By Russell Bennett
Nar Nar Goon’s Nick ‘Chook’ Henwood is the epitome of a country footballer – a ruthless, hard, competitor on the field who’s as demanding of his team mates as anyone; but a devoted family man off the field who loves nothing more than having a beer or two (or a few more) with his mates.
It’s almost like he’s a player of a bygone era in a lot of respects, and these days it’s refreshing.
But on Saturday, that stellar senior career of his came to an end as the 33-year-old walked off Garfield’s Beswick Street ground following a preliminary final defeat to one of his, and his club’s, great rivals in Kooweerup.
It was only fitting that his final game before retirement came on the home ground of one of his former sides (Garfield), and against the side of one his great mates – Luke Walker.
Chook only got to the Goon in 2010, but quickly became a club favourite – particularly after playing such a key role in their drought breaking premiership of that year.
He’s since become a Goon legend.
He played all of his junior footy at Garfield, and as an 18-year-old he tried out at Frankston in 2004 before returning to Garfield mid-year and playing in a senior premiership. In 2005 he went to East Devonport and came back mid-season to Bunyip, where he played the next season and lost to Nyora in the grand final. His next move was to Pakenham, where played for three seasons – missing out on the 2009 premiership. Then, he headed to the Goon – and the rest, as they say, is history.
Chook’s great mate, and 2010 premiership team mate, Chris Adams summed him up perfectly when he said: “Chook’s just one out of the box. He’s one of my best mates – he came to my wedding in the UK and we lived next door to each other for a few years in Pakenham too.
“Chooky’s the most passionate and committed, dedicated player I’ve played with – and that’s both on and off the field!
“He’s got three kids (with a fourth due on grand final day) and he didn’t miss a single training or recovery session.
“We get players who come up with this excuse and that excuse, and it must just do his head in because he’s sacrificing family time for the club, and for the team.
“And in terms of leadership, he’s the only bloke you can actually hear on the ground a lot of the time with that big bloody voice of his.
“We needed Chook – we had a lot of blokes who were pretty quiet individuals on the field, but he was in his element.”
When the Goon needed him, Chook was there.
“I really think about wet and shitty days when we could have been playing at Poowong or Nilma in terrible conditions, and we needed that bigger body to roll through the midfield to get boot to ball and kick it 45-50 straight out of the guts,” Adams said.
“More than not he was called upon for that, particularly in a lighter-bodied midfield.
“He was called upon to put in the hard yards.”
But Adams was even quicker to pay tribute to the bloke his great mate is.
“As a bloke, he’ll take the piss out of you any chance he gets but he loves you like a brother,” he said with a grin.
“He’ll rip the shreds out of you though – he’s the first one to start, and the last to finish! He’s like a dog with a bone!
“But he’s a brilliant man – he’s got his spot at the bar at Goon, and that might be occupied a fair bit next season I’d say.
“He’s an absolute legend. He’s been here for eight years, and he’s a legend of the place already.”
Chook’s wife, Maisie, is the daughter of former club president and another favourite son Patrick Noonan.
He also paid tribute to him.
“He came to us in 2010, played one reserves game and got about 40 kicks against the Dusties early in the season, and then he played in the senior premiership that year,” Noonan said.
“He was probably first picked, and he’s been super consistent since.
“He’s always been one to let his thoughts known – especially on the footy field – but he’s one of those blokes who really makes a difference.”
Another of Henwood’s great mates – former house mate, and former Pakenham team mate Luke Walker also piled on the praise.
Walker, a Kooweerup star, couldn’t play in the prelim on Saturday but was there as the Demons clapped the Goon, and Chook, off the ground after their season had come to a close. That’s the respect that exists between the two fierce rival clubs.
Walker (better known simply as ‘Tex’) and Chook first started playing together more than a decade ago, and even lived together with another former Pakenham player Chad Shooter.
Walker spoke of how happy he was for Henwood to play in the Goon’s 2010 premiership, after missing out at Pakenham the year before.
“He’s in my video (of the premiership) in 2009 carrying on, and then the next year in 2010 we went down and watched him and he did the same thing,” Walker said.
“I stuck around in the rooms for a couple of hours afterwards riding his coat-tails and even ended up back at the Goon. That was a great night, that one – a few of us Pakenham boys celebrated just as much as he did, which was great.
“He’s the same as me – he’s a great Dees (Melbourne Football Club) man and we get along like a house on fire.
“Since he’s been at the Goon and I’ve been at Koowee we’ve had a lot of close games – including finals – and the majority of the time I’ve been the one who’s had to go into the rooms and hold my head high because they’d beaten us in those big games.
“That’s (Saturday’s preliminary final win) the first one we’ve really got off them.
“But we don’t talk about our footy in the rooms – we just talk about the Demons.
“Chooky’s never changed – he’ll always lip it up to you on the field and if you’re having a shot for goal he’s into you.
“That’s just how he plays on the field, but he’s a ripping guy, he’s a big family man, and he’s got time for anyone.
“On behalf of myself and the Koowee footy club, we just want to congratulate him on a fantastic career – it’s been awesome.”
He’s a former Gazette Team of the Year member, club best and fairest, and multiple premiership player – but most of all ‘Chook’ is just a ripping bloke. Enjoy your retirement, mate.
