Brent Weeks isn’t fazed by the pressure of being the starting quarterback for the Western Crusaders. 80618 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By LIAM TWOMEY
HE may be playing the toughest position on the field but Western Crusaders’ quarterback Brent Weeks wouldn’t have it any other way.
Having initially made his name as a wide receiver, Weeks has seen everything gridiron in Australia has to offer though representative appearances for Victoria and Australia in National Championships and World Cups.
While some may shy away from such a pressure filled position, the man with the golden arm has embraced the challenge since stepping into the quarterback’s role.
“I’ve had some very good mentors throughout and I’ve been just trying to continue on with what they have taught me,” he said.
“I enjoy it (the pressure) and embrace it. Sometimes it’s almost less pressure to have the ball in your hands. You know exactly where it is going to go and what you’re going to do with it.
“That’s a bit easier than running around and needing so many other things to go right before you can get the ball. I guess everyone is different but that’s the way I look at it.”
Weeks’ rise to quarterback has been slightly different having started working with teammates to try and fill the vacant role when he took over as Crusaders’ offensive coordinator.
With no clear standout coming forward, he took on the position himself.
But opposition players won’t be seeing a predictable quarterback when he leads the Crusaders onto the field.
“The way I play the quarterback position is a little bit more untraditional in the fact that I don’t even really see myself as a quarterback,” he said.
“It is more as another ball carrier so the quarterbacks that I am looking at don’t really play in the NFL. They are more college level quarterbacks and the way they play the game.”
In a career approaching 10 years, Weeks still has a desire to win a National Championship after coming in second to New South Wales four times.
However, in the short term, he and Western Crusaders president Scott Hayden are only concerned with pushing the club into finals.
Hayden is happy with how the playing group is shaping up after undergoing a tough pre-season training load.
“We had a practice match last week against the Melbourne Royals and we beat them 14-8,” Hayden said.
“We played a lot of guys out of position to see what they could do. There were a lot of positives and with any practice game there are also some things that we will look to improve on and work out going forward.”
