Source : ABC NEWS
If Jye Menzie had listened to the naysayers, he may never have been drafted into the AFL.
And he likely never would have become captain of the Tasmania Devils VFL team.
Growing up in Bridgewater, on the far outskirts of Hobart, the 23-year-old Menzie encountered his fair share of detractors growing up.
Menzie is the captain of the Tasmania Devils VFL side. (Supplied: Tasmania Devils)
In the minds of the doubters, nobody from Bridgewater ever amounted to much.
But Menzie said he would not swap his upbringing for all the money in the world.
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way, and I’m so proud to come from this place,”
he said.
“I spent 18 years living here. I loved it as a young tacker growing up in these streets, riding bikes and scooters. Any ball I could get in my hands, I did.”
Ignoring Bridgewater’s detractors
Bridgewater, and neighbouring Gagebrook and Herdsman’s Cove, are a notorious cluster of suburbs north of Hobart, known for some of the nation’s worst socio-economic outcomes and high level of disadvantage.
Menzie grew up in those suburbs, spending his childhood almost exclusively outdoors playing football and soccer.
Menzie came to the Devils after a stint with Essendon. (Supplied: Tasmania Devils)
He was drafted by Essendon from the North Hobart Football Club but played his juniors at nearby Brighton — at the ground the Devils now use as a temporary training base.
“You can probably get written off from growing up in this area, and people have a different opinion of you, but I guess my journey is just a small snippet of if you’re determined you can put your mind to anything and achieve your dreams,” he said.
“There’s always the background noise of others talking saying ‘oh, you come from Bridgewater’. I wouldn’t have had it any other way, it just added fuel to the fire for me, and I had to work a little bit harder than the others, but I love it.“
Bridgewater sits within the broader Brighton municipality, a part of southern Tasmania that has developed an on-and-off field connection with the Devils.
So far this season, Menzie is averaging 22 disposals, six tackles and five marks. (Supplied: Tasmania Devils)
Inaugural coach Jeromey Webberley is from the area, as are listed players Darcy Gardiner and Will Splann. The club’s men’s and women’s teams train at Pontville Oval in Brighton and will likely continue to do so until their new high-performance centre at Kingston is ready for use.
A role model for local kids
Menzie now splits his time between VFL footballer and a teacher at Guilford Young College in Glenorchy after being delisted by the Bombers last year.
He believed having the Devils embedded nearby could move the needle for the area’s disaffected youth, and said moving back to the area was “probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made”.
It is a sentiment reflected in his football — through 11 games with the Devils this season, Menzie is averaging 22 disposals, six tackles, five marks and has kicked 15 goals while playing as an attacking midfielder.
The Devils have a temporary training base in the area where Menzie grew up. (ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough)
He has also stepped into the role of club captain in the absence of veteran Robbie Fox, who is being managed through the season.
“I just want to be a role model, and I guess some of the kids growing up here and that have dreams, I just want to show them and encourage them that anything is possible,”
he said.
“I guess if you said when I was 10 you’re going to play ‘x’ amount of AFL games and be on a list for three years, you probably would have said you’re laughing, but it gives hope to these young kids that have these aspirations and want to make it to the next level in whatever field they’re in.”
Brighton Mayor Leigh Gray says the Bridgewater community is tight-knit. (ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough)
Brighton Mayor Leigh Gray, who also grew up in Bridgewater, agreed.
“To have that in our local area, and to see kids see people like Jye training and using our facilities just encourages them that they can make it as well,” he said.
He said the perception of places like his home suburb do not always match the reality.
“I think it’s the outside talk from other people that don’t understand. This is a close-knit community, we’re very strong, and everybody who lives here is very proud of being from here and where we live,” he said.
