McGinness gets first taste of national football

TORQUAY youngster Jack McGinness returned from his first AFL National Championships with more than a representative jumper, discovering the standard required to reach the next level of football.

The 16-year-old was one of five local players selected in the squad, alongside Harry Lindsay, Oscar Roydhouse (Newtown & Chilwell), Harry Price (Torquay) and team co-captain Daniel May (St Mary’s).

Playing at Carrara Oval and touring the Gold Coast Suns’ facilities were among the highlights of the carnival, while the standard of football also left a lasting impression.

“You’re just continuously running, it’s so fast,” McGinness said.

“Everyone’s bigger and the skills are a lot better – it’s a big difference.”

Despite playing on the wing for the first time, McGinness discovered endurance was one of his strengths after reviewing the GPS data collected during matches.

He credited Geelong Falcons assistant coach Matt Kershaw for helping him adapt to the unfamiliar role.

“We wore trackers in the games and I was pretty surprised that my work rate so high,” McGinness said.

McGinness said some of the biggest lessons came away from match day, particularly around preparation and working closely with coaches.

“Getting to know your coaches is an important thing,” he said.

“You never know how much the small connections make.

“And preparation for games, making sure you’re getting enough sleep, having the right foods, things like that.”

Armed with new confidence and experience, McGinness will now turn his attention to Torquay’s premiership campaign before chasing a place with the Geelong Falcons’ under-18 side.