Preview: Tasmania Devils doubleheader
Tasmania’s under-16 side will kick off their campaign in the NAB AFL National Development Championships – U16 Boys when they take on the Northern Territory. This will be a long-awaited chance for the state’s best young player to shine on the national stage.
The Devils side will be coached by Jamie Hayward and will feature one NAB League squad member, ruck Mason Elphinstone, who will look to have a big impact on the contest around the stoppages.
He will be supported there by fellow overage ruck Max Mapley and a talented midfield group, with Connor Ling and Blake Harper expected to be among the prime movers.
They also possess plenty of playmaking and creativity from the backline, with Aiden O’Connor and Marty Brereton able to provide some drive out of defence.
In the forward line, small forwards Jaxon Thorpe and Oliver Kubank have plenty of tricks up their sleeves and will be a handful for the Northern Territory defenders.
This will be the first of three games for Tasmania in the championships, as they will take on the Brisbane Lions and the Sydney Swans in the coming weeks.
The Devils will look to bounce back strongly after a tough loss in the last round of the NAB League. That result against Dandenong dropped the Devils out of the top four, but they sit outside that bracket by percentage only and are still just one win off top spot.
There were still plenty of positive performances last week despite the final score, with the undermanned Devils battling hard throughout. Defenders Arie Schoenmaker (29 disposals, 13 marks) and Braidy Simpson (28 disposals, six rebound 50s) were both prolific, and debutant Khai Lunson was also impressive in the backline. With several key players returning for the clash with Bendigo, it would be no surprise to see a much-improved performance here.
While Bendigo have just one win in the NAB League Boys this season, they still loom as a dangerous opponent for Tasmania. The Pioneers are a strong team around the stoppages, sitting among the league leaders in contested possessions and with plenty of big bodies around the ball. Tasmania’s midfielders will need to be at their best if they want to negate that threat.
Defender Josh Gillow will miss through injury and Geordie Payne is out with illness, while Cooper Warren also makes way.
Key players
Tasmania Devils
Liam Howard
With Gillow out due to injury and Tom McCallum away with the Allies, Howard will be one of the Devils defenders that will need to step up in this game. He had his most prolific game of the season last week, finishing with 15 disposals and four marks, but it’s his defensive work that will be key on Sunday. While he stands at 185 centimetres he may have to play even bigger in the absence of his fellow defenders.
Brandon Leary
Leary has been a star in Tasmania’s forward line this year, booting 22 goals from eight games to lead the entire NAB League in goalkicking. The Devils kicked just five goals in his absence last week, and his return alongside Splann should help to remedy some of the issues at that end of the ground. Having kicked multiple goals in all but one NAB League appearance this season, it would be a big surprise if he didn’t have an impact on the scoreboard.
Bendigo Pioneers
Malik Gordan
Gordan has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, averaging 15 disposals, 3 clearances, and 4 shots at goal per game in his last three NAB League appearances. He has spent increased minutes in the midfield and when he has gone forward, he has certainly made an impact. Standing at 190cm, with clean hands in the air and crafty work around stoppages, Gordan will no doubt be a handful for the Devils.
Charlie Hillier
Hillier made his NAB League debut last round and had an immediate impact, kicking a team-high two goals against the Bushrangers. The 17-year-old has starred for the Deniliquin Rams in junior competition, and he has seemingly grabbed his NAB League opportunity with both hands. Against a strong Devils defence, he could provide a spark and give the Pioneers a much-needed edge in the game.