SPENDING a week at the Melbourne Football Club is familiar territory for 2000 Brownlow Medallist, Shane Woewodin.
After all, he spent five years in the red and blue, between 1997 and 2002, followed by three seasons playing for Collingwood.
Following this, Woewodin headed back west, and after a short stint assistant coaching at Fremantle, has been involved with his beloved East Fremantle, both as player and coach.
‘I’m dedicated to fast tracking and developing youngsters - my mantra really is to ‘live your dream’,’ he told melbournefc.com.au.
This summarises the Woewodin experience in the game perfectly.
Over the past decade, he has ranged from being a determined youngster who persevered against the odds to gain a place on a senior list, to being equally as determined in his ambitions in the game today.
Perhaps it is because of the challenges he faced - and overcame - that Woewodin has been such as success, not only as a player, but as a coach, and as someone who fiercely loves the game, and who quite willingly says that ‘mateships and friendships are the biggest thing in footy, and the biggest thing you take out of footy.’
Indeed, this season Woewodin has had the chance to take to the playing arena with some other Melbourne identities, playing at the Shepparton Swans.
Former teammates have returned to current teammate status, with Russell Robertson starring as a goal scorer, alongside local favourite son, Adem Yze, and the ever effervescent Nathan Brown.
‘It’s been about eight years since I played with three really close mates’, Woewodin reflects.
‘We used to live with each other 24 hours a day - it’s really special. And we haven’t lost our ability, so playing together is very infectious!’
Woewodin’s dedication to the game has always been infectious, and dates back even before he started playing with Melbourne.
‘It was a big moment - that day after pre-season, when Cameron Schwab came into the gym, and said they were going to draft me tomorrow. I remember it really clearly, and I remember my first game, and my first possession. It felt great!’ he said.
His first season - 1997 - started with a win over North Melbourne, and with Woewodin playing every game through what was a fraught year for the Club from every angle, highlighted by just four victories.
But then came 1998, and the Neale Daniher-led Demons took control of the competition until encountering the all-powerful Kangaroos in the Preliminary Final.
But, the achievement of rising from the bottom of the ladder, to making the finals, was a proud one, and as Woewodin puts it, ‘what we did in 1998 as a whole was really exciting.’
Of course, just two seasons after that, season 2000 put another level on excitement and achievement, with Woewodin’s triumphs a feature piece of a huge team effort. From the Preliminary Final in 1998, the side advanced to the 2000 grand final, and looking back, Woewodin says it was ‘hard work, getting there was exciting, though.’
The following week, which started off with a bang, courtesy of Woewodin’s Brownlow, was ‘big in itself’.
While the ultimate success proved elusive, his determination and will to get the best out of himself exemplified the team as a whole.
And now, spending a week at the new facilities at AAMI Park, undertaking a variety of personal development exercises, Woewodin harks back to the Junction Oval.
‘AAMI Park is obviously in baby stages. But it’s a far cry from the Junction. It’s great to see the club at a standard where all clubs should be. I guess with the Junction that you make the most of what you’ve got at the time, and new facilities do make a difference, say with IT coming a long way, and having what you need to recover right there makes it much easier,’ he said.
The team certainly made a great deal of season 2000, but, following this peak, what followed was difficult for Woewodin.
‘My 2002 departure was tough. My time at Collingwood was a tough period, but I had a good time there. Then, it was also tough the day I pulled the curtains on my career,’ he said.
Now that he has moved beyond the playing arena, and especially after having the recent chance to catch up with former teammates, Woewodin has gained an extra dimension to his life.
‘I want to stay with coaching in the long term, and I certainly have aspirations to go further, especially heading to a finals campaign!’ he said.
As well as the game, Woewodin has been married for seven years, and is an enthusiastic father of four. It’s a busy life, but one that he highly recommends.‘My mates are having kids now, and it’s good to see. It’s a wonderful part of my life,’ he said.
Even more exciting is the potential of his own brood. Taj, aged seven, ‘loves footy. I miss out on their lives with coaching, so I hope he steps out.’
It is, as Woewodin was himself, an exciting prospect.
And, looking back to a young Western Australian, running out in Round One, 1997, it is a brilliant part of the red and blue story.
After all, he spent five years in the red and blue, between 1997 and 2002, followed by three seasons playing for Collingwood.
Following this, Woewodin headed back west, and after a short stint assistant coaching at Fremantle, has been involved with his beloved East Fremantle, both as player and coach.
‘I’m dedicated to fast tracking and developing youngsters - my mantra really is to ‘live your dream’,’ he told melbournefc.com.au.
This summarises the Woewodin experience in the game perfectly.
Over the past decade, he has ranged from being a determined youngster who persevered against the odds to gain a place on a senior list, to being equally as determined in his ambitions in the game today.
Perhaps it is because of the challenges he faced - and overcame - that Woewodin has been such as success, not only as a player, but as a coach, and as someone who fiercely loves the game, and who quite willingly says that ‘mateships and friendships are the biggest thing in footy, and the biggest thing you take out of footy.’
Indeed, this season Woewodin has had the chance to take to the playing arena with some other Melbourne identities, playing at the Shepparton Swans.
Former teammates have returned to current teammate status, with Russell Robertson starring as a goal scorer, alongside local favourite son, Adem Yze, and the ever effervescent Nathan Brown.
‘It’s been about eight years since I played with three really close mates’, Woewodin reflects.
‘We used to live with each other 24 hours a day - it’s really special. And we haven’t lost our ability, so playing together is very infectious!’
Woewodin’s dedication to the game has always been infectious, and dates back even before he started playing with Melbourne.
‘It was a big moment - that day after pre-season, when Cameron Schwab came into the gym, and said they were going to draft me tomorrow. I remember it really clearly, and I remember my first game, and my first possession. It felt great!’ he said.
His first season - 1997 - started with a win over North Melbourne, and with Woewodin playing every game through what was a fraught year for the Club from every angle, highlighted by just four victories.
But then came 1998, and the Neale Daniher-led Demons took control of the competition until encountering the all-powerful Kangaroos in the Preliminary Final.
But, the achievement of rising from the bottom of the ladder, to making the finals, was a proud one, and as Woewodin puts it, ‘what we did in 1998 as a whole was really exciting.’
Of course, just two seasons after that, season 2000 put another level on excitement and achievement, with Woewodin’s triumphs a feature piece of a huge team effort. From the Preliminary Final in 1998, the side advanced to the 2000 grand final, and looking back, Woewodin says it was ‘hard work, getting there was exciting, though.’
The following week, which started off with a bang, courtesy of Woewodin’s Brownlow, was ‘big in itself’.
While the ultimate success proved elusive, his determination and will to get the best out of himself exemplified the team as a whole.
And now, spending a week at the new facilities at AAMI Park, undertaking a variety of personal development exercises, Woewodin harks back to the Junction Oval.
‘AAMI Park is obviously in baby stages. But it’s a far cry from the Junction. It’s great to see the club at a standard where all clubs should be. I guess with the Junction that you make the most of what you’ve got at the time, and new facilities do make a difference, say with IT coming a long way, and having what you need to recover right there makes it much easier,’ he said.
The team certainly made a great deal of season 2000, but, following this peak, what followed was difficult for Woewodin.
‘My 2002 departure was tough. My time at Collingwood was a tough period, but I had a good time there. Then, it was also tough the day I pulled the curtains on my career,’ he said.
Now that he has moved beyond the playing arena, and especially after having the recent chance to catch up with former teammates, Woewodin has gained an extra dimension to his life.
‘I want to stay with coaching in the long term, and I certainly have aspirations to go further, especially heading to a finals campaign!’ he said.
As well as the game, Woewodin has been married for seven years, and is an enthusiastic father of four. It’s a busy life, but one that he highly recommends.‘My mates are having kids now, and it’s good to see. It’s a wonderful part of my life,’ he said.
Even more exciting is the potential of his own brood. Taj, aged seven, ‘loves footy. I miss out on their lives with coaching, so I hope he steps out.’
It is, as Woewodin was himself, an exciting prospect.
And, looking back to a young Western Australian, running out in Round One, 1997, it is a brilliant part of the red and blue story.
