Rage’s one-club brothers: Samuel and Daniel Bortolazzo

Growing up and playing football with a sibling is one feat, but to progress together at the same club is another; that is what the Western Rage’s Samuel and Daniel Bortolazzo have done.

Daniel, 27 and Samuel, 25, have played together since they were in the under-13s at the Western Rage after the former made the move from Fairfield Hotspurs to the Rage, who were in the Super League at the time.

Daniel started at the Rage in 2008, played all his youth at the club and made his first-grade debut in 2012 in the Super League.

“I love the club, it is a very cultural club, family club, we were lucky enough to see a lot of good days in my early years of coming through,” Daniel said.

“From being a little kid around the grounds, coming from the under 9s, 10s, and 11s, it is good to help some of the younger guys through.

“To be here with my brother as well… it means a lot to us, we spent a lot of our time here through our junior years.”

Regarding how they came about playing their positions, Samuel has played as a goalkeeper since he was in the under 8s.

“Just typical, ‘who wants to go in goals?’ and away you go,” Samuel laughed.

“This is my seventh season [in first grade], so it has been alright.”

For Daniel, he is deployed as a midfielder, having played there and higher up since he was young.

“The main thing for me is I am just happy to do a job, help the team out and work hard to get a result,” Daniel said.

“That is what we try and build the team and the club about, just everyone putting in, working together and trying to achieve something.”

Being two years apart in age difference, the brothers first had the chance to play together when Samuel was given his first grade debut at 17.

“It was special, and we have been lucky to keep on doing it… I had a couple of spells out of the team, so has my brother, but we have stuck around,” Samuel said.

“[Playing together] is special, you can’t replace it.”

The Bortolazzo brothers also had a third brother who played with them, Paul, but he stopped due to work commitments.

“We will always be able to look back and say we did it all together, same with my little brother [Paul]… it was pretty special, all three of us playing together,” Samuel said.

Daniel spoke on the culture of the Rage and what has kept them at the club.

“It is definitely a place that once you are here, you want to be around.”

Samuel echoed those sentiments.

“Everyone that is here puts in 100 per cent.”

Not only is playing alongside his brother special for Daniel, but also the direction of the club and where he wants to see them go.

“We are trying to build back up to the successful place that it once was.”

Speaking on the bond between the two brothers, Samuel smiled as he spoke on their connection.

“We are probably not the closest set of brothers, we tend to argue a lot on the field at training,” Samuel laughed.

“I would not replace it for the world… I do not take it for granted because we are getting older… I do not think a lot of people have that experience [of playing together].”

Daniel echoed those sentiments as he spoke on their bond through playing together.

“It is always very positive for us to be able to do it together as a family, it is the most important thing.”

By Football New South Wales League Two Men’s Writer, Dylan Costa @_dylancosta