Twomey keeps thriving on Subiaco move ahead of 150th WAFL gameThursday, September 8, 2016 - 7:27 PM - by Chris Pike

HE already has three WAFL premierships ahead of playing 150 games this Sunday and Subiaco veteran Wayde Twomey couldn’t be happier with the tough decision he made to leave Swan Districts three years ago.

Twomey was part of a famous three-year stretch at Swan Districts under coach Brian Dawson between 2008-10 that featured a grand final appearance, gut-wrenching preliminary final loss and remarkable one-point grand final win over Claremont.

Twomey arrived from Werribee alongside Brett Robinson with Matthew Spencer, Andrew Krakouer, Matt Riggio, Ryan Davis, Llane Spaanderman, Tom Roach and Tim Geappen among the recruits added to Swans stalwarts Josh Roberts, Tallan Ames and Justin Simpson that created a memorable time.

That three-year period was the highlight of Twomey's career and it led to a year in the AFL with Carlton in 2011 but now this last three-year stretch at Subiaco has been every bit as enjoyable for him and even more successful.

After 98 games with Swan Districts, Twomey decided to leave at the end of 2013 due to a combination of the club's financial struggles and not seeing eye to eye with coach Greg Harding.

Any thought that his best football was behind him has been put to bed with Twomey influential in Subiaco's premierships in 2014 and 2015, and remaining a key part of the team that again finished on top of the ladder in 2016.

Twomey will play his 52nd game with Subiaco and 150th in the WAFL in Sunday's second semi-final against South Fremantle at Medibank Stadium. If the Lions win, Twomey will then be looking forward to a fifth grand final in his career as he tries to win a fourth premiership.

When Twomey initially came west in 2008, it was only ever meant to be for one year but he now calls Perth home with a local fiancé Nicole (sister of West Perth premiership player Steve Potente) and is proud to get to 150 WAFL games.

"The plan was to stay for one year and then shoot over to Adelaide and then go to Queensland, and then back to Melbourne. I didn’t count on meeting a girl over here and I think Nicole is pretty happy with that one," Twomey said.

"I was happy to be here and it has been the best move I ever made for my footy. It gave me the chance to play AFL and it just suited me a lot better over here.

"I suppose it gets turned into a bit of a milestone but you look at blokes who might play 300 games and if they haven’t had any success it doesn't really count or much, but it's always nice you can still play at the level.

"Most people would probably want to stay at the highest level as they can for as long as they can. I wouldn't say it's a huge honour or anything to get to 150 games at two clubs, but I'm still happy to get there."

Moving to Subiaco from Swan Districts wasn’t an easy decision for Twomey to make but he did feel he had to make a fresh start after an at times difficult 2013 with Swans despite winning the state game Simpson Medal after five goals against Victoria in Northam.

Twomey was still doubting himself a little up until grand final day 2014 when Subiaco upset East Perth and then to beat West Perth 12 months later to go back-to-back mean it's a decision he will never question.

"It's always a hard move changing to another club in the same league. You're always doubting if you are doing the right thing and then all of a sudden you make the move and win a couple of flags, and you have no doubt it was the right move," he said.

"The toughest part is leaving your mates behind by going to a new club and then leaving those friendships behind. But I've made a lot of new mates at Subi and I can't complain with the move I've made."

While happy at Subiaco, Twomey looks back fondly on his time at Swan Districts and in particular those first three seasons before he got drafted to Carlton where he played two AFL matches in 2011.

"The first three years at Swans was great fun. We had all these blokes come in and there was a great vibe around the footy club and it was an amazing time to be there," Twomey said.

"Daws was doing great things with us having not made finals for the last few years before I got there to then playing in the GF, a prelim and a GF. He did some wonderful things and we had some serious talent in those teams.

"Swans was just a great time to be part of the clubs especially in those three years and now the last three years at Subi, it's just been amazing.

"We were underdogs for that first year and the last couple of years we've been considered one of the top teams. It's still been a lot of fun and even though I'm not at my same peak of my physical abilities, but I've enjoyed it just as much if not more."

While it wasn’t an easy move to join Subiaco back in 2014, Twomey now feels right at home with the Lions despite having played in a losing grand final in 2008 and preliminary final in 2009 against them.

"It's been a great move. I've really enjoyed it and it's just a different culture at Subi. Everyone puts in and Schoey has a big emphasis on everyone doing the work and I love that sort of thing," he said.

"You go in there and try to get in the weights room, but you have to push all the young fellas away just to get a machine.

"It's been a great move and I was pretty lucky that when I did move, we had so many good players come in as well like Delahunty and Boland, and then Menegola and Robbo last year as well. We just had some good players come through at the right time and I've ridden on their coat tails."

Subiaco enters Su

nday's second semi-final against South Fremantle well rested having last played in Round 22 beating Peel Thunder by 17 points for a fifth straight victory.

The Lions have since had the Round 23 bye and first week off in the finals as South Fremantle beat West Perth in the qualifying to set up a clash against them on Sunday with a grand final berth on the line.

Twomey has no doubt the rest would have only helped Subiaco and coach Jarrad Schofield has ensured there won't be any sign of rust come Sunday.

"We've got an older list mixed in with some younger blokes and I know us old blokes have enjoyed the time off before our finals start but you just have to accept what's happened and that we have two weeks off," Twomey said.

"Ideally we'd not like two weeks off in a row to get a bit of continuation, but at the same time we've got to freshen up.

"I don’t know what to make of it except that we had a similar situation last year and did alright. Schoey has all his training and everything down to the absolute millimetre so we'll be ready for whatever's coming for us."