bornadog
12-06-2012, 11:19 AM
Link (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/westernbulldogsnewsfeatures/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/138217/default.aspx)
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/IntroJackRedpath_246e.jpg
Jack Redpath received a sound piece of advice when he arrived at Whitten Oval - it doesn’t matter if you're a rookie or the captain, you're still a part of the Western Bulldogs.
This sentiment has stuck with the 21 year-old as he begins his AFL career on the rookie list. With both skipper Matthew Boyd and tenacious midfielder Liam Picken having risen through the rookie ranks, Redpath is in good company.
Showing glimpses of things to come with a four goal haul for VFL affiliate Williamstown against Bendigo last weekend, you could almost forgot that his journey to the Bulldogs was not so smooth.
A labourer by profession, life was very different just twelve months ago for Redpath.
“A year ago I would have been working building houses back home - living at mum’s with mum doing my washing, my cooking, making my bed, doing everything for me,” Redpath told westernbulldogs.com.au.
“But I think I always held onto that dream and imagined playing AFL footy - I never lost faith in being able to do it.
“Even though I had a few injuries - I knew that once I got my body right and started playing footy I was always a pretty good chance.”
Rehabilitating two knee reconstructions, Redpath's aspirations for an AFL career have been put to the test.
While he doesn’t like to dwell on it, he recalls those injury hampered years as some of his toughest.
“After the second one it was pretty hard - you do your knee once and I didn’t understand what it was to do a knee,” he said.
“The second time I knew exactly what I had to do and that was probably the hardest thing because I knew what I had to go through.”
Even in his darkest days Redpath was determined to return to the field and play once more.
“At that stage I said to myself that footy is all about fun for me not about making money.
“I have to appreciate it more now I guess because I have had the injuries and I have been given this opportunity.”
Restricted to the sidelines when the team is winning is one thing, but watching his local team Kyneton battle week in week out and being helpless proved to be a taxing task for Redpath.
“It is probably the hardest thing I have ever done - to sit back and watch your mates play footy - you want to be out there and help them,” he said.
He returned to the footy field to play out the season with Kyneton last year and while they did not secure a win he kicked 29 goals in 9 games - enough to impress recruiters and claim his spot on the Western Bulldogs rookie list as a fourth round selection (pick 62 overall) in the 2011 AFL Rookie Draft.
During his six months on the Bulldogs list Redpath is beginning to find his feet and emerge as an imposing presence in the Williamstown forward line.
While most new draftees were given the task of bulking up in the pre-season to match it with the bigger, battle hardened bodies of the AFL ranks ,Redpath was given a different challenge.
The heftily built power forward, who admits to previously focusing his time on the “beach weights” (biceps, shoulders and chest), had to not only maintain his build but strengthen his core and lower body.
Redpath believes his body is feeling as good as ever as he continues to grow in confidence as each week goes by including four goals against his old VFL team Bendigo Bombers on Saturday.
“For myself and my confidence I think to kick a few goals was good.
"This is my first year back in the VFL since 2009 and it is such a good standard of footy - I think it has improved a lot since 2009.".
“I spoke to the coaches at half time and they wanted me to attack the ball hard - in the first quarter I think I was a bit stand backish but in the second half I wanted to give the boys a target up forward and attack the ball as hard as I can and I think I did that.
“My body feels good and just to start to have a game like that now - I just have to work on that and keep climbing the ladder - no steps back.”
Making strides in his development Redpath is confident that he can become an imposing force in the forward half in years to come but for now is grateful to be playing games and is eager to learn.
“It helped a lot on the weekend having another bloke like Liam Jones down there who can talk - I still find I get a bit lost sometimes in transition,” he said.
“I think my physical presence is there and I think the goals will come - I still have to chase out a lot more, get a lot more tackles and help the team out.
“I think I have the size to be that key forward player and I want to be that player.
“I hope the boys can start having a bit more confidence in kicking the ball to me one on one.”
As well as his football commitments Redpath has not lost sight of where he calls home and regularly makes the trip back to see his family - with three sisters and two brothers.
During the midseason break he also put his carpentry skills to good use lending a hand to his old employer helping install a deck - after seven years in the profession he would like to know he has a career to fall back on after football.
“[Life] has changed a lot but I think I have still held onto the good things - the small things like going back to seeing my mum and my brothers,” he said.
“100% of the time I am thinking about football - everything else fits in between but I always have something in my mind about football and what I want to be doing.
“I just try to hold onto that and make sure I am always trying to do the right thing and give myself the best opportunity to play AFL footy in years to come.”
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/IntroJackRedpath_246e.jpg
Jack Redpath received a sound piece of advice when he arrived at Whitten Oval - it doesn’t matter if you're a rookie or the captain, you're still a part of the Western Bulldogs.
This sentiment has stuck with the 21 year-old as he begins his AFL career on the rookie list. With both skipper Matthew Boyd and tenacious midfielder Liam Picken having risen through the rookie ranks, Redpath is in good company.
Showing glimpses of things to come with a four goal haul for VFL affiliate Williamstown against Bendigo last weekend, you could almost forgot that his journey to the Bulldogs was not so smooth.
A labourer by profession, life was very different just twelve months ago for Redpath.
“A year ago I would have been working building houses back home - living at mum’s with mum doing my washing, my cooking, making my bed, doing everything for me,” Redpath told westernbulldogs.com.au.
“But I think I always held onto that dream and imagined playing AFL footy - I never lost faith in being able to do it.
“Even though I had a few injuries - I knew that once I got my body right and started playing footy I was always a pretty good chance.”
Rehabilitating two knee reconstructions, Redpath's aspirations for an AFL career have been put to the test.
While he doesn’t like to dwell on it, he recalls those injury hampered years as some of his toughest.
“After the second one it was pretty hard - you do your knee once and I didn’t understand what it was to do a knee,” he said.
“The second time I knew exactly what I had to do and that was probably the hardest thing because I knew what I had to go through.”
Even in his darkest days Redpath was determined to return to the field and play once more.
“At that stage I said to myself that footy is all about fun for me not about making money.
“I have to appreciate it more now I guess because I have had the injuries and I have been given this opportunity.”
Restricted to the sidelines when the team is winning is one thing, but watching his local team Kyneton battle week in week out and being helpless proved to be a taxing task for Redpath.
“It is probably the hardest thing I have ever done - to sit back and watch your mates play footy - you want to be out there and help them,” he said.
He returned to the footy field to play out the season with Kyneton last year and while they did not secure a win he kicked 29 goals in 9 games - enough to impress recruiters and claim his spot on the Western Bulldogs rookie list as a fourth round selection (pick 62 overall) in the 2011 AFL Rookie Draft.
During his six months on the Bulldogs list Redpath is beginning to find his feet and emerge as an imposing presence in the Williamstown forward line.
While most new draftees were given the task of bulking up in the pre-season to match it with the bigger, battle hardened bodies of the AFL ranks ,Redpath was given a different challenge.
The heftily built power forward, who admits to previously focusing his time on the “beach weights” (biceps, shoulders and chest), had to not only maintain his build but strengthen his core and lower body.
Redpath believes his body is feeling as good as ever as he continues to grow in confidence as each week goes by including four goals against his old VFL team Bendigo Bombers on Saturday.
“For myself and my confidence I think to kick a few goals was good.
"This is my first year back in the VFL since 2009 and it is such a good standard of footy - I think it has improved a lot since 2009.".
“I spoke to the coaches at half time and they wanted me to attack the ball hard - in the first quarter I think I was a bit stand backish but in the second half I wanted to give the boys a target up forward and attack the ball as hard as I can and I think I did that.
“My body feels good and just to start to have a game like that now - I just have to work on that and keep climbing the ladder - no steps back.”
Making strides in his development Redpath is confident that he can become an imposing force in the forward half in years to come but for now is grateful to be playing games and is eager to learn.
“It helped a lot on the weekend having another bloke like Liam Jones down there who can talk - I still find I get a bit lost sometimes in transition,” he said.
“I think my physical presence is there and I think the goals will come - I still have to chase out a lot more, get a lot more tackles and help the team out.
“I think I have the size to be that key forward player and I want to be that player.
“I hope the boys can start having a bit more confidence in kicking the ball to me one on one.”
As well as his football commitments Redpath has not lost sight of where he calls home and regularly makes the trip back to see his family - with three sisters and two brothers.
During the midseason break he also put his carpentry skills to good use lending a hand to his old employer helping install a deck - after seven years in the profession he would like to know he has a career to fall back on after football.
“[Life] has changed a lot but I think I have still held onto the good things - the small things like going back to seeing my mum and my brothers,” he said.
“100% of the time I am thinking about football - everything else fits in between but I always have something in my mind about football and what I want to be doing.
“I just try to hold onto that and make sure I am always trying to do the right thing and give myself the best opportunity to play AFL footy in years to come.”