Western Jets utility Brodie Romensky was prepared to go the extra mile to get the most out of his top-age TAC Cup season.
The Jets crowned Romensky as their Barry Round Medal winner for best-and-fairest this season, with the seeds of a brilliant campaign sewn all the way back in the middle of last summer.
Romensky needed to find an edge to maximise his potential.
Living in Maribyrnong, the nearby Athletics Essendon club and Aberfeldie running track provided the perfect summer training destination, particularly after Romensky was told by his coach, Torin Baker, that he would likely spend more time in the midfield this season after his bottom-age year was spent mainly as a defender.
“Torin gave me the idea that I could play in the midfield coming into this year, so I made sure I had a massive preseason,” Romensky said. “I just tried to get fit and strong for this year … in the preseason I did a bit of training with the athletics club to get my fitness up.
“That definitely helped – those blokes are super fit and it was a struggle to keep up with them.”
Romensky’s consistency – both over the course of the season and within games – is what set him apart in the race for the club champion award.
His ability to repeatedly get to contests meant he won plenty of clearances. He also has sound game sense, as evidenced by his intercept marking on the backline.
It has not been just the Jets’ coaches taking notice of Romensky. The Maribyrnong Park-aligned junior got the chance to represent Vic Metro at the under-18 national championships and played for Williamstown in the VFL on two occasions.
He was named in the TAC Cup team of the year, too.
It was a dream season on a personal level for Romensky.
“At the start of the year, I wanted to play well – but I probably wouldn’t have expected to have as good a year as I did,” he said.
“I was really proud when it was announced that I got into the TAC Cup team of the year.
“I’m proud of the achievement [of winning the Barry Round Medal].”
Romensky’s highlight of the season was featuring in his first game for Vic Metro against SA in the City of Churches.
It was a game that provided a cliffhanger ending, with the Big V getting home late.
“It was my first time ever representing Vic Metro so it was pretty surreal,” he said. “We came back to win from something like 40 points down.”
The hard work does not stop for Romensky.
The 18-year-old wants to arrive at pre-draft state screening in tip-top shape in the hope of impressing AFL recruiters in the lead up to the national draft in November.
“I’m putting a lot of hard work in to try and get fitter and quicker,” he said.
