The CoodabeenChampions Quality Street
8 June 2002
You come across footballers that resemble Goodyear racing tyres. Super low profile. Designed for performance. A compound that's great in the dry. Fantastic in the wet. One man springs to mind. Brad Bootsma from the Dockers.
B & B began at South Fremantle. A mid ranger who could go forward and boot a needed goal. He stands 185 centimetres. The Avery needle stops at 82 kilos. The Boot gave great service to the WA Bulldogs. In 1999 he won South's best and fairest.
There was a bit of wear on the tread for AFL footy. At the age of 27 the Dockers chose him with 2000 pre season draft pick 2. Their only such selection. The club handed over the number 40 jumper once worn by Luke Toia and Jess Sinclair and rookie list player Darren Bolton.
Entertainment wasn't the Bootsma forte. Instead a hard working type. Strong in close. And like Firestones could always bounce back in adverse situations. His opening year took a while to warm up. The first seven rounds with South. Then senior selection. Round 8. Collingwood at Colonial. A night fixture. Bradley started on the bench. Came on early in the second at got involved. Two great tackles one of which wrapped up Buckley. A strategic kick forward fell into the arms of Heath Black who scored an easy major. Halfway through the last a lightning handpass from a forward pocket pack released Hasleby for a major. Freo home. 15.17 to 12.13.
Round 10 against the Kangaroos at the MCG. Bootsy played on the wing. Vulcanised himself to Shannon Grant. Yet B boy set up scoring opportunities through fast and low kicks forward and by clever handball. His vision in the confines of a pack produced a handpass for Steven Koops. Straight through the high diddle diddle. However the Roos overwhelmed Freo. 22.16 to 8.12.
During rounds 13 to 19 Braddles started on the bench. Action Jackson when he joined the fray. Round 20. Played as a ball carrier off half back. However a serious puncture in the Fremantle tube. At Colonial Melbourne inflicted a walloping. 25.10 to 11.11.
Bootsma played 13 games for 4 goals in his first season. 147 kicks and 57 marks and 36 handpasses. A solid return. Like BHP shares used to be.
He started 2001 as if every weekend was his birthday. Round 8. Geelong at Alphabet Stadium. Brado shook his Booty at half forward all day. Halfway through the third he dug the ball from a pack. A kick with a weight perfect as a circle found the chest of Modra who goaled. 20 minutes into the final stanza the Boot ran on to a loose ball, dodged Scarlett and Sando and rammed through the major from 35. The Docks lost. 10.13 to 14.11.
Then he copped a knee injury. Restricted as a straight jacket. After 23 AFL games Brad has returned to South Fremantle. This season he has been pumping up his goal scoring tyres.
Brad Bootsma is about to put a retread on his AFL career.