Seconds before the opening bounce of Sydney’s first round clash with Carlton at the SCG, Swans forward Joel Amartey walked towards new teammate Charlie Curnow as the latter prepared to take on his former team for the first time.
Curnow was beside two of the smaller Swans, Chad Warner and Errol Gulden – two hugely talented footballers, but not the ideal bodyguards.
Amartey bounced on his heels ahead of the anticipated confrontation – which came immediately. Carlton defender Lewis Young attempted to aggressively shove Curnow, but the situation was defused immediately as Amartey returned serve.
After six months of learning from Curnow at training, Amartey had built a tight bond with his fellow forward and was ready to protect him.
“I think it’s a natural thing, being that physical,” Amartey says. “It was such a big game for a few players, but especially Charlie against his old team.
“Of course, you knew there was going to be slightly more physicality, maybe more than every other week, but the way he’s come in and made us better, you just want to protect him out there on the field.
Charlie Curnow (left) and Joel Amartey celebrate victory over Carlton.Credit: Getty Images
“A lot of other teammates here at the Swans are all from interstate, so we all live with each other. So the players, they become your best mates, and I didn’t grow up with any brothers, so it’s as close as I’ve had to having brothers. It’s a similar feeling – you want to win for them, you want to play for them and you want to protect them out in the field.”
Amartey was also facing his former school and Swans teammate Oli Florent, now playing for Carlton, someone he still partially credits for his AFL career.
Growing up, Amartey never fully believed that playing in the AFL was possible. But thanks to the spotlight on Florent at school, Amartey got more attention than he might otherwise have enjoyed in the same Mentone Grammar team, and was taken in the second round of the rookie draft with pick No.28 by Sydney, much to his surprise.
“Luckily, Oli was a year above me at school, and he was a pretty high draft pick, so a lot of the scouts would go to watch him, and I’d be playing ruck for the same team and probably because he probably got a little bit of attention, then when I was in year 12 I got a bit lucky,” Amartey says.
Joel Amartey and Lewis Young exchange pleasantries during the opening round AFL match between Sydney and Carlton.Credit: Getty Images
“I was on schoolies at the time – it was back in those days – it was on Twitter, the rookie draft, so one of my mates said, ‘Joel you’re in the rookie draft’. It was about seven or eight o’clock at night, so I think I was well and truly on my way [having had a few drinks]. I don’t remember too much about the rest of the night, but it was a lot of lucky circumstances on my end to be here.”
Amartey’s father, Clement, had been a talented soccer player in Ghana and shared his love of the game with his son growing up in Melbourne. But after experiencing racism from opponents, Amartey ultimately switched sports to Australian football. Years later, Amartey has not forgotten the taunts and wants to show that anything is possible for multicultural children with a dream in Sydney.
“It’s one of those things [racism] – as a multicultural athlete, you go through it, and it still happens in your social media and stuff, but you just got to know that you’re inspiring other people,” Amartey says.
“You block out the bad, and knowing you’re doing more good than you are harm, and everyone’s got an opinion, and everyone’s a bit high on emotion sometimes, so it’s always an evolving challenge.
“But you think about all the positive impacts you could be having as a person, just by being yourself, and you’re hopefully paving a way for a couple of other people, who are similar to you when you were growing up, to pursue whatever sport it is, or whatever it is they want to pursue, they have the confidence to do so. So if I’ve got a little foot in that sort of pathway for other people, then I’m pretty proud.”
Since being drafted to the Swans in 2017, Amartey has played just 62 games, hampered by a combination of early career form and injuries. Last Thursday against Carlton, Amartey kicked three goals, showing a glimpse of what he is capable of as a tall, physical forward alongside Curnow.
Amartey is in the final year of his contract and there has reportedly been interest from rival clubs. Ahead of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the SCG on Saturday, the forward is keen to extend his time at the Swans, but he knows that depends on finally reaching his potential on the field.
“I’ve spent nine years here in Sydney, and I’ve been through a lot with this playing group, on and off the field, so I wouldn’t change it for the world, and wouldn’t see myself playing anywhere else at the moment,” Amartey says.
“But as I said, I’ve only played low 60 AFL games, so I’m pretty happy just being out on the park, given I’ve had a few injuries and non-selection over my first few years. I don’t take for granted just being able to run out on an AFL field and play at the highest level … I don’t put too much pressure on myself to think about what can be. I just control what I can.”
Swans bring McInerney back to earth ahead of Brisbane clash
Jonathan Drennan
If Swans midfielder Justin McInerney needed a reminder of just how quickly the AFL season moves, he received it from his teammates when speaking to the media before Friday’s captain’s run.
Despite having played the best game of his career in last Thursday’s comeback win over Carlton, finishing with 31 disposals and three goals, McInerney had barely begun to speak before several teammates in the background yelled at him that it was time to move on. McInerney didn’t need to be told twice
“I got brought back down to life pretty quickly by all the boys,” McInerney said. “It was good to get the first win and hopefully we go again this week.
“They let me know that it’s a team game and that there’s plenty more work to do, it’s only one game and there’s another 20-odd to go.”
Brisbane are the Swans’ next opponents, in Sydney on Saturday night, and the premiers arrive missing a host of key players. Darcy Gardiner, Zac Bailey and Harris Andrews are unavailable due to suspension, while Hugh McCluggage and Logan Morris are both injured. Having themselves been cruelled by injury last year, the Swans have the rare luxury of naming an unchanged team for Saturday.
McInerney is conscious that despite the Swans’ remarkable 75-point third quarter against Carlton, his team was well beaten in the midfield in the first half and was lucky to finish just ten points down at the break.
Patrick Cripps scuffles with Justin McInerney during opening round.Credit: Getty Images
Brisbane’s powerful midfield includes Josh Dunkley, Lachie Neale and Will Ashcroft and could cause the Swans even more trouble than the Blues if they start slowly for the second game in a row.
“They’ve got one of the best midfields in the competition,” McInerney said. “In the first half against Carlton last week, they got us done in the contest, and they were a lot better physically in the contest.
“We know that if we do that again this week the scoreboard probably won’t be as kind. We’ve got to be on from the start and hopefully, we can nullify a few of them.”
Beyond McInerney’s own starring performance, Sydney’s third-term turnaround was largely driven by the brilliance of Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden in the midfield.
According to Champion Data, Heeney and Gulden are just the second Swans pair in the last 10 years to combine for over 25 disposals and over two goals in a quarter.
McInerney believes that the opposition’s focus on containing Heeney, Gulden and the running ability Chad Warner in the midfield can help free him to play a bigger role in the Swans’ attack.
“I think we’ve got a lot of great players and it’s a privilege to play alongside a lot of them,” McInerney said. “I just try and play my role and hopefully, I can get a bit of a lick of the ice cream off the back of that.
“They’ve got to put so much work into Isaac, Errol and Chad, so hopefully you can get a bit off the chain. You have the same focus going in every week, just play your role and hopefully the team can benefit off the back of that.”
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