Our Man in Asia hits the ground running
Uni Blues stalwart Michael “Bomber” Thomas slipped back into Melbourne recently after a 12 month stint toiling in Kuala Lumpur. To the mild surprise of the Uni Blues coaching brains trust, Bomber was “match fit” when he touched down at Tullamarine courtesy of a brief but decorated playing career with Asian AFL powerhouse, the Malaysian Warriors.
Bomber takes up the tale: “Through a surfing mate from Melbourne I got in contact with the Malaysian Warriors AFL club and through the Warriors I was involved with the Orang Eire Malaysian Gaelic Football Team. The two clubs interact and overlap socially, and many Irish players have a go at the AFL and vice versa.”
“It is a very social competition, but can get heated on the field. The average playing age of players in these clubs easily pushes up to and over the 35 years old range, prolonging careers of many, including myself.”
Those who thought the trek to Chelsworth Park on the weekend was a mission should consider the away fixtures for Asia’s AFL elite:
“Most large Asian cities have a team. Singapore, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Thailand (Bangkok), Hong Kong, Cambodia, Bali, Jakarta, China (Shanghai and Beijing), Dubai, Philippines (Manila) and Japan (Tokyo). Usually the club will host 3-4 teams in Kuala Lumpur and will tour 3-4 times. Malaysia, being in South East Asia, will typically tour to Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Jakarta. In September/October each year there is the Asian Championships, a round robin played over 1 day. This year that tournament will be held in Kuala Lumpur.”
Bomber, the 2008 Rookie of the Year for the Malaysian Warriors, encountered a galaxy of ex-Blues stars making it big in Asian AFL circles by deploying skills honed on cold, dark weeknights in the shadow of the Ormond College Tower. He witnessed Cam Roydhouse, a member of the 2007 All Asian Team, blitzing for the Singapore Wombats and Stewart Henderson stepping out for the Bali Geckos. According to Bomber, Dave Edwards is busy chalking up games for the Jakarta Bintangs, Matt Griggs is playing with the Vietnam Swans and former Blues Under 19 Nick Vogels finished third in the Malaysian Warriors’ 2008 Best and Fairest. Nathan Byrnes plays for the Hong Kong Dragons, a club that deployed none other than current Blues Reserves coach Dr D. Guengerich when his stop in town coincided with the 2007 Asian Championships.
Bomber and his wife Olivia are currently settling back in to Melbourne, with the arrival of a junior Bomber expected in October. While plotting his own return to Club 18 ranks for the Blues, Bomber has not forgotten the Malaysian Warriors just yet. Indeed, he will be closely monitoring the rumoured forthcoming debut of another Uni Blues icon for the club. None other than Wayne “Turk” Carroll is currently living and working in Kuala Lumpur and is said to be dusting off his football boots with a dangerous glint in his eye.
