By Greg Buckle
October 24th 2009 @ 1:13am
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Seaby embraces second chance with Swans
St Kilda’s Tony Lockett and later Barry Hall earned big money in Sydney and also found it a little easier to buy milk without being asked to pose for a photo.
But Sydney’s top recruit for the 2010 AFL season isn’t coming to the Harbour City to escape the spotlight.
Three years after playing in a premiership side for West Coast against Sydney, Mark Seaby says his best football is ahead of him.
The 200cm ruckman is keen to prove it after playing just five games in 2009 for a career total of 102.
Hall has gone to Western Bulldogs and Amon Buchanan joins Brisbane, while ex-Hawks Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn and former Cats ruckman Shane Mumford join Seaby at the Swans.
“I’ve never had too much of a profile anyway so it has never bothered me too much,” Seaby told reporters at the SCG on Friday after the Swans had a light training run at Centennial Park.
“It was more Juddy, Cuzzie and Kerry (Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr).
“Perth is pretty small and they’re passionate about their football so it will be nice I suppose as a team in general having a low profile.”
The 25-year-old says he always felt he could find a new home to continue his AFL career, despite struggling for game time behind Dean Cox, Quinten Lynch and Nic Naitanui at West Coast.
“Coming here as the most experienced ruckman at the club now, I look forward really taking that opportunity,” Seaby said.
“Last season was a hard year.
“Even if I wasn’t playing great footy, I was still hoping that I could seek a trade or a draft.
“Halfway through the year, it got pretty hard for me.
“I wasn’t even playing good footy in the WAFL so that was a bit of a concern but I felt I turned that around towards the end of the year.”
When Seaby met with Swans officials in September, they discussed how he would work with Darren Jolly in the ruck in 2010 if Seaby joined Sydney.
“But that went out the window when he got traded (to Collingwood),” Seaby said.
Seaby says he hasn’t played against Mumford but has high hopes for the 23-year-old who played 18 games for the premiers in 2009, missing selection for the grand final.
Seaby is already building himself up for a clash with Cox.
“Yeah very much so. We’ve only played against each other at training or in practice matches,” the West Australian said.
“It will be nice to go against him. Him and Nic will both be huge challenges next year.
“That will be exciting when we take each other on.
“I haven’t done a lot of exercise yet. I’m getting over a bit of ankle surgery.
“The weights will be a big focus for me this year to get back up to just over the 100-kilo mark.”
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bever fever said | October 26th 2009 @ 8:00pm | Report comment
Can take a mark and is a very good kick for goal.
Saw him play quite a few games for West perth this year, did not look interested, hope he goes OK for the Swannies.