Seagull takes flight after lean time
LAST week’s interleague squad announcement was a welcome reminder to Julian Dobosz that football could be rewarding.
The North Shore forward’s selection in the GFL squad came after 11 goals in the opening three games of this season, returning to the Seagulls fulltime this year after failing to crack a senior game at VFL side Sandringham over an unsuccessful two-year stint.
“I guess with the St Kilda alignment, things just didn’t eventuate — it didn’t go the way I wanted really,” Dobosz said before this weekend’s clash with St Joseph’s.
“I don’t miss playing at 11 o’clock every Saturday morning to play development league and training three nights a week.
“It was pretty tough and it just didn’t go the way I had planned. You have all these ideas of how it’s going to go then it doesn’t happen.”
Making matters worse for the 25-year-old was a hold up at administration level, after he had booted 51 goals for Hobart City and made the Tasmanian Football League team of the year in 2015.
His transfer to Sandring- ham was delayed when the Zebras refused to pay the mandatory $1500 fee to gain his clearance from Hobart.
The stand-off left Dobosz in limbo, even turning out for two games at North Shore that year as he wondered whether playing development league while studying to be a chartered accountant was worth it.
“I learnt from some great coaches and great people and I really did enjoy my time there, but it’s nice to be at North Shore with less pressure on myself,” said Dobosz, who said he was still “open to” returning to the VFL down the track.
“I’m really enjoying my time here.”
He slotted 19 goals in nine games for North Shore in 2017, and has booted hauls of four against finals contenders Bell Park and Colac this year, to give his performances even greater credence.
Even so, the interleague nomination came as a surprise.
“I was pretty stoked when I found out, it’s not something you expect, especially being my first full year and relatively new to everyone,” he said.
“I’ve only been to one session but it was great to be a part of all the elite players.
“The GFL is a very good competition, and you could certainly tell it was a step up from club level.”