How did Mike Pyke make it to the 2012 Grand Final?
- Thursday, September 27 2012 @ 06:38 am ACST
- Contributed by: Harley Vague
- Views: 7,070
This Saturday's AFL Grand Final will feature a team that has "flown under the radar" for almost all of the season with a player that also befits that description despite having a remarkable story to tell, the story of Mike Pyke and the Sydney Swans.
28 years ago Michael Pyke was born in Victoria, B.C. Canada. He played basketball, soccer and ice hockey before moving onto rugby where he played for the Canadian national side and a top French side. Pyke achieved international fame in 2007 for running the length of the field and scoring an intercept try against the New Zealand All Blacks in a RUWC game.
However, injuries prompted Pyke to look for a career change. "In Canada, everyone knows what Aussie rules is but they don't know much about it," Pyke later would say. Together with a friend, Matt Woodland, Pyke put together a DVD showcasing his rugby highlights which Woodland then sent onto AFL player agent Michael Quinlan. Quinlan, convinced of the possibilities, began dialogue with the Sydney Swan's Stewart Maxfield, as the Swans were known for their success with international premiership player Tadhg Kennelly and their use of “sabermetrics” (Moneyball).