This young Bulldog was lost in the crowd, until Mum fixed his headgear
Over the past couple of seasons turning up in the Bulldogs first grad side with head gear on was probably a more effective disguise than a balacalva. Jamie Feeney fount this out the hard way in 2000.
The 22 year old had to cope with commentators reffering to him as Darren Smith, Dennis Scott, Steve Price. Hell, there were games where Steve Reardon and Brad Clyde wore head gear as well.
Confronted with a scone clad in leather straps, Feeney seemed to be the last name callers came up with. But the Muswellbrook bloke didn't mind - after all being mistaken for any of those hard nuts isn't hard for a forward to take.
It was only when a commentator called him 'Daryl Halligan' twice in the one game that they young blond - who looks nothing like the abovementioned players, dicided on some stern action
"Something had to be done" said Feeney reliving the horror of the moment. "You don't mind being mistaken for another forward, but when you start being mistaken for a winger, well you can imagine."
His mum, Bronwyn, decided to draw the line - literally. She took some white shoe polish and painted a strip around her son's headgear so the commentators could tell him apart from the rest.
"I used to wear blue headgear in junior football." explains the backrower "but I got a deal with Reliance and they dont make anything but the black, so that's why mum came up with the white stripe"
To futher his bid for recognition Feeney started finding the other white line more than most of his team mates. Although six tries in 2000 doesnt sound like a massive season tally, it was bigger than anyone at the club besides the dreaded wingers - Halligan (seven) and Hazem El Masri (eleven) and Jamie only made 4 appearances in the starting line-up
One thing the 183cm, 95 kg foward proved conclusively in the first game of the season was adding a stripe to your protective headgear doesn't make it a better shock asborber. Feeney was knocked out in that game against the Storm, resulting in a technique overhaul.
"We found Jamie was setting up a bit early in some of his tackles" says Dogs coach Steve Folkes. "He was getting down low and planting his feet a bit, which can trap you if the runner makes a late change of direction."
Feeney's aim this year was to push for a place in the starting 13 and, despite fellow benchmen Paul Rauhihi, Willie Mason and Braith Anasta attracting most of the headlines, the headgear kid was the first of the four to oust a regular from the starting line-up. Folkes swapped Dennis Scot for Feeney in round 4, although the coach admits it wasn't so much a promotion as an experiment.
"Niether of them had been at their best the week before and I just thought I'd try another type of rotation" explains Folkes. "Jamie had his best game of the season and went the full 80 minutes so, I am pleased with that."
Away from the field, Feeney confesses to being quite the movie buff, even reviewing the odd Hollywood blockbuster or two for the Bulldogs website. He and flatmate (Bulldogs hooker) Adam Perry are noted videophiles among team-mates.
Regarded as one of the fitest forwards at the Bulldogs, Feeney is beginning to stand out even more now that only Smith and Scott still wear headgear.
After earning his stripes on the field he almost doesn't need the one on his head anymore.
