Geelong welcomed seven draftees at the 2024 National and Rookie Draft. As they navigate their way through their first year in the AFL system, Geelong’s Rookie Journal written series will help you get to know some of the new faces at the Geelong Football Club and the stories that led them to become AFL footballers.
Keighton Matofai-Forbes was the next player to sit down with Cats Media as he provided insight into his footballing journey which ultimately lead him to Geelong.
I grew up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, down in Caroline Springs. I lived there my whole life pretty much, and I started playing footy from a pretty young age which has brought me here today.
My first experience with football was actually at a Western Bulldogs clinic down in Caroline Springs when I was doing Auskick, that was when my love for footy started because I was a Dogs supporter.
When you see the players in the flesh as a child, it really sparks something in you. You get really excited, they give you compliments and it makes you even more excited about the future. It was that moment in Auskick that started it all for me.
I would like to say I had an inspiration, but my parents were always big on me being me.
You watch the greats like Buddy, Jez [Cameron] and the Bontempelli's of the world and you think, I want to be like that. But you also want to leave your own stamp on the game.
Growing up through the juniors, I always wanted to be the best in my team. Unfortunately almost every year I came runner-up to the same kid, it gave me that competitive drive to want to get better all the time.
That carried on all the way through to my senior footy as well, it was always that drive of not wanting to be second best. It was always wanting to be the best for the team, but also the best for yourself as well.
It was probably after my second year of interleague, playing for the EDFL that I realised my AFL dream.
That is when footy gets a little bit more serious and you start seeing the competition that is out there, you start to realise that you have got a lot of work to do because there are kids at that age that are a lot better than everyone else.
Then there were kids like myself who weren't as good as everyone else, so you really knew that you had to put your head down and get to work. It was probably around that 14 or 15 years of age that I realised what I had to do.
When your name gets called out on draft night, there is no better feeling, then you walk in and they tell you that you are going to get paid to play footy. Words can't describe the feeling when you are told that you are going to sign an AFL contract, it is absolutely surreal.
'Murph' [Simon Murphy] messaged me and I thought he was coming down originally, then it ended up being Shane O'Bree who came to my house.
I didn't really think much of the first interview, most of it was about my rehab and it felt more like a conversation which was a bit refreshing compared to other interviews. I remember walking out feeling like I had a conversation with a mate, it was a really good experience and I can't thank Shane enough for coming out.
I am finding the club unreal, there is a real competitive nature from the senior boys all the way down through the first years.
You can really tell that everyone wants to be here, and everyone really wants to play the best footy that they can. I think it is a testament to Geelong to have such a high level of senior footy here because it really makes you think that if you do get a game here, you really have done something special because of the quality they have.
Not that I necessarily pick his brain too much, but just watching Jeremy Cameron out on the park, you try to take as many things that you can from his game because he is an absolute freak of nature. I would say him and probably Gryan Miers, just the way he goes about it. Watching footy you always know that Gryan is quality, but you come watch him train and it is just another level.
Matofai-Forbes made his debut in the Hoops during the VFL Cats last outing against Carlton, kicking a goal and collecting 13 disposals.
The VFL Cats will be back in action on Sunday in a curtain-raiser clash against the GWS Giants at GMHBA Stadium, the match set to kickoff at 11:35am before the AFL teams do battle at 3:20pm.