A tall order, but ex-Supercat is leaping into footy
SEB Loader describes himself as a “horrible” kick.
And the 42-year-old selfproclaimed “washed-up basketballer” is under strict instructions to handball when he makes his senior football debut for Inverleigh today.
“It’s a long way to drop the ball from my hand to my foot, mate. A lot can go wrong in that space,” admitted six-foot eight Loader, who will make the astonishing conversion from Geelong Supercats basketballer to local footballer when the Hawks clash with North Geelong in the GDFL.
“It’s all happened very quickly but it’s exciting.”
After 450 games and three national championships as a basketballer with Geelong, Loader continues his remarkable sporting journey with a second foray to country footy.
“I played for Birregurra in 2001 with a couple of mates who were playing basketball,” Loader said.
“I played about 10 games, but I haven’t touched a football since, apart from having a kick with my girlfriend Anna, who transitioned from basketball to football.”
Retiring at the end of last season after 18 years on the basketball court, Loader was lured to Inverleigh by good friend and fellow basketballer James Huybens.
“Jimmy is the reason I’m playing,” Loader conceded.
“I’m good mates with Jimmy, I’ve known him through basketball and we had a few too many beers leading up to Christmas and he said ‘mate, I reckon you can help me ... five minutes a quarter to give me a chop out’.
“With a few beers under my belt I thought ‘I could give this a go’. I told him ‘if you remember this conversation tomorrow, send me a message’.
“And the bastard remembered. That’s how it started.
“I just never thought I’d be doing this, to be honest. There’s not too many teams who would be willing to take a punt on a 42-year-old, washed up basketballer.
“I’m pretty grateful for the opportunity.”
Loader, who will play as a “back up” ruckman to Huybens this season, has fitted well into the group and provided valuable assistance to coach Mark McDowell with stoppage structures.
“He’s had a great impact on the group with his maturity and some of his basketball knowledge has been really helpful with zones, so we’re going to give him an opportunity,” McDowell said.
“A big part of zoning is communication, and with the high level of basketball he’s played, communication is really important.
“He’s been able to impact the group on what’s important from a zone perspective and how the press will work and he’s got a good sense of where to be and that’s transferred over really well.
“He’s a very big man and very strong, so he’ll do very well around the centre bounces and throw-ins.
“I think he’ll more than hold his own.
“The challenge for him will be getting around the ground, but I think he knows how to cut the corners.”
McDowell was quick to point out that Loader had improved dramatically since his first pre-season session last year.
“His kicking is not as bad as you think for someone who has never played the game,” McDowell said.