Worth the wait for teen talent
LAUDERDALE’ S Matt McGuinness had to bite his tongue and hide his frustration, but the talented teenager let out his angst on an unsuspecting Launceston on Saturday night.
After four weeks in the Mercury Cup, he was recalled to the side and shone under the University of Tasmania Stadium lights in defence as the Bombers crushed the Blues by 72 points.
“It was frustrating, but you’ve just got to cop it on the chin and go back and play good footy,” McGuinness, 18, said. “I gained confidence and then he brought me back in. I had to earn my spot again and I felt I played my role and did my part.”
McGuinness’s time in the twos had raised a few eyebrows outside of Lauderdale given his pedigree and form away from the Bombers.
He returned from Mariners and Allies duties as a possible AFL draftee, but he was made to earn his spot in the seniors by Lauderdale coach Darren Winter.
McGuinness, the youngest brother of Lauderdale duo Josh and Ben, was a star for Tasmania’s unbeaten under18s, playing key back and forward roles, and he impressed with the Allies in the under-18s championships.
Even his call-up was kept secret and he was only publicly included on the team sheet just before the first bounce.
“He [Winter] said I had to go back and get some more confidence in the reserves, which I did, so it was good to gain some confidence and come back up here and I felt I had a fairly good game,” McGuinness said.
“I knew Thursday night I would be playing, I’m pretty sure we were tricking the Lonnie boys that I wasn’t playing but I knew Thursday night.”
He has the perfect on-field mentor in eldest brother Josh, a former Brisbane Lion draftee, who was best on ground also playing in defence against the Blues.
“He’s a massive influence,” he said of his big brother. “He’s always giving me feedback and helping me out in what position to get to. He’s always communicating out in the middle.”
McGuinness the youngest couldn’t have picked a better time to shine, with UTas Stadium filled with AFL scouts there to see the likes of North Launceston’s Tarryn Thomas, and Blues duo Chayce Jones and Tim Auckland.
But it might have been the Bomber defender who outshone them, highlighted by a third-quarter smother on Blues ruckman Hamish Leedham that not only saved a goal, but saw the ball go end to end for another Lauderdale major.
“It is great, that’s the thing [being drafted] at the end of the year you want to get, and you just try and play good footy I guess and those rewards will come,” he said.
Lauderdale has all but ruled out key forward Ryan Wiggins for Saturday’s 5pm preliminary final against Glenorchy with a rolled ankle, but he is a chance should the Bombers progress to the grand final.