The Standard |DYLAN Lees has spent his entire football career wearing a Blues jumper.
The 19-year-old onballer played juniors with Warrnambool but it's Nirranda he has grown to love — and that's unlikely to change any time soon.
He joined the Warrnambool and District league club in 2013 and has strung together 40 consecutive matches under two coaches.
"I'm locked in at Nirranda. I don't see myself playing Hampden league. It's too good out there. I wouldn't leave, it's a good culture," he said.
Lees' pledge of allegiance is music to the ears of the Blues' faithful, who have had little finals success to celebrate in recent seasons.
He is among a host of young players who have received senior game time as part of a rebuild under Brad Wiggins and Aidan Cole the past three seasons.
The progress was slow — Nirranda won seven matches in 2013 and 10 in 2014. But the rewards are starting to show, with Lees a prime example.
He was among their best in a drought-breaking win against Panmure last weekend and looms a key figure in their push for finals.
"When I started (at Nirranda) I was off the bench in the first season but now I'm in the midfield. I've definitely made an improvement," he said.
He credited teammates Nathan Couch and Peter McDowall with his development, while an arduous pre-season has him as fit as he could be.
But any talk of him taking credit for the Blues' promising start to the season is quickly dismissed.
"The thing out at Nirranda is we're a team. I don't think we're a bunch of individuals," he said.
Nirranda meets Deakin University at Nirranda Recreation Reserve in round three action today, with the Blues favourites to improve their record to 2-1. They came within seven points of Dennington in the season opener — a performance which reflected their improvement — before breaking through against Panmure.
"We're just looking to improve week in, week out. We work on things at training every week and make sure that comes into game day," Lees said.
