Big brother is watching

THEY have been fierce competitors as brothers over the years, but now it gets really serious. Rhyce (inset) and Heath Shaw (main picture) come face to face at Blundstone Arena on Sunday — Rhyce as coach of North Melbourne and Heath as a GWS defender. It’s just the latest chapter in the Shaw sibling rivalry.

LESS than 12 months after kicking the SFL’s only goal in a 152-point humiliation at the hands of the NTFA, Elijah Reardon was suiting up in another representative match.

This time he was wearing the famous “Map”, booting two majors as a Devils under-25 TSL outfit defeated Vic Metro at UTas Stadium on Sunday. It has been a steep learning curve for the 19-year-old from Cygnet, who followed in the footsteps of Lachlan Clifford and Lochie Grigg to join the Tigers from the Port at State League level.

However the exciting forward is already showing glimpses of the X-factor he possesses and the opportunity to pull on the Tasmanian jumper has only fuelled his desire for more.

“It was a great opportunity and I was lucky to be selected in the side, it was important to play well and do well for Tassie,” Reardon said.

“It [the standard of the TSL] was hard to get into at first, but a couple of games in I started picking it up.

“Coming out of this game it will give me a bit of confidence to do better in my personal game for Tigers.

“I will try and improve my skills and get better to hopefully get a chance to go up and play in that [a potential VFL side].”

Tigers coach Trent Baumeler, who already had an insight into the skills Reardon was armed with having coached him at state under-17 level, reached out to the teen at the end of last year about joining the club.

He said the transition was difficult early, but it hasn’t taken opposition coaches long to ensure they lock down on the exciting talent.

“We know he is going to have ups and downs being a young bloke and playing at State League level for the first time, but we really like the way he has gone about it,” Baumeler said.

“We saw some of his potential and some of the tricks he has got in the rep game.

“He has that reputation, the thing at State League level is he is always getting a good defender, there is time and effort being put into stopping what he can do.

“It is only going to improve him, he will learn about workrate and playing against good defenders and becoming more consistent as well.”

The Tigers face North Hobart this weekend on the resumption of the competition.