When Aliir Aliir was a child, his father used to tell his mother he would grow up to be a professional sportsman such was the amount of time he spent kicking a soccer ball in the Kenyan refugee camp they called home.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
His Sudanese parents did not know at the time that Aliir, who will make his AFL debut for Sydney on Sunday, would go on to fulfil his old man's prediction let alone do it in his chosen field.
The refugee camp in Kakuma, which means "nowhere" in Swahili, where Aliir was born and spent his early years is an unforgiving place. Situated in the remote desert of north-west Kenya, the camp has low access to essential services and water is scarce. Aliir's recollections of the place, however, are much happier than one would expect.
"I don't remember much other than playing soccer and being around brothers and sisters, they're great memories," Aliir said.
"All I wanted to do was play footy and be around my family. Soccer was the only sport we knew and was very popular over there.
"My mum used to tell me my father told her 'my son's going to play sport, I can tell by the way he runs around, he's going to be a professional athlete'."
Sadly, Aliir's father, Mayom, died when he was a child. His memories of his father are only vague. He can't remember exactly when his father died but knows he would have been no older than seven "because he passed away before we came here". He has also lost contact with his childhood friends from Kakuma.
"I do remember bits and pieces. He's a real family man, he loved his family, I have memories of just wanting to be around him," Aliir said.
"Mum does have a fair few photos of me and him having a laugh, sitting on his lap; they're photos I hold close to me."
Aliir was introduced to the game of Australian football by his mates at high school in Brisbane, where his family migrated when he was "eight or nine" (previous news reports have said he was seven).
Like many who do not grow up with the game, Aliir was confused by the sport and was told by his coach to watch a few games on TV to get a grasp. There he set eyes on a young Nic Naitanui taking a huge speccy.
"The first thing I did when I went to training was to ask the coach are you allowed to take hangers?" Aliir said. "He said you can take as many as you want as long as you grab them."
The coaching staff at Aspley knew they had a considerable talent, even if he appeared laid back at times. He made his senior debut aged 17 but the game did not end happily for Aliir, who finished at the dentist after having his front teeth knocked back.
Aliir's family moved to Perth in 2012 after he, by chance, met a lost relative at the AFL's under-16 national championships in 2010. Their families had separated while escaping the war in Sudan. Aliir, however, stayed in Brisbane to chase his AFL dream but, homesick, his game dropped away and he was overlooked in the 2012 draft.
"My brother said 'why don't you come to Perth and give footy another go? Don't give up just because you missed out on this draft'," Aliir said.
Aliir's efforts in the WAFL with East Fremantle attracted the attention of Swans recruiters, who secured him with pick 44 in the 2013 draft. Away from his immediate family, Aliir was homesick again in Sydney but found solace with an uncle and aunty who live in Blacktown.
"Whenever I was homesick I'd drive and see them, to have some African food cooked for me just to feel more at home," Aliir said.
Aliir said he is forever indebted to his mother - "she's a single mother looking after five kids" - and hopes to return to Kakuma one day.
"I'd love to be able to take back some footy boots for the kids because I know how much they love their sport," Aliir said.
"To be able to come to a different country and play AFL, a sport they've heard of back there, is unreal. I can't really imagine that happening. I'm pretty happy we came to Australia."
