SUCCESS was difficult to come by for Keegan Brooksby during his first AFL stint at Gold Coast, but the mature big man hopes that is about to change after joining the reigning premiers.
Brooksby was unveiled as a West Coast player on Tuesday after a whirlwind off-season.
Only a couple of months ago he was barracking for the Eagles in the Grand Final, despite watching deep in black and white territory at Collingwood's training base.
"That was a very quiet, sombre place after the final siren. But I picked West Coast, so I was going for West Coast and I was still happy at the end," Brooksby said.
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At that stage, the 28-year-old had no idea the Eagles had interest in him after a standout SANFL season for South Adelaide.
A phone call from ex-Suns recruiter Scott Clayton, now with West Coast, changed everything and Brooksby jumped at the chance to move to Perth under new pre-season supplemental selection period rules.
"It probably wasn't something that I really had considered at that point, no. I'm stoked about it, though," he said.
Brooksby's three-year stint at the Suns ended in 2017 with only one victory from 14 games, and he is crossing his fingers for more success.
He concedes he will start pre-season behind the eight-ball after only joining the Eagles this week, but is confident of challenging Nathan Vardy and Tom Hickey for a spot while Nic Naitanui (ACL) is sidelined.
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"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Gold Coast. Obviously the success wasn't quite there, and individually I probably got thrown around a little bit playing multiple positions which might not have suited me," Brooksby said.
"Obviously, the No.1 aim is to be playing AFL football and speaking to everyone at the club (West Coast) that was the key reason why I wanted to come here.
"But if am in the WAFL – and I'm sure at times that will happen – you play as well as you can, put your best foot forward, work hard and hopefully my skills that I have can help everyone in the football team, whichever I'm playing in and throughout the club, to make it as good a place as possible and hopefully get another flag."
Brooksby swung between defence and attack at the Suns, but led the SANFL for hit-outs (34.4 per game) last season while averaging 15 disposals.
The Eagles liked his competitive instincts, and the 198cm tall developed his ruck craft while co-captaining South Adelaide this year.
"From a football point-of-view, being able to play my natural position, ruck, week after week and be able to get a bit of continuity and consistency in performance was really good," he said.
"I see myself as a second ruck that can play forward. That would be the position – the way that it's (AFL) going – I'd be aiming to lock down."
