CHRIS KEUNEN PLAYER COLUMN – ROUND 2

A WEST Perth premiership player will be writing a column for the club's website every week of the 2014 WAFL season. This week's edition is Chris Keunen's first offering.

AT THE end of every year you always sit back and reflect on what you have achieved. Whether it be as a family, team or individually it helps you set your goals for the next year. For me 2013 will be very, very difficult to top.

2013 started for Anna, my wife, and I in Oman visiting our nephew for the first time and then sometime in Dubai to relax and prepare for what would be the greatest year of our lives. We had moved to Perth in 2006 from Melbourne and that had been a pretty exciting time. The 2013 pre-season had a different feel to it and there was a buzz around the club.

Round 2 saw me injure my hip and my first trip back to Melbourne for the year. After beating Subi, Anna and I made a mad dash to the airport to fly back home for my cousins wedding. Feeling pretty sore after the game we had a great time in Melbourne even though it was rushed, it is always nice to see the family again. It was a great way to celebrate the start of the year.

A couple of weeks later, Anna and I were again making that mad dash to the airport. This time after our hard fought win over South Freo. I got on the plane to Melbourne, this time by myself, because Anna was very heavily pregnant and we didn’t want to take any risks. The trip was for one of my best mates weddings, Dave and Mel. I have known Dave since primary school, attended secondary school together and having lived around the corner from each other, we had become great friends. We were unsure for a while if I would be able to attend this event and I was glad that I could be there to see him on the day. One of the hard parts about Anna staying, while missing her, was the fact that she was missing one of her best friends, from school, wedding on the same day. 

To this stage it had been a busy and fun start to the year and we had some time to just relax. Footy was going along nicely, both the team and individually. I will admit that when the state squad was announced I was pretty disappointed to not be named, but in a way it was a blessing. The state game was played on the May 11. I may have found it tough to play that day because at 6.32 that morning, our little man, Xavier, was born. This day was the most amazing of my life. The euphoria of this moment would take quite some time to wear off. 

The footy season was ticking along nicely. After heading out to celebrate Luke Tedesco’s 100th game I remember having a conversation with Jordan Jones and Dan Hunt. We spoke about how the team had a great mix of young players, a main group of guys who had played 30-70 games and experienced guys who were playing great footy. We each agreed that this group had the chance to win a premiership within the next couple of years. Little did we know it would a bit earlier than we predicted.

At the start of the season we had once again been written off and even though we were playing great footy and continually rising to the challenge, the only people who thought we were a chance for the flag where people involved in the club. Anna and I were again jet setting to Melbourne for another wedding. This time it was my sisters. It was a very special moment, the wedding was great and it was the first time that Xavier and his cousin, Lucas, met. It was awesome having the whole family together.

As a team we had looked forward to the trip Moora to play Perth. The win helped to cement our spot in the finals but also put some question marks over us. Teddy injured his calf and I dislocated my shoulder. Lucky for both of us the injuries didn’t stop us for long. I missed the following game against East Freo. They gave us a bit of a wake-up call, although the fact we were missing a few key players, we knew that the loss was a chance to reassess where we were as a team and also tactically. 

Finally the finals had arrived. I was pretty nervous for the game. I had played in other finals and been beaten every time. But this was a different team and our confidence in each other was sky high. Training had been great leading up to the game and we knew we had what it took to beat Claremont. The game was hard and tight all day and there wasn’t a moment you could relax. When I rolled my ankle in the last quarter, all I could think about was getting back out on the field to help the team win the game. I was glad I could be on the field, albeit in a bit of discomfort, when the siren went. The jubilation was huge and the way the supporters were roaring it was hard to try and keep a lid on the excitement knowing that we had one game to go.

I barely moved off the couch the next week, my foot in a moon boot, constant icing, x-rays, MRI's and visits to the physio and sports specialists were as much as I did. I hobbled around the oval while the boys had a training session on day of the preliminary final, before we watched the ressies join us in a grand final. 

The final week of training for season 2013 was very light. Our last session saw plenty of fans join us and the build-up to another exciting day for me was mounting. The day of the grand final was surprisingly relaxed. My parents came over for the game which was great. Every West Perth fan and player has their own feeling about how amazing the game was but the first thing I could think of after the game was seeing Anna and Xavier. It wasn’t until I had the cup on the other side of the field that she found me. My two favourite photos I have from that day are of the three of us holding the cup together and of me with Xavier standing in the cup.

Winning the premiership for me wasn’t just about that day. It was about the sacrifice that Anna and I had made coming to Perth eight years earlier and all the challenges we had faced since. It was a bit of reward for us and the team. Being able to have Xavier with us just made it even more special.

To add to our amazing year, Anna and I both turned 30 which we got to celebrate with our families and close friends. Another trip to Melbourne for another of my cousin’s weddings and as the MC for the day it felt pretty good being able to introduce myself as a West Perth premiership player.  We also got to celebrate Anna’s Grandad’s 90th and our nephew Lucas’ first birthday.

The final piece of the puzzle in our amazing 2013 was Anna was given the huge recognition for all her hard work that she puts in at her job by passing her Level 3 Classroom Teacher, which I equate to being similar in effort, to what I put into our season at West Perth.

So after four weddings, both Anna and I turning 30, the birth of our son Xavier, Anna’s mum turning 60 and Anna’s grandfather turning 90, Anna achieving Level 3 and a premiership, I am not sure 2013 can ever be topped. 2014 brings with it new challenges and with a little hard work it can emulate some of the excitement and milestones that we had last year.

BY CHRIS KEUNEN