The Courier |
HE is just 16, but Ryan Noether is already making a mark on the Ballarat Football League senior ranks.
Noether is set to play his second senior match for Sebastopol tomorrow, in what has been a remarkable rise within the Globe Hotel Kookaburras’ ranks.
Just last year, the slender and speedy footballer was running around in the under 16.5s.
Now he is preparing to take on the might (and considerable size) of Sunbury, arguably the physically strongest team in the BFL.
Not that he is worried about it.
“In the juniors I sort of play in and under a bit, but I’ll probably be used more as an outsider in the seniors,” he said.
“I’ll take every opportunity I can to play senior footy and go wherever Rocky (coach Shawne Dummett) wants me.”
There was initial hesitation from Sebastopol to hand the 16-year-old his debut against East Point last week – not because he is not good enough, but because he is about half the size of some BFL players.
But after consulting with his parents, Dummett made the call to throw him in.
“I was just pumped when I was told I would be playing, I really wanted to,” Noether said.
“It was a great experience. I was nervous going in, as I suppose anyone would be. The atmosphere was amazing, which definitely helped. You play under-16s and there’s hardly any cars but it was so different in the seniors.”
As soon as he set foot on Eastern Oval last week, Noether looked as though he belonged.
He was named second best for the Kookaburras, although Dummett said he could easily have been named best.
Injuries might have rocked Sebastopol this season and the club looks as though it is in for another long year, not that Noether is in any way perturbed.
Sebastopol hosts the imposing Sunbury at home tomorrow, in what is shaping as a potential mismatch.
“I just play for the love of the game, I always have,” Noether said.
“My two brothers are here, I can’t really imagine being anywhere else.”
For Sunbury, Allan O’Connor returns for his first game since the 2012 premiership, having undergone shoulder surgery in the off-season.
Jay Cheep will also face a fitness test tomorrow morning as he tries to recover from a nasty knock to the shin.
Dropping out of the side will be young spearhead Jack Sheahan, who has been selected to play his first senior VFL match with Bendigo.
“It’s a similar match to last week in that we can’t just go in expecting to win,” said Sunbury coach Rick Horwood.
Last time they met: Sunbury 20.15 (135) d Sebastopol 9.8 (62), round 3, 2012.
PREDICTION: Sunbury in a canter.
