Chris Yarran is a Carlton player now . . . but how he got there is in part the subject of Michael Cordell’s outstanding documentary Three Boys Dreaming, which tonight premieres on ABC1.
And those who already marvel at Yarran’s sublime skills will come away from the doco with an even greater respect for the softly-spoken kid from Swan Districts, whose unique football journey - together with Tasmania’s Daniel Jago, and Sydney’s Daen Lomas - has been pursued by Cordell these past four years.
While all three harbored the same dream — to one day break into the big League — only Yarran managed to find a way, in overcoming the pitfalls that could otherwise have robbed him of the chance.
Cordell, who documented Footscray’s 1996 season in Year of the Dogs, was recently quoted as saying that he was struck by Yarran’s focus, as well as that of his devoted mother, Deb.
“Of the three boys, he [Yarran] had, and I think still has, an extraordinary focus,” Cordell told The Age’s Emma Quayle. “Daen and Daniel had their own problems to deal with, but they were much more like regular kids in that they were easily distracted, whereas I think Chris had this unusual kind of steely drive and determination to train and work hard and succeed.
“He always seemed very serious about what he was doing, and it was quite hard to get super close to Chris, but I certainly have a lot of respect and admiration for the determination he's shown, because he’s had a pretty tough family life and there have been plenty of opportunities where he could have gone off the rails.
“A lot of credit needs to go to his mum. She’s a bit like him, she’s very quiet, but a very, very strong and determined woman with a clear idea of where she wants to get to in life and a very strong commitment to looking after her kids and trying to get the best for them. She and Chris share a lot of traits I think.”
