Brendan Hamill is set to hit a very big milestone for the club on Saturday night.
Raised in Chipping Norton, Hamill began his football journey playing at his local side Chipping Norton FC before moving around through various state league sides until catching the eye of youth representative teams.
Signing with the Australian Institute of Sport in 2009, the defender with Irish heritage was soon promoted to the Institute’s National Youth League side.
Following a great season in the Youth League, Hamill made the move to Hyundai A-League outfit Melbourne Heart (nee: City) where he played for two seasons until a move to Asia came calling in the form of K-League side Seogan Ilhwa Chunma.
During this time, Hamill represented Australia on several occasions in the U17, U20 and U23 sides and wore the captain’s armband for the Joeys U17 campaign.
Injury, unfortunately, interrupted Hamill’s time in Korea and in June 2014 the commanding defender returned to his hometown to sign with the Red & Black.
Hamill arrived at a very critical time at the club and was immediately thrust into the action in the Wanderers AFC Champions League campaign where he made his debut against Guangzhou Evergrande in the Quarter Final.
At only 21 year’s of age, Hamill quickly began an integral piece in the Wanderers Champions League puzzle, helping assist the squad in their workload on both a domestic and international level.
Playing predominantly as a right-back during this period, Hamill went on to assist the Wanderers in their historic AFC Champions League victory against Saudi Arabian giants Al-Hilal.
The young defender went on to have a very impressive Hyundai A-League season for the Red & Black and earned himself a two-year contract extension that saw him continue to pile his trade and development in Western Sydney.
Hamill started off the 2015/16 season in the best possible way, scoring his first Wanderers goal against Palm Beach Sharks in the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 16.
Off the pitch during this period, Hamill continued to be a role model for many young defenders in the Western Sydney region and was voted by the playing group, alongside Mark Bridge and Robbie Cornthwaite, as part of the Wanderers Captaincy Group under head coach Josep Gombau.
Hamill’s development didn’t slow down, with the leadership role giving Hamill a newfound sense of confidence and authority on the park.
Having been born and bred in the West, Hamill has been a very rare breed of Wanderers player who has always worn his heart on his sleeve – understanding the enormity of playing for and representing the region where he grew up.
Saturday’s fixture against City will mark a very important milestone in Hamill’s career with the defender set to play in his 100th competitive match for the club and he hasn’t taken any minute for granted.
“I grew up in Western Sydney, born and bred. So to play for your local club, to captain the people of Western Sydney – my family and friends, and wear the Red & Black with pride is huge for me,” said Hamill.
“I grew up here, everything is here for me.
“It’s my home and I never ever take it for granted.
“I never will and it’s a dream come true for me.”
Hamill’s ongoing commitment to the Wanderers is a reflection of his love for the beautiful game, which has only grown since he arrived at the club.
“Football for me is a religion in my opinion,” explained Hamill.
“The people of Western Sydney are so multicultural and come match day it’s an amazing atmosphere.
“The fans turn up and everyone is speaking the same language in football. Families are paying their hard earned money week in and week out to support us.
“The people of Western Sydney are working class and our morals are similar. So the club and the people of Western Sydney go hand-in hand.
“And that’s in our identity hard-work, dedication, and discipline. “
Hamill due to his ongoing solid performances and leadership has become a Wanderers legend in his own right and is slowly becoming one of the longest serving players in Wanderers history.
A lot has certainly changed since Hamill first arrived at the club as a fresh-faced youngster in 2014, but 100 games later one thing is certain – his integrity and purpose has always remained the same. To always fight for the Red & Black and the people of Western Sydney.
