Tim Currie made what seems to be a wise decision to get out of his northern suburbs comfort zone and move to the Williamstown Football Club in a bid for better opportunities to play senior football at VFL level.
At the start of last season, the defender crossed from the Northern Blues, where for two years he had been stuck in the club’s development league and overlooked for a senior team mostly filled with Carlton players who had not made the cut for the AFL side.
Being a stand-alone club, the Seagulls naturally have more open spots in the senior team.
But Currie has also found Williamstown to have a better team environment, with all the players pulling towards one goal making for a more enjoyable experience.
“With a stand-alone club, the main thing is you train with the same people Monday, Tuesday and Thursday,” he told Star Weekly.
“When you get 18 or so Carlton blokes running out with the Northern Blues on the weekend it feels like a lot of you are just in the development side, so I guess you don’t have that continuity you do with everyone at Williamstown.
“At a stand-alone club, we’re playing at the best level we can, so that’s a factor as well.”
Currie’s first year at Williamstown was a continuation of his steep learning curve in the development league.
The tall but lightly framed key position player managed just one senior game last season, the same number as in his previous two seasons with the Blues.
But the Eltham resident stuck at it, continuing to get up at 7am for his shifts at a roofing company to pay the bills, studying in his sports management course to set up his future and making the long drive to Seagulls training before returning home at 9pm.
The hard work eventually paid off for Currie this season when he was selected in the Seagulls’ team for the clash with Geelong Cats on May 30.
He impressed his coaches that day and has maintained his spot in the backline for six consecutive senior games.
After three frustrating years, the 23-year-old has no intentions of relinquishing his spot in the team without a fight.
“I’ve got an opportunity now and I’m trying to grab it with both hands,” he said.
“I know if I play a bad game I could be on the chopping block, so I’m just trying to
play my role each week and that’s all I can do really.”
Currie has settled into a key defensive post but has not always been a defender.
As a teenager at the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup and then with the Blues, he was mainly used as a forward – but he sees his strengths suited to being a tall defender before pinch-hitting forward.
“I can read the play a bit better down back and I’ve got a bit of closing speed, which helps,” Currie said.
“I don’t mind having a bit of a release and getting up forward but I definitely enjoy playing down back.”
A little bonus for Currie since arriving in the Seagulls nest is getting to know about the rich history of the club.
He is fascinated by some of the stories he is being told by the club’s elder statesmen.
“You speak to the older people and they tell you the traditions of the club and it’s quite inspiring really,” Currie said.
Currie is keeping his fingers crossed that he is selected for Saturday’s clash with Port Melbourne at North Port Oval.
“It’s a great rivalry so it’s going to be a big week,” he said.
“I’m sure there will be a big crowd and the atmosphere will be really good, so I’m very excited about that – hopefully I get a game.”
The first bounce will be at the earlier time of 12.12pm as the match will be broadcast live on Channel Seven before its AFL coverage.
