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    Dustin Cross.

2019 HDFNL finals | Rising tide of youth lifts Noradjuha-Quantong

By Colin MacGillivray

After eight years in the football wilderness Noradjuha-Quantong will return to the finals in 2019.

While the club has been competitive for the most part, it has not seen post-season action since a 2011 elimination final loss to Swifts.

So, when coach Gareth Hose took over at the start of the 2018 season, the mandate from club president Tim Kelly and his committee was clear – develop the youth.



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This season the club’s plans have come to fruition.

A rising tide of young talent has lifted the Bombers despite a tough run of injuries in 2019.

Wade Francis, Josh Freeman, Zane Batson, Josiah Mock, Darcy Hogan and Jye Walter have all earned regular spots in the senior team after graduating from the club’s under-17 ranks in the past two seasons, while Zach Kelly and Riley Dunlop have played both senior and under-17 football this year.

Hose said the emergence of so much young talent had driven a strong finish to the season after an up-and-down start.

“In the second half of the year I’ve been noticing a lot more consistency in the way we play and how we’re going about it,” he said.

“The boys have really picked up the way that we set up on the field and the way that we want to move the footy.

“There has been a lot spoken about how we are a young side, but a lot of those young guys this year are getting up to that 20-to-50-game mark with their senior footy.

“They’ve been able to develop a lot more confidence in their ability against good opposition, so they take the game on a little bit more.”

Hose said injuries to some established senior players 

had helped give the club’s emerging youth more exposure. With several stars – including Nathan Byrne, Jordan Huff and Shane Oakley – rejoining the team in recent weeks, the Bombers are set to benefit.

Huff and Oakley should, alongside Cam Bruce, stretch opposition backlines thin, with Jye Walter also chiming in and captain Dustin Cross showcasing an ability to hit the scoreboard from the midfield.

The Bombers are the second highest scoring team in the league this year behind reigning premier Harrow-Balmoral, but have also conceded more points than any other finals side.

Young ruckman Jack Vague will have plenty of responsibility on his shoulders as he aims to give the side’s veteran-laden midfield – featuring the likes of Byrne, Cross, Jason Kerr and Tom Cooper – first use of the ball.

Noradjuha-Quantong has won five of its past six matches to storm into the finals, and Hose said everyone at the club was thoroughly enjoying the experience.

“It’s only been a couple of years that I’ve been at the club, but a few people have been saying it’s been eight years since our senior team has been in the finals,” he said.

“There’s an excitement and a positive feeling about the place.

“The diehard supporters are rapt that the senior team – and us being such a young team – are going to get the opportunity to taste a bit of finals footy. When I took over, we said we wanted to build each year. We had a goal at the start of the year that our next progression would hopefully be to play finals footy.

“We’ve taken big steps and I’m really pleased.”

 

Players to watch:

Dustin Cross

The captain of the Bombers has had an excellent season, kicking nearly a goal a game and giving the team some grunt and drive in the midfield. He is extremely consistent and has not missed a game in the past two seasons.

 

Jack Vague

Has emerged as one of the better ruckmen in the league and, at 22, still has plenty of development and improvement ahead of him. He helps give the Bombers’ dangerous onball division first use at stoppages.

 

Nathan Byrne

Has been restricted to only nine games through injury so far this season but is a potential matchwinner when healthy. He showed why the Bombers were so keen to lure him back after several seasons at Wimmera league team Horsham Saints with a string of best-on-ground performances early in the round. A big in before the finals.

 

Shane Oakley

Along with Jordan Huff, forms a potent key forward duo for the Bombers. He is yet to be kept goalless in 2019 and has five bags of five or more goals. His season total of 43 goals is his best return for the Bombers since he booted 57 during the 2012 season.

The entire August 21, 2019 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!