Driving
Like most kids growing up in a country town, Kieran Strachan’s parents drove all over the countryside from Bendigo to watch him play junior footy. “They were always at my games and if they weren’t then they were travelling to my sisters’ netball,” said Strachan, whose sister Rebecca played with the Thunderbirds, Diamonds and is now a coach with the NSW Swifts. And it didn’t stop when they finished school either. As Strachan emerged with Port Melbourne and Essendon in the VFL and then moved to Adelaide when he was drafted by the Crows in 2018, his parents still got to as many games as they could. “Even when I was here in Adelaide they came over every fortnight or so to watch me play SANFL,” the 25-year-old ruckman said.
Dream
It was all building towards Strachan realising a lifelong dream of playing an AFL game which he has now done. But his parents who were there to watch him captain South Bendigo Football Club at 20, haven’t been able to attend. Strachan has played three AFL games in three different states over two seasons and his family has been locked out of all three. In Round 9 last year he got a last-minute call up to fly to Queensland to make his debut against North Melbourne while Victoria was in lockdown. His next game was in Round 22 this year when the Crows flew to Melbourne to play the Demons inside an empty MCG while Victoria was still in lockdown. And finally came the Round 23 game against North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval last month only for SA’s borders to remain shut to his folks in Victoria.
Next Year
“It’s funny last year after the game (against North Melbourne) mum and dad said ‘oh well you’ve just got to play one more game next year when we can come’ and funny enough I’ve done that but we were locked down again,” Strachan said. “Hopefully I can play a few more and they can come and watch next year.” That prospect now looks more certain after the 204cm big man signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the Crows. In his third season at the Club he won the SANFL Club Champion Award and more than proved he was able to compete at AFL level with 59 hit-outs in two games against Max Gawn and Todd Goldstein.
Consistent
“Leading into those games I was told there’s not much to lose and that sort of thing but personally I put a bit of pressure on myself to match it with them and compete and I definitely take confidence from those two weeks that I’m not that far behind,” he said. “Looking back on it (season) now, two (AFL) games and in terms of consistency throughout the SANFL season it was nice to win the Club Champion as well but all in all I felt I put together a full consistent year which was nice. “I feel really good, obviously I’ll keep building my strength so provided there is more opportunity my body will stand up if it has to at the AFL rigours.
Kieran Strachan Re-Signs
Kieran Strachan has signed a new deal with the crows, take a look at some of Kieran's highlights over the last year.
O'Brien
“Being able to stand in the contest in ruck is one of the main things I’ve tried to work on, and my endurance, when I got to the Club that was one thing that Rob (Reilly O’Brien) was really good at and something I was OK at, so for me to bridge that gap was something I worked hard on over the last off-season. “Then working on my weapons that I do have like my skills and ability to read the game as well.” Strachan says watching what O’Brien had been able to do with hard work and patience has given him inspiration to keep improving his own game. “I was here for the last year of Sauce’s career and you could just see pressure that Rob was putting on Sauce,” he said.
Security
“Then eventually Rob broke into the side and you’ve seen what he’s been able to do. “So I’m just trying to do the same thing, push Rob, make him better and at the same time he’s doing the same for me, me competing against him at every training is making me a much better footballer. “It’s nice to have the security to work on my game for the next two years. It definitely wasn’t a hard decision (to re-sign) after that last game (in Round 23) was probably the best moment of my life and out-does the draft and those sorts of things, so it made me super-excited for what’s to come.”
Settled
The ‘best moment of his life’ which Strachan refers to involves walking from the ground at Adelaide Oval to a raucous home crowd, then sitting in the rooms having a beer with departing players David Mackay and Tom Lynch who addressed the group after their final game. “The last quarter was pretty special with the three guys kicking goals (Mackay, Lynch, Gollant) it all meant something to them, and the whole group being around each other,” he said. “Walking off after the game I think I was somewhat proud of myself, the team and then being able to share those moments with the locker room after is something I’ll hold onto.” Strachan also feels settled off the field in Adelaide where he lives with his girlfriend and teammate Darcy Fogarty. “That works alright, we all get along well,” he said.
Support
“It’s nice to have him there for support with my footy, he’s got his things he’s working on and me as well so we definitely bounce off each other and during this period of the off-season is when we will push each other the best. “It’s looking likely I won’t even bother heading back to Victoria, last year I didn’t go back too often and I think that set me up for this year. “So I’ll look to have the same method this year, stay around, stick in the gym, I’ve got all the right people around me so I’m looking forward to it.”
