Special Feature: All States Alert Jack Duncan On His Way

“It’s true I?ve been around a bit but I’ve lived in NSW for around 10-years now so more than half my life,” he states with a wry smirk.
“When I first came over to Sydney I was just playing locally with Grays Point and managed to get into the U/11 Rep team and just went from there but I’ve always been with the Sharks although I did have two years at Marconi Stallions in the U/15 and U/16 sides.
“However the opportunity presented itself to come back to Sutherland in the U/20 grade and I jumped at the chance as I felt it would further my development and playing opportunities and being understudy to Nathan Denham and having perhaps one of Australia?s best goalkeeper coach?s in Ron Tilsed it was a chance I couldn’t dismiss.”
It goes without saying, some would promote, the opportunity to play at a higher level and with the coaching staff on hand at Sutherland Sharks it was a step in the right direction of the career path: That side of things did play a part in my decision to return but Sutherland have always been there supporting me in what I?ve done so in all honesty it was an easy decision to make in coming back here.?
Somewhat like a homecoming for the likeable custodian, it must have made life a little easier also: ?Certainly it did as I didn?t have the travelling to contend with and also it gave me a little more time for other areas of my life as I was going through the HSC at the time so I had that little bit of extra time to study etc. so it helped out a lot not having to go out to Fairfield three nights a week.?
A quiet lad off the pitch, he wouldn?t mention he did well in his results but not quite enough to get into the course and profession he looks to follow later in life: ?I needed 96% to get into the physio course I was after but just fell short so I?ll have to work a little harder to achieve that in the future.?
As is often the case, Jack harbours desires of A-League football, representing Australia and perhaps one day playing overseas and if he didn?t then perhaps he shouldn?t be in the game now as we all aspire to be the best we can and as ?keepers don?t really tend to hit their peak until around their 30?s he ought to be looking longer term and higher be but as he tells it: ?Yes of course but if you look at the best goalkeepers around the world they are obviously very experienced and that comes from starting where I am now and working at making it happen.
My next goal, pardon the pun, is to make the A-League and I came close last season when being on the bench for eight games with the Newcastle Jets but unfortunately, for me and not that I wish anyone ill will or harm, I didn?t get on the pitch it it?s something I look forward to in the next couple of years hopefully.
?I see guys like Mattie Ryan playing there who I grew up training with so it?s the next level and I want to get there as soon as I can obviously.?
Sadly, in an ideal world and being a Liverpool fan he would love to one day turn out for the Reds at Anfield as he was there for a month with the club when he was 15-years old so one can perhaps forgive him this one during which time he watched a Champions League game there and has always wanted to turn out in front of the Kop in those famous colours and citing Reina as one of his idols there is no truth in the rumour his nickname at the Sharks is ?Pepe?….well maybe not anyway?
Playing behind Nathan Denham and getting match time is never going to be an easy task and will always be difficult as the amount of punishment the lad takes but then gets up and carry?s on is phenomenal and as Duncan continues:  ?Robbie (Stanton) gave me an opportunity in the Waratah Cup against Parramatta Eagles at their ground and I was disappointed with my performance that night and the next match was all about pushing myself as hard as I could and with Nathan being one of the Premier goalkeepers in this competition for a number of years now it was always going to be a difficult task but if you want to be the best you need to learn from the best and Nathan has been fantastic in helping me along with my career, he?s one of the nicest guys around.
?I have to push myself hard in training and push Nathan so that the decision the gaffer has to make each week is a tough one and hopefully keep knocking on the door for a first team spot.?
In five years time where would Duncan like to see himself playing if everything fell into place?
?Obviously A-League for starters and then hopefully overseas because the Premier leagues of Europe are high intensity and is somewhere you are continually tested and all players like to feel they can make it and that?s what they strive to achieve and I am no different in that respect.
?That said, I am not looking beyond next year at this stage with the Newcastle Jets and hopefully getting an outing or two in the A-League without getting too far ahead of myself and then we?ll see where we go from there.?
His work at the Jets is twofold as firstly to support the first team goalkeepers and/or Youth team custodian and also working in the office with clerical duties etc. which, as any Liverpool player of the past would attest to, keeps a player grounded, focussed and usually quite humble.
Here?s hoping in 5-years time we are talking about the latest Australian plying his trade in one of the prestigious European competitions as it grows the interest in the code over here but also from overseas as well.
-By Micky Brock