Brendan Hamill’s primary role is to stop goals but, like most defenders (and strikers and midfielders, for that matter), he loves to score them.
Brendan Hamill’s primary role is to stop goals but, like most defenders (and strikers and midfielders, for that matter), he loves to score them.
In his first start for the new Hyundai A-League season last Friday night, the strapping 19-year-old from Sydney’s south-west scored one of the goals of the round for Melbourne Heart against Adelaide United.
After dispossessing Reds striker Bruce Djite on the half-way line, Hamill surged to the top of the box with Djite snapping at his heels and blasted the ball low into the corner of the net past Eugene Galekovic’s outstretched right arm.
“I like to think I do,” Hamill replied confidently when asked if he has an eye for a goal.
“When I was younger I was taught as a defensive-minded player, but at training with my old man, finishing was a big part of my training.”
“It was what I wanted to be able to do because the more you can do in your game the better player you will be.”
“In training here I’ve been put in that situation a few times with the little games that we play.”
Hamill said he knew the ball was bound for the back of the net from the instant he made contact.
“When it left my boot, it went, zhhhew … straight in,” he said.
“The ball was just lingering about, I seen the gap, I backed myself and hit straight through it and it went in.”
Hamill’s goal scored early in the second half earned the Heart the lead, though, not for the first time this season, they weren’t able to preserve it.
He’s hoping for a change of fortune against the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Saturday.
“The past three games we’ve drawn, we haven’t lost, so that’s a big positive,” said Hamill.
“The past two weeks there’s been two late goals (conceded) but we’re working hard, we’re training well and we’ve got a good bunch of boys here.”
“We work for each other and hopefully it will all come together on Saturday and we get the three points.”
“I think once we get the first win, we’ll be on fire and we’ll be pretty tough to beat after that.”
Drafted into the line-up to replace Curtis Good who’s on international duty with the Young Socceroos, Hamill is almost certain to retain his place for Saturday.
And he’s likely to have a new partner at the back with new signing Adrian Madaschi a strong chance to come in for the suspended Simon Colosimo.
For Hamill, it’s a tentative second step towards his goal of regular first-team football.
“It’s up to the gaffer to decide whether I keep my spot or not,” said Hamill.
“Last year I had a decent first year and this year the aim was to get a bit more game time. I’m working towards that.”
“I’ve got my first start last week and hopefully I can build on that.”
