Brisbane-based rugby commentator chasing inconceivable dream – Imperial Wire

“How laborious can it’s?”

These are well-known final phrases. It turned the motto of the High Gear lads within the early 2000s once they tried one thing outlandish and, fairly frankly, foolish.

So when some mates and I made a decision we needed to take up a brand new sport, and after a number of lemonades and a protracted lunch settled on curling, we uttered these well-known phrases.

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With goals of Olympics in our sights, and fewer than two years to realize our objective, Boyd, Cormac, Matt, Nick and some different fellas joined me at Boondall Iceworld in Brisbane’s north for a ‘Come and Strive Curling’ night. Forty-something dads, and a younger physio to assist preserve them collectively; how laborious can it’s?

We began the place everybody begins: wobbly knees, chilly toes, and a wholesome dose of humility. We spent these early days simply making an attempt to grasp the mechanics—the slide, the discharge, the best way the ice “takes” the stone.

There’s a misleading complexity to curling. Individuals see it on TV as soon as each 4 years and assume it is simply shuffleboard on ice. However once you’re on the market, you realise it is a recreation of millimetres. It is “chess on ice,” however the chess items weigh 20 kilograms and the board is 45 metres away and continuously altering underneath your toes.

We leaned into that problem.

Our first competitors run by the Queensland Curling Affiliation (QCA), we entered because the ‘Curlews’. We made all of it the best way to the ultimate, and after settling for a draw, needed to come again a fortnight later and replay the ultimate for the primary time in QCA historical past. We misplaced that evening, but it surely gave us the boldness to appoint for the Nationwide Championships.

It is no shock that curling in Australia is area of interest, and thus there is no such thing as a devoted curling ice within the nation. All Australian curlers need to play and apply on multi-purpose ice. Ice hockey gamers, determine skaters, and leisure ice skaters take precedence in most rinks throughout the nation. The one Olympic commonplace curling ice within the southern hemisphere is in Naseby, New Zealand – a small nation city about two hours out of Queenstown. So that is the place Curling Australia holds their Nationals and has executed for over a decade.

A visit to NZ for our workforce did not come low cost, so we put the feelers out for sponsors, and have been fortunate sufficient to have fantastic supporters within the Maynard household, of the Maynard Cattle Firm. Geoff and Alison and their household donated the Curlews three cows, and we offered them to fund our journey, and spend money on our brooms, footwear, and all the opposite instruments of the commerce.

Watch the Winter Olympic Video games Milano Cortina 2026 reside and free on Channel 9 and 9Now. Plus, each occasion reside & on demand, each medal in 4K, and unique worldwide protection on Stan Sport.

In Could 2025, the Curlews made the pilgrimage throughout to New Zealand, and it was there that we got a wholesome dose of actuality.

Basically we might been enjoying yard cricket on our driveway, and have been now enjoying on the SCG. The distinction within the ice was chalk and cheese.

We have been so extremely lucky that the curling neighborhood is so pleasant and welcoming. Each workforce and participant that we got here throughout within the spherical robin event would assist us with a chunk of knowledge right here and there. Choosing the right traces. Sweeping approach. Controlling weight. Competitors was occurring concurrently on the sheets subsequent to ours, so there could be the odd tip and phrase of encouragement from the extra skilled groups. It was really humbling, and uplifting.

Rugby commentary being my day job, I naturally jumped on the prospect to take the mic for the reside stream after we weren’t enjoying. Calling matches with nationwide coach Perry Marshall was invaluable in our schooling. Having the ability to swap notes with Hugh Millikin, the godfather of Australian curling, and get suggestions from quite a few Aussie representatives gave us confidence each stone that was thrown.

One of many actual highlights was with the ability to meet the combined doubles duo who fly the flag internationally for Aussie curling. Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt are at present ranked primary on this planet for combined doubles. In a merciless accident, they did not qualify for Milano Cortina 2026. A heartbreaking sudden demise playoff that did not go to plan meant they missed out on a spot.

The truth that Tahli and Dean are the highest ranked workforce on this planet, representing a rustic that does not have curling ice is exceptional. It is the equal of ‘Eric the Eel’ being the world primary 50m freestyler. Devoted curling ice in Australia is and stays an enormous precedence for the game, and we hope their story can assist unfold the phrase. Regardless of not securing an Olympic berth, they are going to be heading to the World Championships later this yr, and taking pictures for gold. They’ve been so welcoming, and forthcoming with their knowledge over the previous yr, and we’re behind them each step of the best way.

Our Milano Cortina 2026 goals ended on the 2025 Nationals with a sixth place end, nevertheless it lit a flame for us that burns very brightly. Our love for this sport grows each time we hit the ice. While the Olympics is our final objective, we have now discovered spreading the curling gospel as fulfilling, and we encourage everybody who can to strive it out. The French Alps 2030 Winter Olympic Video games at the moment are in our sights.

In February throughout Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria, the Curling associations are holding ‘come and check out’ classes, and anybody in these states who desires to provide it a go positively ought to. It is how the Curlews began, and the extra individuals enjoying the game, the higher the competitors.

The Curlews (Boyd, Cormac, Matt, Nick and myself) have discovered an entire new love for sports activities and competitors in curling. Essentially the most troublesome half was truly turning up the primary evening. All the things since has been a wild trip, and we have liked each minute of it. So get off your backsides and have a crack. How laborious can it’s?

Andrew Swain might be calling the curling for Channel 9 and 9Now as a part of the protection of Winter Olympic Video games Milano Cortina 2026. Tune in because the protection begins with ‘Let the Video games Start’ at 9.15pm (AEDT) tonight.