Jesse Hogan is one of those footballers who could easily have been lost to the game. He could be kicking bags and collecting cheques in local and country footy. He gradually fell out of favour at Melbourne. He was miserable at Fremantle. He was a worrier and catastrophiser. The key forward was a speculative pick up for GWS Giants.
All the things that were missing in his life – a clean bill of health, a sound body, a quiet mind, a stable home life, a good team and a coach who believes in him – have aligned at the Giants. Against Geelong, Hogan kicked seven goals and helped drag his team over the line. He’s had some big hauls in recent years – he kicked nine on a West Coast debutant a month ago – but this was in a hot game, in front of a hostile crowd and against one of the best backlines in football. Sam De Koning, a fine player and athlete, had no answers.
