feature interview with Brent Harvey.

I reckon if Sheehan or Trevor Grant were writing it, or Rohan Connely there would be more insight IMO.

These are just some of the things I would have liked to find out from a feature interview with Brent Harvey.

I reckon if Sheehan or Trevor Grant were writing it, or Rohan Connely there would be more insight IMO.[/quote]

looking for some kind of scoop? I'm sure you usually get all your news from the SEN morons. Flannigan is a writer & includes bit about the man, a bit about the team, a bit about the culture & the history of the game.

Not all news articles have to be sensational. Did that article leave you with a sense of Boomer as a lad, his upbringing & what has driven him?
Sometimes you can just kick back, chill and enjoy a bit of thoughtful writing about the the game with some perspective. & you are right, i'm sure that sheehan & co would have come up with something different...

 

[benno87]

Look I think Vlad has some valid points - the article didn't seem to roll all that smoothly and jumped around a little, it also wasn't all that well structured but sometimes you get more substance from an unorthodox piece, and it's a nice change of pace from the stock-standard football story you read every morning.

 

[Sco]

Massive coup getting that article a month in advance!

 

[juzlyboy]

Had two great seasons back to back so far and an outside chance of winning the brownlow this year. Amazing player for his size.

 

[juzlyboy]

great player but has never laid a tackle jsut trys to scare oppostion to give ball up

HAHAH its funny even though its true. SOrry boomer!

 

[HeLMie]

great player but has never laid a tackle jsut trys to scare oppostion to give ball up

I was one of his biggest critics for not tackling but he has turned it around...

he had 5 tackles last week and another 5 this week... great effort his intensity on the ball has definitely increased...

 

[andrew4443]

Even though i am an essendon supporter..i still like him...he pressures the opponent and is great to watch.

 

[AGC]

Helmie, can you give us an indication of the votes you think he'll poll in each round.

 

[Sandgroper35]

Boomer is second favourite for the Brownlow Medal with Chris Judd ($7 at TAB). Get on it.

 

[gokangas]

Harvey, a champion you'll agree
14 July 2007 Herald Sun
Michael Horan

EVERY so often a player comes along with an extraordinary sense of occasion. One who excels under fire and drives his teammates to greater success.

Brent Harvey
Boomer time: Kangaroo Brent Harvey relaxes at his Lower Plenty home with one-year-old daughter Lacie. Picture: Colleen Petch

Someone such as durable Kangaroos dynamo Brent Harvey.

There's not much left for Harvey to achieve, save for emulating teammate Glenn Archer's triple century of games in three or so years from now, but when it comes to the big stage and special events, the durable 29-year-old is just about without peer.

A couple of best-and-fairests, a premiership, twice All-Australian, Big V and international representation are just some of the spoils from his brilliant career.

He starred in Archer's 300th game a fortnight ago and in that landmark game in 1999 when, playing the last State-of-Origin game Victoria contested, he won the the E. J. Whitten Medal. And in 2003 he collected the Jim Stynes Medal for best player in the series against the Irish.

"He's one of those guys you immediately look for when you need to deliver," said his captain Adam Simpson, who has watched Harvey's 230-game career since day one.

"He and Shannon Grant are our matchwinners and Daniel Wells is an emerging one. He's pretty much collected all the personal awards outside a Brownlow and a Norm Smith Medal and that's because he is such a great, dedicated player.

"He trains every session; he does everything. I don't think enough people outside our club realise what a great player and role model he is. He is so respected around the place."

There are plenty of punters willing to bet that Harvey will add a Brownlow to his crowded cabinet this season. The Kangaroos' new free-running style seems to have freed him and he is playing arguably the best footy of his career.

Or maybe it's just that others are starting to recognise how good he has always been.

Harvey is into second favouritism for the Brownlow with a bullet, and Kangaroos observers say there have been only a couple of games when he wouldn't be in the running for votes.

But Harvey won't be talking up his chances. Like Archer and Simpson, he is a a hard-headed, proud Shinboner who loves his club and the mates he plays with. The medals are great, but not the ultimate.

"To have something so special like a Whitten Medal is a huge honour but I'll tell you what is a great honour in my mind - to be a life member of the Kangaroos," Harvey said.

"I've won a couple of best-and-fairests and been All-Australian and got those medals and stuff, but there's not too many players who play 10 years with one club any more, and to have that is right up there with anything I've achieved in footy."

In 12 seasons Harvey has missed only 10 games through injury or suspension - and the fire is still burning.

"The atmosphere around our club is amazing, even last year when we weren't going so good. It's just a good place to be around. I love going to training and some of my best mates are from footy here," he said.

Harvey's father Neil was an outstanding midfielder with VFA club Brunswick and younger brother Shane had stints with Essendon and the Roos, but for Brent, Arden St has been virtually his whole football life. He arrived in 1996 and got used to the big stage right from the start.

"In my first year the reserves won the grand final, I played in that. In '97 we made the senior prelim and then in '98 lost the Grand Final, which was pretty devastating. I was 20 years old and shattered," he said.

"To get there the next year, I could just tell with that bunch of blokes it wasn't going to happen twice."

It didn't. But the 1999 flag remains the pinnacle as the harsh reality of professional football soon taught Harvey neither success nor longevity were to be taken for granted - both are hard won.

"I was pretty naive, I thought this is going to happen all the time. (In) '96 a (reserves) flag, '97 the prelim, '98 the Grand Final, '99 premiership, 2000 another prelim. I thought I'd probably play in four or five, but I haven't had a chance to play in a Grand Final since 1999."

The Kangaroos are the church mice of the AFL. Tired old home, no money and a small membership, yet there is a bond and camaraderie and passion that the league's high flyers must envy.

"It's just the people. It's absolutely amazing how much it means to them," Harvey explained.

"I'm very very privileged to be at the North Melbourne footy club. I haven't had the chance to play at any other AFL club, so I don't know how the other clubs work. But if they are anything like ours and they have all the better facilities, I guess they'd be a good place.

"But we go with what we've got - things get burned down and stuff like that - but we're happy with our lot. There's no shortage of pride and unity here.

"The budgets are a bit different when you compare us to say Collingwood, but we've never had a Lexus Centre, so it doesn't bother us. The boys never talk about that sort of stuff, never think about that sort of stuff. You make do with what you've got and the people we have are pretty damn good, I reckon."

And he is in no hurry to leave.

"I've just signed a three-year contract so I've got another two years after this. When I come out I'll be 31 at the end of 2009 and hopefully the club will look after me and give me a couple more," he said, knowing that if it does he, too, could join the magical 300 club alongside Archer and most likely the durable Simpson.

"It's a few seasons away obviously, but to reach 300 would be unbelievable," Harvey said.

On that issue, Simpson is adamant: "I guarantee he'll have the games record at the club by the time's he finished," he said. "He'll go out with the greatness he deserves."

But again, it's the team things that drive Harvey.

"Another premiership would be nice," he said.

"Over the next three years Arch will be gone, maybe Simmo, but the rest of the emerging talent will still be there. So over the next two or three years I'm really excited about what could happen."

 

[Ry009]

I love Boomer.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Said everything exactly right. Lovely article.

 

[B-Rock]

Geez Boomer getting a run with the media at the moment.

 

[Manbearpig]

Great article.

I like this line:

"Tired old home, no money and a small membership, yet there is a bond and camaraderie and passion that the league's high flyers must envy."

Its these qualities in the supporters and the players, that will keep us alive in Melbourne forever.

 

[windsock]

I will admit that I wasn't Boomer's biggest fan a couple of years back (and would have even been happy to see him traded!!!), but he has lifted his game every year for the past three years. He has been nothing short of sensational this year and you can't help admire the love he has for the joint.

Great article and no-one deserves the recognition more after his year to date.

 

[Manbearpig]

I will admit that I wasn't Boomer's biggest fan a couple of years back (and would have even been happy to see him traded!!!), but he has lifted his game every year for the past three years. He has been nothing short of sensational this year and you can't help admire the love he has for the joint.

Great article and no-one deserves the recognition more after his year to date.

I was disappointed in him too a few years ago. I thought he was super talented but didn't do enough and didn't work hard enough. Thought he was turning into a Shane Harvey.

He has been super and works his backside off these days and its awesome.

 

[pharro]

Great article.

I like this line:

"Tired old home, no money and a small membership, yet there is a bond and camaraderie and passion that the league's high flyers must envy."

Its these qualities in the supporters and the players, that will keep us alive in Melbourne forever.

Gotta love this quote as well...


"It's just the people. It's absolutely amazing how much it means to them," Harvey explained. "I'm very very privileged to be at the North Melbourne footy club."


And the privilege is also ours to cheer you on, Boomer.

 

[kangalover]

Gotta love this quote as well...


"It's just the people. It's absolutely amazing how much it means to them," Harvey explained. "I'm very very privileged to be at the North Melbourne footy club."


And the privilege is also ours to cheer you on, Boomer.

Ditto

 

[giantroo]

Mooney Ponds TAB have Boomer 7-1 for the brownlow.

 

[Woodson]

Thanx gokangas, magnificent article. Micheal Horan in dazzling form.

I recall greeting Boomer with a firm handshake after the '96 post-game official club GF function dinner with the "You're NEXT" remark to the shy smiling Boomer as he arrived amongst the celebration crowd fanfare of the senior throng.

 

[RooBoyz24]

My Partner got a great picture with him at subi this arvo i could not go cos of work but i would love to show u all how do i download it.Thanks boomer for yur time my partner is so happy. If someone could explain how i download it that would be great.

 

[KingyOrTheKing]

If you are talking about uploading the picture then:

go to http://imageshack.us and press the browse button to browse to the image on your computer. Press host it! and then copy the direct link to image code. In the BigFooty reply form, press the insert image button and paste the code in.