COOTAMUNDRA Bulldogs recruiter and coach Aaron Byrne is building a formidable rugby league team for 2015 and has announced that another quality local sportsman will join the ranks.
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Stephen Chant grew up playing league and when it came time to play in the senior level he switched to AFL and is best known for nine successful years with the Cootamundra Blues.
“It matured me a lot as a footy
player, at 20 years of age I was one of the oldest on the team, so I was a leader.
“It developed me pretty quickly.”
As the only Blues player in history to be voted best and fairest for seven consecutive years and part of the premiership-winning team in 2014, Chant is a club legend and will be sorely missed by his former club.
To ensure there was no bad blood between the local football clubs Bulldogs president Wayne Berkrey consulted with the Blues before drawing up the contract for Chant.
Berkrey says that without consent from the Blues, he wouldn’t have gone ahead with the deal.
“He’s such an important part of their club and he will be a very important part of our club and we didn’t want to take him off them,” Berkrey said.
It would seem that all’s fair in love, war and sport and Chant’s wish for a new challenge in 2015 has been granted, as the Blues gave their blessing.
“Im pretty grateful for everything the aussie rules club has done for me and I’m pretty thankful that the Bulldogs want me to be part of their club so it should be a good year,” Chant said.
Chant believes that having the right attitude is the key to success in any code.
“In my ideal team everyone’s 100% committed and putting in for each other; it’s all pretty similar no matter what code you’re playing in.”
Chant has been involved with the Bulldogs consistently, keeping his skills fresh by playing a number of home games for the local team each season.
His commitment this season confirms that Chant has accomplished his aims in AFL.
“It was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever made but the time was right.”
Byrne’s decision to coach first grade in 2015 had a significant bearing on Chant’s desire to play for the Bulldogs.
“It was all my decision (to play for the Bulldogs), since Aaron was named coach, it got me keen then.”
Before Chant and Byrne could read or write they were playing rugby league together at the age of four and their friendship has developed both on and off the football field.
Chant has no memory of the wins and the losses, only the enjoyment he reaped from playing with his mates.
In 2015 Chant will play as an outside back, and he’s relishing the idea of playing in the back row.
“That’s where the pretty boys go, so it suits me,” he joked.
Byrne is confident in his decision to include Chant in the 2015 line up.
“We’ve recruited another quality sportsman,” Byrne said.
“He’s a popular guy, a hard trainer, and he fits the build that the club is trying to achieve.”
