CHANCE TO SHINE AT SEASON’S END

DESPITE Geelong Rangers not having anything more to play for in State League 2 this season, they will go into their final two league fixtures with a definite purpose — to blood the club’s next generation of emerging talent.

This starts with Saturday’s clash against fourth-placed Fitzroy City at Fairfield Park.

Virtually assured of finishing sixth, the Dark Blues will nonetheless look to capture the maximum amount of points, yet at the same time focus on giving a selection of talented youngsters a taste of senior football.

“Obviously we still want to get the points, however this is a great opportunity to give some game time to some of our up and coming talented youth,” coach Stuart Begg said.

“Some of them have already played bit parts during the season and some have been on the cusp of getting their shot in the firsts. Either way, they have all impressed and deserve the game time over these next two weeks.”

The process of developing the club’s youngsters is evidenced by the fact the reserves team is known as the ‘development squad’.

“There are a few reasons for this, but the main one is that we take the view if you’re not playing in the seniors by then, you are either trying to break into the seniors or you’re in a position to help those to do so, i.e. experienced players giving something back,” Begg said.

“Thus it’s all about pathway development.”

Begg said Rangers had arguably the best development coach in the Geelong region, Liam McCloskey, looking after the seconds.

“Liam is always a coach in demand for that very reason and we are already seeing some great results. All season we have had a number of kids who come in and train with the seniors to gain experience and they interchange every few weeks,” he said.

“If they in turn are playing well, some weeks they get the chance to come off the bench.

“I must say they are not there to make up the numbers, the senior squad gets around them and they know that they are certainly putting their hand up for selection.”

Of the talented crop of youngsters likely to get a look in over the coming fortnight, Begg singled out Carlin McCloskey, Max Waugh, Eros Markoulis, Alex Timms, Htoo Eh Gay Rocket, John Cox and Theo Ballis.

With regards to next season’s squad, when asked if there would be any players from this year’s team not returning to Myers Reserve, Begg was coy.

“Ha ha, no, all of them are staying,” he quipped before adding, “in all honesty, I would love to say that everyone will be staying next season and I will certainly be working on making it so.

“But I do believe we have assembled a great squad and I’m certain everyone would be keen in giving the league a real nudge next season. We do have a couple of visa players, so they would need to work on an additional year if they want to stay.

“We have a great platform to build around in our squad as our average age would be in the low to mid-20s.”