'Never thought I'd play footy this year': Talented athlete embracing return

The ex-GWV Rebels player, 20, didn't spend a second playing football last year, completely dedicating himself to his cricket with Geelong in the state's premier competition after a Victorian winter playing in Darwin.

But circumstances beyond his control have forced his hand and while he concedes he has some decisions to make moving forward he is content on plying his trade on a half-forward flank at Hampden league senior football level in 2024.

The ex-Monivae College student - who has played cricket for Victoria at under 19 level - suffered a serious back injury which all-but ruined his entire 2023-24 season.

He described the process of identifying the problem as a "pretty frustrating time".

"Halfway through last year playing up in Darwin I had some back issues and they told me I had a bit of nerve damage, so did some rehab and when I came back home I played a few games for Geelong," he told The Standard.

"I think I only managed one game of bowling and that was kind of it. I got more scans and that brought up some things, I went and then saw a sports psychiatrist and that and they told me the scans were a bit sensitive.

"The problem is every single person I've seen has had a different opinion. I've just pulled the pin on it for a while. Everyone's got their own idea, the scans are saying one thing and then I'm being told something else."

But it has allowed him to open himself back up to his other sporting love again - football.

Huf, once a potential AFL draft prospect, has played the first two games of the season for the Kangaroos in a half-forward role and has enjoyed settling back into the game and back in his hometown.

"Not going back up to Darwin this year I thought I'd come back and do something to keep myself fit," he said.

"I never thought I'd play footy this year though. The plan was always to end up back in Darwin playing cricket (this year) but once I saw a guy in Geelong he thought I'd be fine playing footy.

"I did a bit of water skiing over summer and was working too and wasn't having any issues with my back so I've given it a crack again and loving it. Unfortunately for me it looks like it's bowling related.

"I haven't played footy for a year and probably did a month of pre-season, I only really made the call to play in February and got in a bit of training.

"All things considered with the lack of footy I've played in the last 18 months and being my first year at senior level, I've been going alright but slowly finding my feet and adjusting."

Huf said he's unsure what his future looks like in cricket and won't look too far ahead.

"I've got no idea, I didn't expect to be playing footy so soon but I don't really know, there's a few people I need to see first and we'll go from there," he said.

"Right now I don't know where I'll go with cricket and whether I give it away and head down the footy path again."

Hamilton Kangaroos play reigning premier South Warrnambool at Hawkesdale this Saturday.