WERE it not for the Whitehead patriarch Rodney uprooting the family from Ballarat and moving to Orange, brothers Tom and Daniel would be kicking a Sherrin football, rather than pulling on an oar.
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While Rodney operated a timber mill out on the Orange-Blayney road, mum Katherine worked as a clinical nurse specialist at a local hospital.
Australian Rules football’s loss has been rowing’s gain with Tom, 18, and some 18 months younger than Daniel, having won a seat in the University of Sydney’s men’s eight to face arch rivals Melbourne University in the time-honoured Australian boat race on Sydney Harbour this Sunday.
Daniel, for this year at least, will have to do with being named as a reserve for the crew to be stroked by Fergus Pragnell, a member of the Australian men’s four that won bronze at this year’s world championship in Amsterdam.
“I’m a Sydney Swans fan but also have a soft spot for Geelong,” Tom said, as he counts down the days and hours to the big race.
“I followed my brother Dan into rowing while at school at Kinross Wolaroi, where we’ve enjoyed a touch of sibling rivalry.
“We enjoy pushing each other to the limit.”
The younger Whitehead sibling has come a long way since first trying his hand as a raw-boned youngster in the school’s under 16 second quad for a row on Spring Creek on the outskirts of Orange.
“I spent the next two years in the quads because the school didn’t have the depth to put an eight together,” he adds.
“But the race on Sunday is by far the biggest I’ve ever been involved in.”
Physically impressive, standing at a touch over 201 centimetres and having filled out to a solid 96 kilograms, the youngster in his short time at Sydney University, where he’s into his first year of a bachelor of secondary education degree, certainly caught the eye of men’s eight coach, Mark Prater.
“The first thing which struck me on meeting Tom for the first time was just how big and strong a lad he is, and he’s still got some growing to do,” Prater says.
“His raw strength is simply amazing, while his youthful enthusiasm is infectious around the crew.
“The real scary bit is that Tom is still learning and is still somewhat green, but is very much untapped potential.
“The young man’s approach to training, his work ethic and commitment can’t be faulted in what is shaping as a watershed season for him.
“I find him a great kid to coach and it wouldn’t surprise me, if he continues to improve the way he has, he’s a real chance of making the [Olympic] team for Tokyo in 2020.”
Whitehead admits to having walked a fine line between study and training leading into this Sunday’s regatta with a somewhat new-look Sydney eight looking to atone for the loss to Melbourne on the Yarra River a year ago.
“But I think I’ve got the balance just about right,” he adds.
Prater has Whitehead sitting one seat astern of the vastly experienced Alexander (Sacha) Belonogoff in the Sydney boat as it looks to reclaim the Edmund Barton Trophy, named in honour of Australia’s first Prime Minister and a rower of some repute during his lifetime.