Hampton Park hard men Mick and Shane O’Brien have played more than 500 games between them and will lead their young teammates into another finals’ campaign this weekend.By Brad Kingsbury
WHEN Hampton Park is the topic of football conversation, the exploits of the O’Brien brothers is often not far behind.
Shane, 34, and Mick, 32, have been part of the Hampton Park football family for almost two decades, racking up more than 250 games each.
They are now preparing to lead a young, newlook Redback playing group into their first finals series for five years after helping revive the club from the depths of severe debt and player loss.
The brothers were an integral part of the rise of the club from the easybeats of the 1980s to the glory of backtoback premierships in 1997 and 1998.
They then played vital roles in saving the club from ruin after it overextended itself in 1999 and 2000 and fell into debt.
The siblings are nononsense footballers onfield and men’s men off it.
There is no shortage of opponents across the district that will testify that ‘oldstyle’ best describes their playing habits and both have incurred the wrath of the umpires and tribunal panels in the past.
Any opponent who dares to take on an O’Brien can guarantee that the other will be close by, with defending the family honour on his mind.
Older brother Shane started with Hampton Park juniors in 1977 and played his first senior game in 1987 as a 16year old.
He spent a year with Dandenong in 1994 and another with archrivals Doveton in 2001, but returned to coach the young Redbacks in 2002.
He has won two bestandfairest awards and was a key player in the club’s backtoback flags under coach and good mate Mick Hill.
Mick also started with the Redbacks at junior level and ironically Hill, who was playing in the seniors at the time, was his first coach in the undernines.
He was also 16 when he debuted for the Redback seniors in 1989.
He has never left the club and counts among his coaches Ken Arnott, Don Henwood, Kevin McSweeney and Hill.
Club and team goals have always been his priority and personal accolades are not high on Mick’s agenda.
“Mum got all the vote cards and gave the votes to numberone boy over there,” he quipped pointing to Shane.
Mick played an integral part in saving the club after it was relegated and in serious debt after 2000.
He took on the coaching role with Peter Wood, while president Mark Peters and assistant Mick Thomas led the battle to rebuild the club’s finances from scratch.
“We were as good as gone,” Mick said.
“A lot of the old heads were telling the boys to lock the doors and come back the next year under a different name, but it wouldn’t have happened.
“We wouldn’t have come back at all and we had to do something.”
The road up the ladder has been a tough one and taken longer than many thought, but the O’Brien brothers are proud of their club’s determination and say that, under current coach Jason Chapple, there is better in store over the next few seasons.
“Everyone else was writing us off, but we’ve been around long enough to know that all we needed was a coach to get in and help the side play as a team,” said Mick.
“We had the nucleus of a good side, we had the talent and ‘Chaps’ has nurtured it superbly.”
“It’s exciting for sure and the prospects are good as long as we all stay together,” added Shane.
Shane rated former Redback premiership captain Andrew Harvey as the best he has played with, while Mick said his brother was his favourite teammate.
Both rated Cranbourne rover Chris Garrett as their hardest opponent and Shane added that Andrew Dalgleish was not far behind.
“Garrett looked like he couldn’t get the ball and the next thing you know he had it and was running out of a pack hitting someone on the tit and making you look silly,” Mick said.
Mick’s only regret was not having a crack at a higher level when he had the chance as a 21year old, while Shane said his fiery nature probably cost him in his youth.
“I do regret not being disciplined when I was younger,” Shane said.
“I would just go off the handle too easily and not listen.
“That changed under Mick Hill because he gave you responsibility and forced you to react.”
Both are playing different roles supporting the talented youngsters around them this year and say the club is now an exciting and happy place to be with the influx of ladies playing netball and parents supporting their kids as they come up from the junior club.
“I did think I would still be playing in my 30s, but it is harder for blokes to be playing at my age with the pace of the game,” Shane said.
“I’m enjoying it though and making finals is a good challenge.”
“I’ve been happy playing in a new role in the backline and it’s given me a new lease of life,” said Mick.
“We would like to leave Hampton Park in a better state than when we found it and we’re definitely on the right track.”
