VAFA 2021: Youngsters show the way for Hampton Rovers

Under 19 premiership players Max Coughlin, Dillon Melnjak and Chris Perkins have stepped into senior football impressively.

Max Coughlin takes a good grab for Hampton Rovers on Saturday.

Max Coughlin is picking up from where he left off in 2019, by kicking goals for Hampton Rovers.

It’s just that he’s doing it in the senior side now.

Coughlin nabbed best-afield accolades in Rovers’ thumping win over UHS-VU (University High School/Victoria University) in VAFA Premier C on Saturday.

Coughlin was a star of the club’s Under 19 team two years ago, captaining it to a premiership and booting 42 goals.

He was also promoted to play two games in the seniors.

Since then he’s added some meat to his bones and gained confidence in his body.

“He was a stick, a tall, skinny, kid but he’s put on about 12kg … the off-season was good for him in that regard,’’ Rovers coach Anthony Quon said.

Hampton Rovers sing the song in a clash strip on Saturday.

“He was a wingman as a junior and then off a sudden he just when boom and grew about 25cm in one-and-a-half years. So he naturally plays quite well on a wing, floats forward when he can and kicks goals.’’

Coughlin is part of a large group of young players in the Hampton Rovers team this year.

Take out Danny Corp, Ed Turner, Richard Atkins and Nathan Smith, and the rest of the players are under the age of 23, pointing to a good future for the club.

Chris Perkins, another of the Under 19 premiership players in 2019, has made a good start to senior football and caught the eye on the other wing.

While Coughlin has put on some weight, Perkins has dropped a few kilos and his fitness is showing out.

Dillon Melnjak, also part of the premiership-winning 19s from two years ago, was busy on the ball and across half forward, and Luke Deville, back playing after suffering a severe facial injury in 2018, was also a strong contributor.

Coughlin wasn’t the only player to set flags waving last Saturday as Rovers romped it in 30.16 (196) to 4.7 (31).

Max Coughlin on the burst for Hampton Rovers.

Smith kicked five, veteran Corp four and Matthew Rieniets, the son of former VFL star Tim, four.

Rienets has a leap on him and hands that give the ball a happy home. He started the season in the reserves because of his lack of preparation, but received a call-up after Oscar Roberts was injured in Round 1. He kicked the first goal of the game.

Anthony Folino booted three on a day when the Rovers team held its opponent goalless in the first half.

Quon said he was pleased with the squad this year, noting that all players bar one who played in the reserves on Saturday had appeared at senior level.

“I think if we can keep them all on the park we’ll be competitive,’’ he said.

The Rovers meet Monash and Ormond in the next two rounds, giving them a good handle on where they measure.