When Michael Weier arrived at Hume City from Brisbane as a 19-year-old, his soccer career was just starting to take off.
Five years later, as he leaves the club as one of the best goalkeepers in the country and an A-League contract.
Weier now calls the Newcastle Jets home after signing with the side for the upcoming A-League season.
Weier said he had no idea that he was on the Jets’ radar until he got a phone call from the club.
“It is good, it is something I’ve worked towards for five years or so,” he said.
“It’s good when all the hard work pays off. It’s now about taking that opportunity.
“The boss gave us a call and I guess that was my clue. In terms of preparations, we hadn’t played for four weeks.
“I was sitting there doing nothing for four weeks, it wasn’t the best of preparation. The Jets boss let me ease into things.”
Weier didn’t have long to let the news settle in that he had signed a contract, moving to Newcastle in the following days.
Like Melbourne, Newcastle is in lockdown. Weier is the first to admit he struggled when he first took to the training track.
“I’ve got some mates who have played for the Jets over the years and they speak highly of the place,” he said.
“Speaking to them and getting their feedback, it was exciting knowing I was coming here.
“I haven’t seen much of Newcastle yet, from what I’ve seen the beaches are great, weather seems to be nice every day, I can’t complain.
“Obviously the preparation wasn’t the greatest. Trying to back up the next day after a big session it was tough and the body wasn’t handling it too well.
“I had to get in a lot of ice baths and do all the little things to ensure that I was training every day. Once I got through that two week period, my body has handled it now and I’m able to keep backing up.”
Weier is no stranger to expectation, following in the footsteps of goalkeeper Chris Oldfield at Hume City. Oldfield won NPL goalkeeper of the year the year prior to Weier joining the club.
Weier would win that title in 2017 and 2019, with Oldfield winning it at Avondale in between.
Weier’s heroics in the FFA Cup also made headlines nationally.
Weier was quick to praise the impact of Hume City on his life.
“Going down to Hume, the club treated me like family from day one,” he said.
“That helped me really settle in there. Trusting a young keeper, I knew I had to repay them one way or another. It’s been a good five years at Hume and I’m grateful for them, it was a great time.”
Weier’s time at Hume has coincided with the most successful period in the club’s history, including winning the club’s first piece of silverware; the Dockerty Cup in 2019.
The club has made the final of this year’s competition, which has been postponed due to the pandemic. It made the final 32 of the FFA Cup.
“The football was fun,” Weier said. “Playing with the characters that I did, through the ups and downs it was always good to stIck around the club.
“Bringing the Dockerty Cup to Hume for the first time … It was a special time, we were looking forward to doing it again over 2020 and 2021, but COVID didn’t allow us to do so.
“I know the club is at a strong point and they will keep on and win more championships and I have full confidence in them.”
Weier thinks there will be more titles in the coming years.
“The club grew me personally on the field and off the field,” he said.
“I didn’t think anything of it when I went down, I thought I would give it my best shot. With the facilities the club has, the personnel in the boardroom, it allows you to grow on and off the field.
“I owe a lot to that club and I’m grateful for my time there.”
Weier now is looking forward to getting onto the pitch once restrictions end in Newcastle.
“We’ve had a lot of intra club games,” he said. “As soon as anything is opening up we’ll be trying to get on the pitch.
“You can do as much as you like in training, but at the end of the day it’s what you put on the pitch that matters.
“I love to play game day, it’s what you work for.”
Jets manager Arthur Papas, who coached against Weier in the NPL, said the club was very happy to have secured Weier for the upcoming season.
“Michael has been the outstanding NPL goalkeeper for some time now where he also captained his side Hume City,” Papas said.
“Since training with us Michael has impressed everybody with his character and his qualities, and the goalkeeper position is the same as any other position where we need to have players competing daily.”
