Opportunity to prove themselves
Young Wimmera footballers are keen to see the start of a shortened NAB League season to prove themselves against the best up-andcomers the state has to offer.
The country’s premier junior league will return for a revised season in late August after competition was suspended indefinitely just days before round one in March.
Boys and girls across the Wimmera who celebrated receiving their Greater Western Victoria Rebels guernseys earlier this year have been anxiously waiting for a restart to matches, which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NAB League Girls clubs will start the 2020 season with three more matches for each team to complete a six-game season, while the NAB League Boys clubs will play a revised six-game season including a round of NAB League finals.
For Horsham Saints’ Gage Wright, this will be his last year to prove himself in the leading under-18 competition.
Wright will have a chance to redeem himself after a broken hip forced him to pull out of nearly all 2019 competitions.
“My dream is to get drafted to the AFL. I’ll pursue that and go as far as I can,” he said.
“It was pretty disappointing to see the games postponed. You put in a full summer of work, running and training and trying to fine-tune your skills and then being told you can’t play for the year or you could be waiting another six months hits you pretty hard.”
The midfielder said he was anticipating a ‘tough and fast’ shortened season and was planning to bring his best performance to the competition.
“With the shortened season you’ve got to prove yourself straight away and I don’t think we’re getting any practice games beforehand, so it will be a bit scrappy at the start,” he said.
“You’re playing against the best kids in Victoria. You’ve got to prove that you can be better.”
For 17-year-old Sam Breuer, this will be his first year playing with the Rebels.
Breuer said he was pushing himself hard in training to prep for the August start.
“We’re training as much as we can – but we’re just not sure at the moment, not being able to play games and simulated training is pretty tough,” he said.
“We do it because we love it. Footy with your mates is all about making memories, but it’s disappointing because you have to isolate, and you can’t be in big groups. My main goal is now a bit more of a focus on next year, playing the best I can and just looking long term to stay motivated.”
GWVR Wimmera regional coach and former AFL player Shayne Breuer has been helping the Wimmera boys prepare for the forthcoming season.
Breuer said the NAB season was a pivotal competition that served as a prime opportunity for players to be drafted into the AFL, VFL and AFLW.
“It’s just one of the many options of getting to that point, but it would be disappointing to lose that competition this year,” he said.
“You look at Tom Berry, Jarrod Berry and Darcy Tucker, all who have gone through the program – these young guys know those players and see the path they took to get to top-level football.”
He said it was crucial for young players in their developmental phase to continue playing football.
“Even if we only get them to play half a dozen games at the NAB level this year, it would be awesome for the players,” he said.
“From 11 through to 20, they’re just learning so much each year – losing a year is a year you can never get back.”
Ben Hobbs, Horsham; Sam Breuer, Gage Wright, Cody Bryan, Horsham Saints; Jeziah Woods, Ararat; Drew Schneider, Nhill; Dane Stewart, Warrack Eagles; and Maggie Caris, Ella Friend, Horsham Saints; Stephanie Glover, Horsham Demons; Isabella Simmons, Crystal Summers, Stawell; and Horsham’s Gemma Sounness, make up the Wimmera contingent.