Young Pies ready to step up to the plate

GLENORCHY’S next tier of emerging talent is ready to step up and accept the challenge of turning the club’s TSL fortunes around in the absence of a host of first-choice starters.

While the Pies will almost certainly regain Jaye Bowden from a hamstring complaint for Saturday’s clash with Clarence, they continue to be battered by injury and suspension.

Already without co-captain Brayden Webb and Daniel Joseph as they work back from long-term knee injuries, Ben Kamaric (hamstring) and John Geard (knee) joined them in the casualty ward following the defeat to Lauderdale.

Ryan Banks-Smith was suspended for three matches for a high hit on Mitch Anderton.

Mitch Rainbird (groin) was a late withdrawal and will need to pass a fitness test on Thursday to face the Roos, while Cameron Goodsell strained his hamstring last Thursday on the eve of his own comeback.

Despite the mounting toll, coach Paul Kennedy refused to buy into any talk his group deserved a change of luck.

“I don’t really want to talk about that, one thing our group proved last year, and they’ve proven again this year, is their resilience,” Kennedy said.

“2018, when I came in, there was still a reasonable chunk of the older group, but overall quite younger, and one thing we identified mid-season was building that resilience and mental toughness.

“Last year, they were tested a lot and passed most of those tests and the start of this year, in terms of that area of the game, the first two weeks we have been really good and last week we were excellent.”

Assuming sole captaincy duties while Webb is sidelined, Josh Arnold was a rock down back against the Bombers, former Hawthorn draftee Zac Webster played one of his best games since returning from the AFL system, while the likes of James Webb, Callan Daly and Matthew Joseph picked up the slack.

“There is a real mental toughness in our young group, and how can there not be when they get to play with Josh Arnold? Josh on the weekend was remarkable,” Kennedy said.

“Playing down back he had 23 possessions and 20 pressure acts. He played on pretty much all the full range of players he could play on and rarely lost a one-on-one contest.

“In terms of him stepping up as our skipper full time this year, he has been sensational.

“Then when you have young guys playing around him, it is easy for them to follow the example.”