Vic Metro call-ups inspire Calder Cannons young guns’ dominant display

A season-best performance fires 190cm big-bodied midfielder Josh Goater back up AFL Draft boards, while Zac Taylor and Sam Paea also impress.

Josh Goater in action for Calder Cannons. Picture: Michael Klein

Vic Metro call-ups for three Calder Cannons young guns inspired standout performances on Saturday.

Zac Taylor, Josh Goater and Sam Paea were all named in the 30-man squad last week and starred in the thrilling three-point NAB League win over Geelong Falcons.

Ruckman Liam Podhajski was also named in the Vic Metro squad but missed the 8.5 (53) to 7.8 (50) victory at Highgate Reserve.

At 190cm, big-bodied midfielder Goater is getting a lot of attention from AFL scouts.

The Sunbury junior racked up a season-high 33 disposals against the Falcons and finished with 166 SuperCoach points.

Josh Goater in action during Vic Metro’s trial game against Vic Country.

Cannons talent manager Matt Burton said Goater was starting to show what he was truly capable of.

“It’s no secret that Josh’s athletic and footballing ability is really high. He’s a freakish talent,” Burton said.

“He’s got a lot of time with ball in hand, he can create things in tight and he’s really athletic in terms of his vertical (leap) and agility.

“Josh has got to put the work in to get the best out of himself because the talent is definitely there.

“His selection hasn’t come by luck or chance, he certainly deserves to be at the level and we’ve got a lot of faith that he’ll start to blossom as a footballer.”

Meanwhile, Taylor amassed 34 disposals, seven marks, a team-high nine tackles and a goal to earn a game-high 167 SuperCoach points.

After a quiet start to the season it was the Oak Park junior’s second straight 30-possession outing.

More midfield minutes have allowed Taylor to showcase his contested ball-winning ability but Burton says versatility is one of his biggest strengths.

Zac Taylor in action for Vic Metro during the trial game against Vic Country.

“We obviously see Zac’s football talent and he’s starting to marry that up with some hard work and his NAB League form has been outstanding,” Burton said.

“He was strong around the stoppages, which was great, but his foot skills are his one wood, he’s such a good kick of the footy.

“The beauty about Zac is his versatility, we enjoy him playing up forward because he applies a lot of pressure, he creates things in tight and makes things happen,

“Zac’s most under-rated trait is his competitiveness, he’s an extremely competitive kid, which we get to see at training and in games.”

Paea’s five-goal performance earned him best-on-ground honours in the win over Geelong.

The 194cm key forward has had issues with accuracy this season but found his range against the Falcons and has nine goals in his last two outings.

Paea also showed his ability to apply pressure inside 50m with four tackles.

The 19-year-old was on the draft radar last season and Burton believes his hard work is paying off.

Sam Paea celebrates a goal for Calder Cannons. Picture: Michael Klein

Liam Podhajski in action for Calder Cannons. Picture: Michael Klein

“Sammy is just a fantastic kid to work with, he’s put an incredible amount of work in,” he said.

“One of his big areas to work on is his goalkicking and he continually puts the hours in to improve that.

“He’s so exciting to watch, the Western (Jets) game was a bit step forward for him – he kicked four and looked really dangerous.

“He’s a lead up, leap at the footy forward who can create separation from his defender. When he gets his hands above his head on the move he’s hard to stop.”

Jack Newitt narrowly missed Vic Metro selection but responded with a game-high 10 marks to go with 22 disposals, while Flynn Lakey was again prolific in midfield with 31 touches and four tackles.

The final member of the Cannons’ Vic Metro foursome, Podhajski has split his time between the NAB League and VFL duties with Northern Bullants.

The 19-year-old, 202cm big man looms as Vic Metro’s first choice.

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“We’ve been absolutely thrilled with the work Liam has put in this year, he did a VFL pre-season and every session he has with us he’s got better,” Burton said.

“His early form in the NAB League was really impressive which led to an opportunity in the VFL and ruck against some senior bodies and the Vic Metro nod for him is well deserved.

“There’s still a lot of water to go under the bridge but Liam is doing everything he can to put his hand up for the end of the year.”

Calder will look to keep its winning run going against Sandringham Dragons at Highgate Reserve on Saturday.