Essendon all-rounder Connor Rutland to represent Victoria at National Championships

PAUL Rutland will never forget the day his son Connor debuted for Essendon.

Bundoora's Connor Rutland, who plays Premier Cricket for Essendon, has been chosen in the Victorian Under-17 squad. Picture: Josie Hayden.

PAUL Rutland will never forget the day his son Connor debuted for Essendon.

His son, then 13, was already playing senior cricket for his local club Bundoora when Bombers coach Brendan Joyce called on him to fill the final spot in the club’s Fourth XI in Round 7 of the 2013-14 season.

“The uniform they gave him was way too big, it was swimming on him,” Rutland said. “They batted him at nine. He had about two balls to face.

“He got his stumps knocked out of the ground — that was his first taste of it.”

Connor, from Bundoora, has progressed through the ranks after joining Essendon on a fulltime basis the following season.

The batting all-rounder spent 2014-15 in the fourths, but was elevated to the Second XI eight rounds into the 2015-16 campaign.

His talents have also been recognised by Victoria’s selectors.

Connor has been named in the Vic Metro squad that will travel to Queensland for the National Championships next month.

“I’ve always looked to try and make it as high as I can. It’s something I want to do when I get older,” Connor said.

“It doesn’t mean I’m trying to play for Australia, just play as high as I can and see what happens from there.”

It will be the third time Connor has represented his home state after being chosen in the under-12 and under-15 Victorian sides.

“It just gets tougher from here really. Kids are getting better and improving as they get older,” he said. “Spots are hard to come by.”

Essendon president Simon Tobin said the 16-year-old’s maturity was his greatest asset.

“You often get young players with a lot of natural talent, but you don’t always get the maturity or the work ethic that comes with it,” Tobin said.

“Connor has always had that. For a young man ... he has always been ahead in terms of his commitment and maturity.”

Tobin said the right-hand batsman’s dedication could never be questioned.

“It’s not just Essendon’s opinion that counts, but he’s obviously caught the eye of those responsible for the selection of those state teams and you can’t do much more as a young player of that age,” he said.

Connor’s father said the Year 10 Viewbank College student had benefited from the guidance of Essendon’s coach.

“Brendan Joyce has been a big influence for him,” he said. “Me and him were playing seniors together down at Bundoora. We played a year of seniors when he was 12.”

Connor captained the Northern Falcons under-16 side last season and was named the player of the Dowling Shield tournament.