Armstrong jumps onboard Gull bus
FORMER AFL player and Barwon Heads recruit Tony Armstrong says he feels “like a little kid” as his excitement builds ahead of joining the Seagulls for the second-half of the BFL season.
While still busy with a budding media career, Armstrong, who played 35 AFL games for Adelaide, Sydney and Collingwood, said his work schedule now allowed him some time to pull the boots back on.
“I’ve been thinking about it on and off for a little while, just the itch in the back of the head,” he said.
“I’ve never worked harder I don’t reckon, however the timing of my work itself gives me a bit of time to perhaps play some footy.
“I’m really excited to have a kick ... and get to know a new bunch of boys.”
The lure of playing with friend and former Magpies teammate Nathan Brown was a driver in getting Armstrong to sign on, with the former Lara coach excited to hit Brown up inside forward 50 playing off the halfback line.
“Just the opportunity to get to play with him again and ... starting a bit further back down the ground, that obviously sets me up perfectly to be able to hit-up the big fella,” he said.
“Why wouldn’t you want to ... he’s very dominant, I think he kicked seven on the weekend, he’s a gun.
“If I can chuck a couple down his throat, that’ll make my day.”
Joining a Seagulls side that has won nine games in a row, Armstrong said he was thrilled to start his BFL career with the club having watched it take down Anglesea by 102 points on the weekend.
“They look really, really good ... they just seem like a really good footy club who want to get good people involved first and foremost,” he said.
“I think once you do that ... across the board, the results tend to look after themselves and it seems like this is no exception.
I’M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A BIT OF A KICK AND HAVING A BIT OF FUN, I HAVEN’T PLAYED FOOTY IN THE BEST PART OF THREE YEARS I DON’T RECKON, I’M GENUINELY LIKE A LITTLE KID, I’M SO EXCITED FOR IT. BOOM BARWON HEADS RECRUIT TONY ARMSTRONG
“I’m just looking forward to having a bit of a kick and having a bit of fun, I haven’t played footy in the best part of three years I don’t reckon, I’m genuinely like a little kid, I’m so excited for it.”
Armstrong hopes to be able be available to play each week, but will get some training under his belt first and some touch back after a period away from the game.
Ahead of his first training run on Tuesday night, the 32year-old said he felt “like a kid going to his first day of school”. “I’m meeting a lot of the boys properly for the first time, I feel like a kid going to his first day of school if I’m being honest, I’m pretty bloody nervous,” he said.
“Got to see if I can still do it all, but I’m sure it’ll be just like riding a bike.”