Raw Stingrays speedster Joziah Nannup will play in this year’s Young Guns series

AFL recruiters will get a proper look at the electrifying pace of the Dandenong Stingrays’ quickest prospect when he takes the field in this year’s Young Guns series.

Joziah Nannup

Blink and you’ll miss him.

Dandenong Stingray sprinter Joziah Nannup has earned a selection in the 2023 Young Guns series after showcasing his “electrifying pace”.

Nannup grabbed the Stingrays’ attention in an exciting performance for Doveton in a Southern league under-19 grand final last year.

After being invited to training for a trial period, Nannup burst onto the Rays’ list by breaking the clubs sprint records with a 2.9 second 20 metre dash.

Rays coach Nick Cox said Nannup – who turns 19 in November – is still “raw” but his speed and adaptability is promising.

“As simple as it is, we watched a little bit of vision of him, asked around the traps and the thing that kept coming back to us was that he had electrifying pace,” he said.

“He’s still very raw, there’s a lot to go in his journey but his ability to adapt in our system and improve week-by-week has been a real stand out.

“It’s quite exciting because he is someone who has never been in an elite football program, he has a basketball background, it’s great what he’s been able to achieve thus far.

“At training we said whenever he has the opportunity to showcase his speed and drive his legs, to do that.

“The structural stuff and positioning will eventually come, but for him to show what he can do with his speed and running ability was the only message we gave him.”

Joziah Nannup on the run. Picture: JAZZ BENNET MEDIA

Cox’s mantra at Shepley Oval is to develop the person as well as the player and says Nannup is teaching the 2023 crop a lot about his proud Indigenous heritage.

“He is very proud of his culture and where he has come from, we can learn from him about it going forward as a group,” he said.

“We come from all different backgrounds and religions; I think we need to embrace all of that from different people.

“He is another one that we are interested in his journey and how his journey is going to go, not only as a footballer but as a person.”

Since his eye-opening grand final with Doveton, Nannup has changed his local club to Devon Meadows in the Mornington Peninsula league where former-AFL star Paddy Ryder plays.

The Young Gun series begins on Sunday at Trevor Barker Beach Oval with a secondary fixture the following Sunday at Ikon Park.

Fellow Dandenong Stingray Ziggy Toledo-Glasman is also playing for Vic Country.