Brooksby refusing to concede dream
DELISTED Suns player Keegan Brooksby says he wants to continue to pursue an AFL career and believes he still has a lot to offer in the game.
The 197cm ruckman said he wouldn’t give up on finding a new home after three seasons on the Gold Coast.
“My first thing would be to try and get to another AFL club,” Brooksby said.
“If that doesn’t happen and there is no opportunity there then I’ll be weighing up a few different things – whether it’s to do with another AFL club or potentially at state league level as a playing coach of some sort of description.
“There are roles that exist in SANFL and VFL around that but at the moment it’s about waiting to see what happens and what other opportunities there are and making decisions based on that.”
Brooksby played 14 AFL games, including three this season, with the Suns who took him at No.42 in the 2015 rookie draft.
The 27-year-old was disappointed to be let go but it wasn’t a complete shock after finding himself out of contract in each of the past three years.
“It’s not unexpected but it’s still disappointing – you never want that to happen,” Brooksby said.
Brooksby, who only started playing football at age 18 after switching from basketball, said he was on the cusp on hitting his peak and believed he could add something to another AFL list.
“I came to the sport quite late compared to a lot of other people and every year I have played I think I have improved and developed,” Brooksby said.
“Taller players traditionally take a bit longer and I’m at the age now when most of them start hitting their peak.
“I definitely think I have improvement in me. I’m still as hungry to play at the highest level and also to win.”
The South Australian said he enjoyed his time at the Suns despite being stuck behind ruckman including Zac Smith, Tom Nicholls, Dan Currie and most recently Jarrod Witts.
It forced him to spend time playing in the back and forward lines at both senior and reserve levels.
“It was a bit up and down in terms of the way that the three seasons went,” he said.
“There was a fair bit of change over that time but I loved the experience.
“I tried to make the most of every minute and get everything that I possibly could out of myself.”
IT’S NOT UNEXPECTED BUT IT’S STILL DISAPPOINTING — YOU NEVER WANT THAT TO HAPPEN ... BROOKSBY ON HIS SUNS EXIT