In Jim Main's series, 'Swan Songs', this week he talks to former Swans run-with specialist, Neil Brunton...

Neil Brunton
Born: January 3, 1969
Played: 1991-95
Games: 71
Goals: 10

Although tag specialist Neil Brunton gave the Sydney Swans five wonderful seasons of senior service, his career at one stage looked as if it wouldn’t get off the ground.

Brunton had joined the Swans from local club Holroyd Parramatta in 1988 and played a full season in the reserves in trying to press his claims for senior selection.

But, after staring off again in the reserves in the opening round of the following season, Brunton’s football world fell apart as the Swans had inadvertently botched the paperwork for his player registration.

“I’m not too sure what it was, but it had something to do with local player selections. I think the Swans were under the impression they could take any player from the Sydney area but the fact was that I wasn’t officially listed. I therefore returned to Holroyd Parramatta for the rest of the season,” Brunton recalled.

Brunton did not return to the Swans until 1991 and, this time, made the most of his opportunity in making his senior debut against Geelong at Kardinia Park late in the season.

He wore the unusually high number of 60 in his debut with the Swans, but later was handed the devil’s number - 13.

“Being very superstitious, I at first baulked at the number 13,” he said. “I wasn’t that keen on wearing it, but I thought to myself that it had not done Rod Carter any wrong, so I wore it with honour.”

Brunton was one of the first “local” products to play for the Swans, with Terry Thripp, Arthur Chilcott and Mark Roberts among the pioneers.

Despite the slow start to his football career, Brunton became a Swans regular over the 1992-94 seasons, used mainly in run-with roles on the opposition’s best midfielders.

“I had jobs on Carlton’s Greg Williams, St Kilda’s Robert Harvey and Collingwood’s Mick McGuane, among many other fine players,” he said. “It was tough mentally and I can assure you I had a few sleepless nights before playing on someone like Williams.”

Brunton spent his entire Swans’ career juggling with teacher studies and then teaching.

“It was very difficult and I had to be good at managing my time,” Brunton admitted.

“There were times when I would train first thing in the morning, have breakfast in my car on the way to teaching and then get back to training at the end of the school day.”

The heavy schedule eventually took its toll and Brunton left the Swans at the end of the 1995 at just 26 years of age.

“I could see the writing on the wall,” he said. “I had played only 10 or so games in 1995 and because we had a new coach (Rodney Eade) going into the new season I felt my time was up. I also was having a few injury problems, so the timing was right.”

Brunton spent a year away from football before being appointed playing coach of Campbelltown which, at that time, was playing in the ACT Football League. He guided them to the 1998 finals and, when the club returned to the Sydney Football League in 1999, took it to a flag.

Brunton no longer has any formal football ties, but follows the Swans with great interest, getting to four or five games a year and attending past player get-togethers.

A prep teacher and sports co-ordinator at Newington College, he is trying to get more schools involved in AFL programs.

Brunton, a Sydney boy through and through, is married to Michelle and they have a daughter, Kyla (11), and son Liam (nine).