Demon with a Pep in his step

NORTH Hobart’s football factory has become a production line for future Tassie Mariners, VFL and even AFL players — and Will Peppin hopes he fits into all three categories.

He’s already a Mariner but too young to be drafted this year.

The 17-year-old Guilford Young student hopes his consistent ball-winning and Jeremy Howe-style leaping has not gone unnoticed at the highest level.

“I’ve tried to take a hanger but all the big ones I seem to be dropping — hopefully I’ll get one by the end of the year,” Peppin said.

As North Hobart prepares for a major assignment against fourth-placed Glenorchy at KGV today, Peppin is shaping as one of the teenagers likely to play in the Mariners when they go fulltime in the TAC Cup next year, along with North Hobart teammates Mitch O’Neill, Sam Collins, Patrick Walker and Tyler McGuinness.

Peppin, who played in the Mariners’ wins over Northern Territory and Greater Western Sydney at the AFL National Under-18 championships, is excited by the prospect.

“It’s going to be great for everyone involved,” he said.

“I was really happy it’s going there, because it will give young Tassie footy players more exposure.”

It will be bittersweet that a full-time gig in the TAC Cup means fewer games with North Hobart.

“It’s a mix of good and bad,” Peppin said. “It would be nice playing every week with the North Hobart boys.

“But then again, you want to be representing your state and playing at the highest level you can and giving yourself the best opportunity to do that.

“I’d like to play at the highest possible, whether that’s TSL seniors or getting drafted and playing in the AFL — I just want to play the best I can.”

The Demons are so young this year, but the chemistry in the team is special.

“It’s awesome. I think we’ve got one of the best cultures of any club in Tassie,” Peppin said.

“We’ve got such a young group, we are all really good mates and we just want to get better and win games.”