By Peter Ryan
Sometimes the most extraordinary things are the most ordinary - at least for those who can do the extraordinary as a matter of course.
On Saturday at Aurora Stadium, the Gold Coast SUNS Jared Brennan kicked a head-shaking goal from the left forward pocket when he threw the ball on the outside of his left foot while under pressure and charging away from goal. The ball went at an angle of 270 degrees from the direction Brennan was running.
It was not so much a banana kick as football's equivalent of a mad snooker shot, akin to Tasmanian Max 'Tangles' Walker at the bowling crease, all arms and legs somehow coordinating to hit the spot, deliciously. The action looked as though the arms and legs were in places they weren't meant to be. "Definitely," said Brennan. "I feel that way sometimes as well."
The goal was too quick to see in real time, prompting the following exchange from the Network Ten commentators when they recognised after watching the replay what Brennan had done.
Michael Christian: Did you see that?... That is a remarkable goal.
Malcolm Blight: Gee.
Christian: Incredible.
Blight: Here's Brennan, you've just got to watch this, just watch this in replay, the jump comes, Brennan runs on to it on the inside outside right left foot foot kick kick.
Christian: That was an amazing goal.
Tim Lane: Should be scolded for not being able to use his right boot Malcolm. Your old coach would have dragged him for that, wouldn't he?
It was light-hearted stuff from the commentary box, revealing the wonder of footy can still thrill seasoned watchers.
There is wonder from Brennan too. He admitted he was not too sure how he executed the kick, entering into the spirit of our exchange to give an honest assessment of what had occurred. "I just chuck it on the boot and hope for the best in most cases and that is what ended up happening," he said, admitting what Lane had suggested.
"I can't kick on my right foot. I am a shocker on my right foot so I am more confident chucking it on the left boot and hoping for the best. I suppose most left footers can't kick on their right foot whereas a lot of right footers can kick on their left foot. It's funny there are only a few left footers who kick on their right foot - and unfortunately I'm not one of them."
Sometimes we can marvel at the skills of players to perform such deeds with such precision but Brennan was self-deprecating when asked whether he threw the ball on his boot in a deliberate manner to achieve the eventual result: "I just hoped for the best. I really did. I was running out of room with the angle so I had to get it out quick. It was definitely a close my eyes and hope for the best moment," he said.
Not the sort of thing you expect to hear when you've just watched a replay that had Brennan making the kick after taking advantage when a teammate had been given a free kick 20 metres out directly in front. Thankfully he admits he had not heard the whistle nor realised a free kick had been paid.
"I just kept playing. I thought it was a fair contest and then obviously after I watched the vision I saw it was a free kick so lucky for me I didn't miss it because it would have been a relatively easy set shot [for Sam Day]."
His coaches have the same view as the one Tim Lane had expressed with his tongue in his cheek.
"They always encourage me to go on my non-preferred," said Brennan. "I think I'm just too far gone now. Obviously I keep practising on my right foot but as the left footers' curse goes it seems not too many left footers are good on their right foot."
It's not the first time Brennan has managed the inside out goal. In round 5 against Port Adelaide he kicked a goal from the boundary near the 50-metre line. "I remember that goal," he said. "I was aiming for the left goal post and I was lucky enough that the wind brought it back.
"That was another one where you sort of aim for the goal post and if it goes in it goes in and it's great. If it doesn't then it doesn't. Definitely another hit and hope situation, just aim for something and hope it gets there."
The conversation was so refreshing, the reality of life for a mercurial player working on his weaknesses, at times wishing he did not have "the curse", but learning to make the most of the skills he has. It must not be the easiest burden to carry.
When I ask whether the coaches give him rein to do what he has to do he laughs. "Not really, not really, it's all about percentages. I'll probably get in trouble when this article is written."
Of course, that's the last thing we want. He reassures me he's joking.
Brennan knows what the percentages are and when to play them. You can imagine he has been reminded about them more than once. In the moments such as when that goal happened he was not ignoring them. His instinct had kicked in. Those instincts created a breathtaking moment that unleashed the full range of a unique talent.
"In both cases it was half a second to think and to just slam it on the boot. If I am having a bit of bounce and running you can reassess and definitely evaluate things but when you have half a second to think you just do make the best of what you can do and hope for the best," he said.
Football is so much richer for this talent, and this approach to himself and the game - and so are the GC SUNS. For in a game where the pressure comes from everywhere, the player who can do the unimaginable is worth his weight in gold.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs