Future stars: Best under-12 schoolboy footballers revealed

Victoria‘s world record lockdown has left the state schoolboy under-12 team ‘underdeveloped’ and empty-handed in a 10-year first but some FUTURE STARS still shined bright.

Victorian under-12 schoolboy footballers were untraditionally beaten by smaller states for the first time in over a decade as the world’s longest lockdown proved that the players were underdeveloped for this year’s national tournament.

The Victorian under-12s packed their bags for the August 7 to 12 week-long event in Adelaide to take on opposing states and territories for the first time since the pandemic hit in 2020.

The highly sought after gold title, held by Victoria for 10 straight campaigns was broken this year when South Australia took home first place while Western Australia won silver and Victoria finished with bronze.

Victoria under 12 coach Leigh McQuillen said he agreed with fellow state coaches that the pandemic had played a part in the development of the Victorian players.

“I was chatting to the other coaches at the end of it and we came to a conclusion that given Victorian football for a year and a half didn’t happen … we weren’t as good as what we could have been, ” McQuillen said.

“The kids we took away were nowhere near as developed and as good as the kids we have taken in the past.

“You got to take two years off their development, so they got 12-year-old bodies with 10-year-old development.

“That’s the way I see it.”

McQuillen said other states had an advantage over the Victorians this tournament from the extra footy they enjoyed in the lead up.

“No other states stopped playing and we’re talking about 12-year-old kids that didn’t get a year and a half worth of development,” he said.

“It was clear as day that both those South Australian and Western Australian sides had been as competitive as they had been in the past.

“They were always going to be that good, the problem was we weren’t as good as what we could have been.”

McQuillen, who has been involved in similar tournaments said the pandemic was a genuine excuse for why the quality wasn’t as good as previous teams.

“That’s not a slight on the players, it’s just that they have missed two years of development.”

Victoria Schoolboys under-12 football team running out at Campbelltown Memorial Oval in Adelaide during their 2022 National Carnival. (Supplied)

The tournament featured five games in six days where four 12-minute quarters constituted games.

McQuillen said the players and parents got to have separate tours of Port Adelaide’s facility with ex-Vic schoolboy Xavier Duursma.

“It was amazing,” McQuillen said.

“He introduced the boys to a couple of players, it was just awesome to see the insides of their facility and then to have the ability to be out on their ground which was in mint shape.

“He answered all their questions and took photos with the boys.

“Xavier is a good kid and it was a great opportunity for the boys.”

Under-12 Victorian footy schoolboys meet AFL footballer Xavier Duursma. (Supplied)

The team were also given support from Geelong before the tournament where they got to go down to see their facilities and meet ex-Vic schoolboy footballer Joel Selwood.

Melbourne’s Jack Viney also was a part of their preparations before the Adelaide trip where he attended their jumper presentations.

McQuillen was grateful for what the AFL players offered to the under-12 players.

“They do emulate and look up to them,” he said.

“They asked them so many questions. They did that with Xav, I reckon they kept him there for a good 30 to 40 minutes quizzing him on everything about an AFL footballer.”

FUTURE STARS: Best under-12 schoolboy footballers revealed

Freddie Hardman

Club: Hawthorn Citz

Position: Midfield

A “midfield bull” who carries the ball and has speed out of contests. Strong clearance player who is likened to Dustin Martin. He goes forwards and impacts the scoreboard as well.

Ollie Muir

Club: Neerim South JFC

Position: Midfield and forward

Currently with the state basketball team in Bendigo after having a tournament last week in Adelaide with the Under 12 boys state football team. A left footer who is agile and can find his way through traffic. A “high talent” who will have to choose between footy and basketball. Muir was probably outside the 10 tallest players in the team but he has a “massive” vertical leap where he even played in the ruck at stages of the carnival.

Neerim South footballer Ollie Muir. (Supplied)

Kalan Thomas

Club: South Melbourne Districts

Position: Ruck

An agile ruck who can also play as a midfielder with the ability to get ground balls. He is athletic and had a successful tournament.

Sol Zak

Club: Shepparton Swans

Position: Defender

A country footballer who is a strong defender who hardly loses to his opponent. His development has been “huge” over the last 12 months as he has been able to play more through Covid times compared to Metro footballers.

Jonathan Millar

Club: Balwyn Greythorn Jets JFC

Position: Defender

A player who showed potential as a left footer with a “racking kick”. Plays like Darcy Moore where he reads the play well by creating two on ones by leaving his man. He can also carry the ball and create spark off half back with a long kick.

Balwyn Greythorn Jets footballer Jonathan Millar

Louis Hooper

Club: Prahran Junior Football club and Melbourne Grammar School

Position: Half back flank

A promising player with a handy left foot who can intercept but also use the ball effectively out of defence. A leader described as a “high end player” and “a good kid” by coach Leigh McQuillen. Hooper is also school captain of Melbourne Grammar and is in the top one per cent in the maths Olympiad. A talented cricketer also. Likened to Scott Pendlebury.

Deon luttrell

Club: South Morang Football Club

Position: Wing

A well built “quality player” who goes in hard. Picks up heaps of possessions and has great potential.

South Morang Football Club talent Deon luttrell. (Supplied)

BOTTOM AGE players to watch:

Taima Thomas

Club: Cavendish Bloods

Position: Midfielder

A good sized player who “dominates football in Hamilton” and has to play in the older under 15 age group. He is an X factor who is “very physical”, takes marks and runs well. Coach McQuillen said opposition players “can’t catch him” because of how quick he is and how he takes tacklers on and breaks tackles. He is the son of former Melbourne footballer Brad Thomas.

Cavendish Bloods younstar Taima Thomas. (Supplied)

James Mastropasqua

Club: St Bernard’s Junior football club

Position: Key Forward

A tall player who is six foot tall already at under 12 level. His height is a major attribute. Coach McQuillen said he used Mastropasqua like Paul Salmon in throwing him up forward.

Eamon Hyde

Club: Cobram Football Netball Club

Position: Key forward

Kicked six goals in a practice game against St Joseph’s before the national carnival and always had the potential for a strong tournament. He delivered on that being the number one key forward in the side with plenty of goals to his name. Hyde has a strong pair of hands likened to Tom Lynch. He took a heap of marks for his side in Adelaide and he was strong one-on-one.

Jackson Butterworth

Club: Echuca Bombers

Position: Utility

Can play in all positions. Butterworth has a strong ability to break away from stoppages and he is a “great kick”. His positional flexibility was handy in the tournament and he is a player likened to Luke Hodge in the way he can use his footy smarts.

Echuca Bombers youngster Jackson Butterworth. (Supplied)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

James D’Antonio

Club: ST Mary‘s Greensborough

Liam Basil

Club: Beaumaris Sharks Football Club

Elias Samie

Club: Mill Park FC