Victorian at home in all seasons

NEW Cutter Hayden Pyke went from playing in mud to drowning in sweat in AFL Cairns.

The highly touted Victorian recruit showed signs of his quality for South Cairns in their belting of Cairns City Lions last week and will step up against Manunda this afternoon.

After playing recently with the Parkdale Vultures Football Club in the Victorian Amateur Football Association, the bigbodied on-baller could immediately see the difference in the styles of footy.

“The grounds are bigger and it is a lot more free flowing,” Pyke said of the difference between the two competitions.

“It is hard to say after just the one game but there seemed to be less congestion.

“I am used to playing on grounds with cricket pitches in the middle with more contests and stoppages. “I am loving it so far. “It was great to get a win first-up.

“We have had a tough preseason but it was hard work in this heat in the first half.

“It will take some adjusting to.”

The Cutters had tried to lure Pyke north for the past few seasons but finally got their man in 2017.

Cutters playing-coach Cameron Campbell was happy with how his new man has fitted in.

“Pyke played really well through the middle against Lions,” Campbell said.

“He is a real in-and-under on-baller.”

Most AFL Cairns followers have the Cutters going deep into September and Pyke is enjoying his new surrounds.

“The appeal of coming to Cairns was the main thing for me,” Pyke said.

“Instead of being in the big city of Melbourne, the rat race and all that, the outdoor activities up here stood out for me.”