David HardingLess cash, much more dash
July 13th 2010 05:13
Sourced: The Mercury - The voice of Tasmania
Story by Adam Smith
TASMANIA'S clean sweep of the national under-18 and under-16 carnival was another victory against cashed-up Queensland.
The state's best under-16 footballers clinched their division with victory against the Maroons on Saturday, mirroring the Mariners' victory a fortnight earlier.
Despite getting paid peanuts from the AFL compared with the cash injection into Queensland's football, Tasmania has yet again proved it can produce some of the best underage talent in the country from a much smaller pool of players.
The importance of performing on the national stage at under-16 level is increasing, with the AFL's newest franchises Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney swooping on the best 17-year-old players.
Maverick Weller and Luke Russell now with the Gold Coast and certain 2010 draftee Josh Green were part of Tasmania's successful 2008 under-16 side, paving the way for the next batch of youngsters to follow in their footsteps.
"We are in a really interesting environment these days when it comes to the under-16 championships because of the birth of the two new AFL clubs," AFL Tasmania High Performance Manager Nick Probert said yesterday.
"Those two clubs are looking much more closely at the under-16s from a talent point of view and so are the other clubs in order to stay on track.
"We all know about the money going into the other states ... winning doesn't necessarily result in draft picks recruiters look at attributes but it certainly helps.
"What winning does is provide attention for the team and makes recruiters look harder."
Tasmania's MVP Henry Schade, co-captain Bryce Walsh and Bayden Bryant, who booted three goals in the last quarter against Queensland to seal the 11.10 (76) to 8.5 (53) win, will no doubt all be looked at closely when they step up into the under-18 age bracket next year.
The team also got the chance to play a World XVIII, which, along with a South Pacific side, was part of Division Two.
"I was pleased. The ball delivery into the forward line was good," Bryant said of his match-winning haul.
"I got injured in the first game so I missed out against the world [XVIII] and three quarters of the first game."
Story by Adam Smith
Under-16 players, back row, from left, Nathan Douglas, Rohan Bones and Sam Siggins, and, front row, from left, Sam O'Byrne, Bayden Bryant, Bryce Walsh and Matthew Ling. Picture: RAOUL KOCHANOWSKI
The state's best under-16 footballers clinched their division with victory against the Maroons on Saturday, mirroring the Mariners' victory a fortnight earlier.
Despite getting paid peanuts from the AFL compared with the cash injection into Queensland's football, Tasmania has yet again proved it can produce some of the best underage talent in the country from a much smaller pool of players.
The importance of performing on the national stage at under-16 level is increasing, with the AFL's newest franchises Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney swooping on the best 17-year-old players.
Maverick Weller and Luke Russell now with the Gold Coast and certain 2010 draftee Josh Green were part of Tasmania's successful 2008 under-16 side, paving the way for the next batch of youngsters to follow in their footsteps.
"We are in a really interesting environment these days when it comes to the under-16 championships because of the birth of the two new AFL clubs," AFL Tasmania High Performance Manager Nick Probert said yesterday.
"Those two clubs are looking much more closely at the under-16s from a talent point of view and so are the other clubs in order to stay on track.
"We all know about the money going into the other states ... winning doesn't necessarily result in draft picks recruiters look at attributes but it certainly helps.
"What winning does is provide attention for the team and makes recruiters look harder."
Tasmania's MVP Henry Schade, co-captain Bryce Walsh and Bayden Bryant, who booted three goals in the last quarter against Queensland to seal the 11.10 (76) to 8.5 (53) win, will no doubt all be looked at closely when they step up into the under-18 age bracket next year.
The team also got the chance to play a World XVIII, which, along with a South Pacific side, was part of Division Two.
"I was pleased. The ball delivery into the forward line was good," Bryant said of his match-winning haul.
"I got injured in the first game so I missed out against the world [XVIII] and three quarters of the first game."
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