Kaufman not giving up on his AFL dream
The average career of an AFL player is six years. Gold Coast Suns International Scholarship player Brandon Kaufman’s time on an AFL list was over after 138 days.
The average career of an AFL player is six years. Gold Coast Suns International Scholarship player Brandon Kaufman’s time on an AFL list was over after 138 days.
The 25-year-old former American footballer from Denver, Colorado, is still hopeful he can continue his AFL journey elsewhere after the Gold Coast Suns parted ways with him in August.
“I have trialled for another team, and he [manager Zach Frederick] has spoken to others. The rules for international rookies are holding up any further AFL ventures at the moment,” Kaufman told The AJN.
Standing at 196cm, Kaufman picked up a Sherrin for the first time in November, 2015. After being scouted by Suns recruiters who were impressed with his speed, power and versatility, Kaufman was put through his paces in an intense AFL education and development program under the mentorship of former player Leigh McMahon and US AFL coach Tom Ellis.
Kaufman finally signed in April and played his first game of Australian Rules for the Labrador Tigers reserves in the Queensland AFL on April 24, as a key defender.
After just one game he was thrust into the Suns’ seconds team, which played in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL), partly due to the top team’s injury crisis and so that his coaches would be able to manage him more closely.
“At the time we decided we would be able to manage his game time and positions better at NEAFL level,” Suns development coach Jamason Daniels told The AJN.
“If anything we were worried he may get overloaded at local football level and learn bad habits. He showed in that game and at training he would be capable of playing NEAFL,” Daniels said.
His first game was against the eventual premiers, GWS. The severely undermanned Suns were trounced by 71 points and despite Kaufman’s tough initiation to that level of football he was named his side’s best in the loss.
“I did not look too much into it. I just was happy to be playing sports again at a high level,” Kaufman said.
He went on to play the next seven games in a row and 11 in total. The first five matches he played in, the Suns lost by an average of 12 goals, making staying positive and developing in that environment a challenge.
“It was tough because I have never lost a game like that before, but ultimately it was okay because at the beginning I was more concerned with progressing my skills and positioning,” he said.
He gathered 20 disposals on two occasions and took five marks or more three times. In torrential rain against the Sydney Swans’ NEAFL team in round 10, Kaufman imposed himself on the contest with a -game-high 10 tackles.
Despite his positive start to life as an AFL footballer, Kaufman was told in late August by the Suns that his time at Metricon Stadium would not go on into 2017.
It was a decision that surprised him. “I did all they wanted and more, I was told I was ahead of where they expected me to be by the end of the season, but I understood completely because sometimes not everything aligns,” he said.
As an 18-year-old he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and missed his senior American football season at school, which contributed to the Suns’ decision to let him go.
“They said with all the recent knee injuries they couldn’t risk adding someone to the list who has had past knee injuries. I was disappointed because of all the work everyone and I put in and how far we came in just nine months,” he said.
There are many obvious challenges that come with being an international athlete attempting to transition to a foreign sport, and homesickness was definitely one of the toughest for Kaufman.
Like most foreigners to Australian Rules, Kaufman found kicking the toughest skill to master.
When he began training with the Suns he quickly realised the challenge that was ahead of him.
“It was constant. I took very few breaks away from it.
“When I was home I watched vision and footy shows.
“I would practise my skills before and after practice every day. I did not want to do anything else until I was capable of contributing at a high level in games,” he said.
After years playing college football, a stint in the NFL and AFL, Kaufman isn’t sure what his next move will be, but hopes to play AFL.
“I am not sure. If the AFL does not work out I might move into the corporate world,” he said.
Kaufman will be with family in Denver for the High Holy Days, and will be hoping for a happy and sweet new year as he looks to make his Aussie dream a reality.
AARON FETTER
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