IN LIONS’ DEN —
THE saying goes that home is where the heart is.
But while it is true that Alex Witherden’s heart may be in Geelong, the Barwon Heads export’s home for now, and at least the foreseeable future, is in Brisbane.
Drafted by the Lions with pick number 23 at the end of 2016, Witherden packed his bags and moved to sunny Queensland, far removed from the comforts he had become accustomed to and into a world he admits was, at first, entirely foreign to him.
But the transition to life away from home has been made inordinately smoother thanks to the presence of an unprecedented number of fellow former Geelong locals.
Among the throng of Brisbane players with links to Geelong are former Cats Josh Walker and 2011 premiership hero Allen Christensen, former Geelong Falcons Darcy Gardiner, Lewis Taylor and Rhys Mathieson, and, notwithstanding the enduring mark he made at Hawthorn, dual Norm Smith medallist and premiership captain Luke Hodge.
There is also Toby Wooller, the grandson of 1963 Geelong premiership captain Fred, and Warrnambool product Hugh McCluggage, while two-time premiership defender Josh Hunt is head coach of the Brisbane Lions Academy.
Former Cats Jarrad Jansen and 2011 premiership ruckman Trent West have also been on Brisbane’s list in recent years.
But if you think it is just coincidence you would be mistaken.
The Lions have set about stockpiling some of Vic Country’s best players for a number of years, and Witherden said it was a significant factor in helping him transition to life in Brisbane.
“The Geelong boys seem to have a bit of a clique and we’re all still really close mates,” Witherden said.
“We have 10 or so people associated with the club from Geelong who have either come through the Falcons or even Josh Hunt, who played with the Cats in their glory days.
“But I refer to Brisbane as home now and I think having so many Geelong boys up here has made that a lot easier.
“It’s not only the Geelong boys, we have plenty of Vic Country boys as well. Even in my draft I had Hugh McCluggage, Cedric Cox and Jarrod Berry, so I think nearly half of our list is made up of Vic Country boys.
“That has made it a lot easier having everyone come from similar backgrounds and facing similar challenges every day, being away from family From Queenscliff and St Joseph’s College, the Geelong Falcons product was taken pick 22 in the 2013 draft. Lara product drafted out of the Falcons to Geelong with pick 40 in 2009. Traded to Brisbane in 2014. and moving into a foreign town. They were aware of how difficult it was early days and they made the transition a lot smoother.”
Witherden shares a house with Corey Lyons and star forward Eric Hipwood and says he is close with McCluggage, Berry and last year’s number one draft selection Cam Rayner, who spends so much time at his house he calls him his adopted son. The No. 1 draft pick of 2001. Long career at Hawthorn, retired last year, before answering a call to finish his career in the Sunshine State.
It speaks to his leadership that despite being only 12 months older than Rayner he has taken him under his wing and shown him the ropes in his first year at AFL level.
But while Rayner has undoubtedly left a considerable impression on the competition, Witherden has quietly flown under the radar in his second season at Brisbane and now sits second behind only Collingwood forward Jaidyn Ste- Terang-Mortlake junior via the Geelong Falcons. Drafted by the Lions with pick 28 in 2013 draft. Won 2014 AFL Rising Star award. phenson as favourite for the 2018 NAB Rising Star award.
The 19-year-old says he started the year slowly but credits his form in recent times to the fact that he, like his team, took a little time adjusting to a change in game style and remembering what was required to perform at an elite standard in the AFL every week.
“I think I started slowly as I was adjusting to the way we wanted to play. Last year we were a real one-on-one defence and this year we have been more of a team defence, so just getting your head around that and the way we wanted to defend and move the ball has been a little bit different,” he said.
“It also takes a while to pick up the tempo of playing AFL footy again. Having played the last nine games of the year (in 2017), teams are a lot weaker in Bell Park junior who was the slider of the 2015 draft, eventually going to the Lions in the third round. a sense because of injury and form and those sorts of things, whereas in the first month of the season everyone is up and about and flying and you can feel the intensity is different.
“But my last couple of months have been pretty solid and I’ve been a consistent contributor to the team and played my role each week.”
The Lions have been a revelation in the past month, but even when they weren’t win-