Sport
Brooker brothers back together as they look to spear GV Suns to promotion
Something remarkable happens every time Elijah and Isaac Brooker share a football pitch.
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Three years ago, the siblings graced the park for Wagga City Wanderers in NPL2 of Capital Football, winning a grand final in that instance ― on penalties, no less.
The next occasion both boys crossed the same white line was two months ago when family ties were thrown to the wind for 90 minutes as Isaac’s Ballarat City took on Elijah’s Goulburn Valley Suns, and the latter produced a whizzing 87th minute goal to spear the Suns to a 2-1 victory.
So you can bet Elijah had some choice words for his older brother.
“We spent a bit of time together after the game, went out for dinner, I made sure to let him know who came out on top,” Elijah said with a grin.
Though Isaac’s City went down that day, something stuck with him.
He’d heard nothing but good things about the Suns from Elijah and those words resonated as the midfielder has switched allegiances from Ballarat, where he’s been since 2016, and joined his brother at McEwen Reserve.
But as fate had intended it, what’s the first game he’ll be eligible to suit up in orange for given the proviso of a mid-season transfer window?
Ballarat City.
It’s a movie-quality script and, though Isaac knows he may have to wear an extra layer of protective padding to make it through the contest unscathed, he’s relishing the new challenge under Suns coach Craig Carley.
“I think it’ll be a bit hostile, it’s normal when you’re playing against a club that you’ve been a part of for a while,” he said.
“But I’m really looking forward to starting with the Suns and helping them towards promotion.
“I joined Suns because they have a great culture which I’d heard from Elijah, the club is set up really well and is really professional, Craig is obviously a really good guy and a good coach, so I wanted to be a part of that and join Elijah as well.”
There may be some more magic to come from the Brookers when Isaac, 26, finally lines up alongside Elijah this season.
He coached his younger brother from age 8-11 when they were growing up at Griffith, NSW, and may have taught him a trick or two about the beautiful game in their younger years.
But for Elijah, who has been a part of the Suns’ set-up since 2017, this season has been nothing short of a renaissance.
In fact, the 21-year-old’s contribution can be summarised in two words: super sub.
Though he’s yet to start a league fixture, Elijah has just about won games off his own boot for the Suns on a number of occasions, the first of which being his heroics against Ballarat.
The adept young forward then netted an equaliser in a 3-2 win over Essendon Royals the week later, and again proved decisive as his 91st minute strike sealed three points against Nunawading in round nine.
His prolific instinct has been Carley’s secret weapon off the bench and Elijah is thriving in the role he’s been handed by the Suns leader.
“I’m loving it, the culture this year is really good and it’s pretty much like being part of a big family,” he said.
“The performances are starting to show, we’ve got a really exciting cup run which has never been seen before for the club, so it’s just really exciting times at the moment.
“I enjoy being part of the team and having a role to play every week. It’s just nice to be appreciated by the boys as well, it’s good fun just playing as much time as I can.”
Off the field, the Brooker boys live in Shepparton and are studying online with Elijah’s chosen field being surveying and Isaac’s medicine.
It’s a far cry from years of ferrying back and forth from Griffith – a 550km round trip – which Elijah used to embark on in years gone by, though their dad Craig still racks up the mileage as he makes it down to the big smoke to watch his sons play.
Now reunited, there’s only one thing on the duo’s minds as the Suns look a real fancy to step back into the cut and thrust of Victoria’s second tier as well as making a splash in the national stage of the Australia Cup.
“I’m just looking to contribute where I can, I think promotion’s definitely the goal, so whatever role I can play in helping us achieve that, I’m happy to do,” Isaac said.
Elijah had to agree.
“Promotion is 100 per cent the goal, we have a good enough squad, a good enough team to get promoted and we should be aiming for that,” Elijah said.
“And also to enjoy the cup run that we’re already on and enjoy the rest of the season with the boys.
“I’d like a home game against an A-League side, maybe Melbourne Victory ― get a few of their fans down here and knock them out of the cup.”
• GV Suns take on Doveton at Waratah Reserve on Saturday at 3pm.
Sports Journalist