Border Mail |
WANGARATTA youngster Zack Leitch is the first nominee for this year’s SS&A Rising Star award.
Leitch, 18, has played every game this season and been one of the Pies’ big improvers.
Playing at centre-half-back, the teenager has been forced to play on some of the competition’s best forwards and his ability to be unfazed by that prospect hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Pies coach Mark Knobel said Leitch’s no-nonsense attitude had been a major factor behind his promising start to the year.
“He’s been terrific,” Knobel said.
“He plays at flat-stick and certainly doesn’t shirk any issues.
“The game doesn’t hold any fear for him.
“He respects his opponent each week but at the same time he isn’t scared by them.
“He backs himself in and has attitude and work at training has been fantastic.”
Although the young gun had been used mainly in defence, Knobel hinted at different roles in future.
“He’s very versatile,” he said.
“I think he could play forward, in the ruck or even on a wing, to be honest.”
Leitch, who made his debut last season, is the first of five nominees for the award won by Corowa-Rutherglen’s Hayden Filliponi last year.
Players must have played at least five under-18 games in the Ovens and Murray last year to be eligible for nomination this season.
The Pies, meanwhile, take on Filliponi and the Roos today.
Wangaratta is out to bounce back after a six-point loss to Wangaratta Rovers last Sunday while Corowa-Rutherglen will want to string together consecutive wins for the first time this year.
