If Keegan Brooksby is going to remain in Rodney Eade’s side, he knows that he must continue to hit the scoreboard. For a man recruited as ruckman and with little exposure to life inside forward 50, it’s a tough reality but something he is sinking his teeth into.
 
Opportunities don’t grow on trees, particularly not for mature-aged rookies who at 24, hardly have time to waste. But in the last handful of weeks, the SANFL product has begun to add another string to his bow.
 
A five-goal haul in the NEAFL a fortnight ago saw him promoted back into the senior side, with Brooksby spending approximately 75% of his game time in attack, around stints chopping Tom Nicholls out in the ruck.
 
On Saturday night against North Melbourne, Brooksby performed his role diligently, kicking two goals and gathering 12 hitouts. As the second ruckman, the role is off Broadway, but a supporting act in the AFL is preferable to the leading position in the reserves.
 
“I think my spot in an AFL side would be as a second ruck, mainly as a forward. And being able to give a fair bit of support through the ruck when I need to go in there and just keep on working on my forward game and developing that and hopefully that puts me in a spot where I can get a regular game,” Brooksby told SUNS TV on Tuesday afternoon.
 
“Playing up forward is something I’ve tried to add to my game a fair bit this year which I haven’t really done in the past. So to finish with a couple of goals is always nice. I obviously like having a bit of a run around in the ruck as well, so when I’m in there I try to stick to what I know as well.”
 
At 197cm tall, Brooksby is undersized for a ruckman in the modern era. Hence the need to expand his repertoire. Under the guidance of Ashley Prescott, Josh Fraser and Matthew Lappin, the South Adelaide recruit has gradually developed his skillset in attack.
 
Stepping into an AFL environment on a full-time basis and training alongside highly-rated key forwards is another factor Brooksby credits for his rapid improvement inside 50.
 
“I think just being in this environment, working with Charlie Dixon, Tom Lynch, Peter Wright as well – those guys have really helped me develop my forward game,” Brooksby said.
 
“I suppose five goals is probably something I haven’t really done in senior football before. So I’m just trying to keep on improving week in week out and keep hitting the scoreboard.”