David Harding
Cain Lynch'Other' debutants lost
April 2nd 2011 00:24
Sourced: The Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania
by Adam Smith
CLARENCE recruit George Fitzgibbon will make his State League debut in one of the biggest games in Tasmanian football history tonight - lining up against the side he almost joined.
Fitzgibbon landed on the Roos' doorstep after moving from Canberra for his university studies, but admitted yesterday he considered playing for the Magpies.
The attacking half-back flanker will instead now go head to head with triple AFL premiership star and 2001 Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis.
Incredible hype has surrounded the TSL season opener, which will be played under the newly installed lights at KGV between two arch enemies of Tasmanian football.
A crowd of between 5000 and 8000 is expected for the match.
"I'm pretty nervous, it's definitely the biggest game I've been involved with, I'm looking forward to it and it should be a good experience," Fitzgibbon said yesterday.
"I was born in Tasmania and left for Canberra when I was about five, I came back for uni and my uncle [Gary] used to play for Clarence.
"I was tossing up whether to come to Glenorchy or Clarence and he said 'don't go to Glenorchy'.
"[Clarence] is a very professional outfit, their facilities and the way they train takes a lot of time out of your week but I like that environment.
"There is definitely buzz around the group for another premiership."
Fitzgibbon won't be the only debutant tonight, with one of Glenorchy's other big signings, silky onballer Rhys Mott, making his first appearance for the Magpies.
Mott and centre half-forward Ben Reynolds moved south from Devonport.
Mott also admitted there has not been a bigger build-up to a game he has been involved in.
"It's a different experience with Akermanis, it's built the game up so much, it should be a really good contest," he said.
"The team is really buzzing at training, it's all been great and we are setting ourselves for a pretty big game."
It will also be a big night for the umpires, with recent AFL rookie-listed Nick Foot and AFL scholarship holder Ben Lehner two of the three in charge. Lehner said despite the extra attention attached with having Akermanis involved, it will be business as usual.
"At the end of the day we are just going to treat him like one of the other 35 players who are on the ground," he said.
The match starts at 6.30pm.
by Adam Smith
CLARENCE recruit George Fitzgibbon will make his State League debut in one of the biggest games in Tasmanian football history tonight - lining up against the side he almost joined.
Fitzgibbon landed on the Roos' doorstep after moving from Canberra for his university studies, but admitted yesterday he considered playing for the Magpies.
New recruits Rhys Mott for Glenorchy, left, and George Fitzgibbon for Clarence will make their debuts tonight. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES
The attacking half-back flanker will instead now go head to head with triple AFL premiership star and 2001 Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis.
Incredible hype has surrounded the TSL season opener, which will be played under the newly installed lights at KGV between two arch enemies of Tasmanian football.
A crowd of between 5000 and 8000 is expected for the match.
"I'm pretty nervous, it's definitely the biggest game I've been involved with, I'm looking forward to it and it should be a good experience," Fitzgibbon said yesterday.
"I was born in Tasmania and left for Canberra when I was about five, I came back for uni and my uncle [Gary] used to play for Clarence.
"I was tossing up whether to come to Glenorchy or Clarence and he said 'don't go to Glenorchy'.
"[Clarence] is a very professional outfit, their facilities and the way they train takes a lot of time out of your week but I like that environment.
"There is definitely buzz around the group for another premiership."
Fitzgibbon won't be the only debutant tonight, with one of Glenorchy's other big signings, silky onballer Rhys Mott, making his first appearance for the Magpies.
Mott and centre half-forward Ben Reynolds moved south from Devonport.
Mott also admitted there has not been a bigger build-up to a game he has been involved in.
"It's a different experience with Akermanis, it's built the game up so much, it should be a really good contest," he said.
"The team is really buzzing at training, it's all been great and we are setting ourselves for a pretty big game."
It will also be a big night for the umpires, with recent AFL rookie-listed Nick Foot and AFL scholarship holder Ben Lehner two of the three in charge. Lehner said despite the extra attention attached with having Akermanis involved, it will be business as usual.
"At the end of the day we are just going to treat him like one of the other 35 players who are on the ground," he said.
The match starts at 6.30pm.
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