Melbourne Victory midfielder Leigh Broxham certainly has contrasting memories of his club’s past two Hyundai A-League grand final triumphs as he ponders starting a premiership decider for the first time this weekend.
Melbourne Victory midfielder Leigh Broxham certainly has contrasting memories of his club’s past two Hyundai A-League grand final triumphs as he ponders starting a premiership decider for the first time this weekend.
In his debut year in season two of the Hyundai A-League back in 2006/07, Broxham was lucky enough to come off the bench with Melbourne cruising at 4-0 up against Adelaide before going on to record an incredible 6-0 win.
But while that may have been as good as it gets for a player who at that time had only just turned 19, the flip side came last year when after a difficult season he did not even win a place on the substitutes bench as Melbourne became the first club to win two Hyundai A-League titles with a 1-0 win over Adelaide.
However in a show of great character, Broxham has bounced back in such spectacular fashion this season that he has played 28 out of Melbourne’s 29 Hyundai A-League fixtures and has started 25 of them after not starting a single match last season.
And while he was an onlooker last season in the premiership decider against Adelaide, the 22-year-old is shaping as one of Ernie Merrick’s key men come Saturday night’s grand final against Sydney.
Broxham can scarcely believe the change in his fortunes over the past 12 months and admits he used the disappointment of last year as motivation for season 2009/10.
“To be able to play the whole season and now coming into the grand final you always get a bit more of a buzz out of it because you have played a big part throughout the year so I am definitely looking forward to Saturday night and it’s going to be one of the biggest highlights of my career,” he said.
“I was thinking about it the other day just how disappointed I was this time last year.”
“A few family and friends have reminded me of that and said ‘you should be proud of yourself given where you have come from in a year’ and I have thought about that and I have got to go on with it next year.”
Broxham’s stunning form turnaround this year has been rewarded with a new three-year deal but it is the chance to play a key role in a Melbourne Victory grand final win for the first time that is his sole focus at present.
“Three years ago by the time I came on with half an hour to go, the job was pretty much done because we were 4-0 up and there wasn’t too much else to do other than just lap it up and enjoy it,” he said.
“I couldn’t think of a better situation to come on in whereas last year I had mixed memories.”
“Everyone says if they are not in the squad they are still happy for the team and celebrate as much as everyone else but deep down you have that little feeling of not actually playing and being a part of it.”
“So I still think about that and that (missing out last year) will certainly be motivation for Saturday night and I will give it everything I’ve got.”
