Born and bred in Western Sydney, captaincy means a lot more than just an armband to Brendan Hamill.
Born and bred in Western Sydney, captaincy means a lot more than just an armband to defender Brendan Hamill.
As a youngster, Hamill rose through the ranks of his local teams Chipping Norton, Marconi and Parramatta Eagles before completing his apprenticeship in the NSW and Australian Institute of Sport programs.
It was back in 2014, in the middle of the Wanderers historical AFC Champions League campaign, that Hamill returned to Western Sydney with four seasons of professional football under his belt.
The commanding defender was immediately thrust into the action, making his debut in the Wanderers Champions League Quarter Final, a memory he will never forget.
“It’s probably the highlight of my career so far that Asian Champions League win and to be part of it. The Quarter Final, the Semi Final and the Asian Champions League Final and to go on to win it was huge,” said Hamill.
“I was only 21 at the time, I’ve got a lot of experience from that period and I played with a lot of great leaders in that era over the few years.
“I’m well established to be where I am now and I’m just looking to continue to take everything I can, to grow as a person, to grow as a leader and to grow as a footballer and to keep getting better and better every single day.”
Hamill’s appointment as the Western Sydney Wanderers fifth captain is not the first time the defender has been handed leadership duties for the Red & Black, having been previously named in the Wanderers leadership group last season alongside Robbie Cornthwaite, Mark Bridge and Vedran Janjetovic.
“We’ve got a lot of leaders in this team and a lot of experience,” explained Hamill.
“Yeah I wear the armband but there’s your Mark Bridge’s, Vedran Janjetovic’s and Oriol Riera’s – plenty more in the squad that have a lot of experience.
“We need everyone together to be united and around each other to have a crack this year, I’ve got that and I’ve got that support.
“I’m going to lean on them as much as I can to be as successful as we can this year because at this club it’s all about winning titles and chasing honours. It’s no different this year.”
Embarking now on his fifth season with the club, Hamill understands the weight of expectation that comes with being a leader and the leader of his hometown club.
“I think being able to read players, their state of mind, and making sure that everyone is on the same page is the biggest lesson and test that you have as a leader,” explained Hamill.
“Because that’s the only way you are going to be successful – you have to have every single player and every single coaching staff on that same page to have a chance at winning anything.
“For me, that’s the biggest thing to learn and you have to learn quickly, to make sure everyone’s on the same page.
“It’s tough but I’ve got a lot of players around me and they’ve got a lot of leadership experience and they’re going to help me, I know that, throughout the season. It’s not about me, it’s about everyone.”
For Hamill, representing and leading his hometown club is an opportunity he is beyond grateful for.
“I’m just honoured to represent the people of Western Sydney, I’m honoured to represent the people of Western Sydney.
“To lead the team is a massive honour but to do it in an environment where I was born and bred is huge for me, huge for my family.
“I’m excited, it’s a huge challenge we’ve got ahead but I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve got some great leaders around me and we really want to do something this year. We really want to compete and we really want to compete and attack that title.”
