BRISBANE ROOKIE SHOWS TRUE GRIT
pouncedunced on him with their last pickk in the national draft – No.55 overall. ll
“To get a spot on a list after all of that has been pretty amazing,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to be drafted. I can’t thank Brisbane Lions enough for giving me an opportunity.”
Answerth has never been one to take things for granted, especially after his elder brother Kade’s failure to snare an AFL berth.
“He’dwon B and Fs (with the Chargers) and was best on ground in grand finals ... (but) with my brother not getting drafted I never thought I’d be able to,” Answerth said.
“If I wasn’t going to make AFLAFL, I’d stilltill bbe playingli ffooty t and enjoying it.”
Known as a ‘sponge’ around the club, Answerth was looking to soak up as much information as he could in his debut year.
“Coming in, I was eager just to learn, get to know all the players and the coaches … I wasn’t expecting to play,” he said.
After earning his senior debut in round six he has suddenly become an integral member of the team, which is entrenched in the top four, playing as a lockdown defender.
Skipper Dayne Zorko has waited almost a decade to playaplaya fifinal,l bbutt AAnswerthth iis on ththe verge of contesting a finals series in his first season.
The quiet achiever has come a longway since being given the run-around by Swan Tom Papley, in his second game.
“Iwalked off thinking I’ve got a lot to learn. He’s pretty difficult to play on,” Answerth said.
“I don’t know if I’ve taken any scalps but I’ve been lucky enough to be given a few roles and done my job.”
He took the honours against All Australians Toby Greene and Luke Bruest just last week in the Lions’ win over the team he grew up barracking for, HHawthorn.th
“I had to pinchmyself getting to play on him,” he said of Bruest.
It’s nothing compared to the “surreal” experience of lining up alongside his childhood idol, ex-Hawk and now Lion general Luke Hodge.
Answerth recalls a conversation at the club prior to his first meeting with Hodge: “I had one of the coaches tell me, ‘You’re just going to have to be normal’.
“Once you’re working with him, and get to know him, it does become normal.”