BFNL youngsters take positives out of representative experience

BFNL under-19 interleague coach Jason Stevens says his side will have learned some valuable lessons from their 89-point loss to the VAFA at the QEO last Sunday.

The league’s emerging stars fell 18.17 (125) to 5.6 (36) to a slick and highly skilful VAFA, bolstered by the inclusion of up to a half dozen VFL-affiliated players.

Highlighting the gap between the two sides on the day, the VAFA’s quarter-time score of 5.5 (35) was only one point off the BFNL’s final output.

The VAFA were fully in control at half-time, leading 61 to 20, but saved their best for the third term with a five-goal-to-nil third quarter.

While it was not the result the BFNL youngsters had worked towards for more than a month, Stevens was certain they would take plenty of lessons out of the wider interleague experience.

“From our point of view, we were really happy with the commitment of the guys and the effort they showed, but at the end of the day we were outsized and outclassed,” he said. “The buy-in from the group has been great.

“We obviously had some guys travelling in (to Bendigo) – obviously the Gisborne boys and Castlemaine boys – but they didn’t miss a session and were always the first ones here.

“But also the local blokes have wanted to be a part of it.

“They (the VAFA) had six or seven blokes who were VFL-listed, and from the top end of the VAFA, which is a bit different to what the senior group played.

“But at the end of the day, full credit to the VAFA.

“Hopefully the boys will take some learnings from it. I’m sure they will.”

Stevens viewed the result as no reflection on the quality of youth making its way through the BFNL ranks at present.

“There were some talented players who missed out on the side and have all played senior football in Bendigo,” he said.

“That certainly showed where we were at with the group we thought we picked.

“The group we picked had plenty of potential and plenty of growth in it as well.

“There were some disappointed blokes who missed out, but at the end of the day we could have picked 30 blokes who could have been part of the side.

“We landed on the 23 that we hoped was right.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of interleague and most times you just never know until you get there on the day.”

Gisborne’s James Gray was the standout for the BFNL with an excellent captain’s game, earning the newly named Robert O’Connell Medal as the team’s best on ground.

 

The medal is named in honour of the former five-time premiership player with Golden Square and Eaglehawk and BFNL Hall of Famer.

O’Connell, who donned the BFNL’s blue and gold 16 times in interleague matches across his stellar career, was on hand to present the medal.

Stevens described Gray as ‘a ripper’ of a footballer and young man.

“He probably could have in his own right put his hand up for that senior group, but speaking to him early on in the piece, he was really keen to be part of it,” he said.

“As soon as he committed, he was great.

“He’s been able to teach some of the younger guys in the squad how to go about it.

“Even at the team breakfast (on Sunday morning), they were all still taking things in from each other.”

Outside of Gray, Strathfieldsaye’s Jed Hayes toiled hard in the ruck and his Storm teammate Jed Daniels was creative across half-forward, topping the BFNL goalkickers with two.

Kangaroo Flat’s Aaron Nevins fared well in the midfield before sustaining a late injury.

Stevens backed the BFNL to continue its commitment to interleague into the future.

“It’s something both Simon (senior coach Simon Rosa) and I have spoken to the league about, continuing this on,” he said.

“We hope this group here get the bug and want to drive interleague forward.

“We are keen to showcase what Bendigo can do.

“The result didn’t go our way today (Sunday), but the way the boys presented themselves and worked throughout the lead-up, it’s what we wanted to see.”