NAB League Live Stream: How to watch GWV Rebels v Bendigo Pioneers

A 198cm key defender who put up some off-the-charts numbers during pre-season testing is attracting plenty of AFL attention. Watch the draft bolter live this weekend.

An athletic key defender with major “wow” factor is continuing to excite AFL recruiters and is fast shaping as a first-round pick in this year’s national draft.

Greater Western Victoria Rebels backman Joshua Gibcus stands 198cm tall but also possesses a giant leap which allows him to pick off almost any ball that comes his way in the NAB League.

A member of both the NAB AFL Academy and the Vic Country squad, Gibcus recorded the equal-third best running vertical jump during pre-season testing (95cm) and the equal-sixth highest standing vertical jump (75cm).

WATCH GWV REBELS v BENDIGO PIONEERS LIVE HERE FROM. 1.30PM ON SATURDAY

The East Point product and St Patrick’s College Ballarat student rates among the best key defenders in the NAB League this season, averaging 12.5 disposals, 4.4 marks, 7.9 intercept possessions and 82 KFC SuperCoach ranking points across 10 games.

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AFL draft prospect Josh Gibcus played for the NAB AFL Academy in its clash with Geelong’s VFL side in April. Picture: Michael Klein

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“He’s hugely talented, Josh, with a massive vertical leap,” GWV Rebels coach David Loader said.

“He’s a hell of an athlete. He does some stuff during a game where you just go, ‘Wow, that’s AFL quality’.

“He’s a bit of an excitement machine. He’ll come out and stand on someone’s head and take a mark and you’ll just think, ‘Jeepers, this guy’s got some real power tricks in his bag’.

“We’re really looking forward to hopefully seeing some fine weather and watching his aerial work come into play. It probably hasn’t helped him that we’ve played in the wet so much, but if we can get a nice day with some decent weather he’s going to take some big marks and show what he’s really capable of.”

The Rebels are set to face off with the Bendigo Pioneers at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium on Saturday, with the big game to be live streamed at heraldsun.com.au.

The NAB League resumed for some regional teams last weekend while Melbourne remains in lockdown.

“If we can keep on playing and keep exposing the kids and what they can do, it’s a win-win for everyone,” Loader said.

“We’ve got a relatively deep, even squad this year so there’s quite a lot of blokes in our side that are in that bracket (which have AFL interest).”

Sam Breuer is another GWV Rebels player to watch. Picture: Michael Klein

Other players to watch for the Rebels include AFL Academy member Ben Hobbs and Vic Country squad members Sam Breuer, Jamieson Ballantyne, Charlie Molan, Hamish Sinnott, Josh Rentsch, Sam Butler and Kai Lohmann.

Breuer, a midfielder or defender, is the son of former Geelong and Port Adelaide player Shayne Breuer, who played 125 AFL games.

NAB LEAGUE MATCH OF THE ROUND

Saturday, 21 August, 1.30pm

GWV Rebels v Bendigo Pioneers

Mars Stadium, Ballarat

Live stream on heraldsun.com.au

Originally published as NAB League Live Stream: How to watch GWV Rebels v Bendigo Pioneers