The best under-23 young guns in the Bellarine Football League
Which young guns are making waves in the Bellarine Football League? The list features a former AFL player, Geelong Falcons prospects and a young gun on the draft radar.
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A former AFL-listed player, Geelong Falcons products and a young gun on the AFL draft radar are among the top under-23 talents in the Bellarine Football League.
Which club has the best young talent in the competition?
These are the emerging prospects making waves.
ANGLESEA
Koby Iverson-Smith
Defender
A defender that can play on talls and smalls, Iverson-Smith started the year in the reserves but has become a senior regular in the back-half of the year. Was named in the best in Anglesea’s last three home-and-away matches – a sign of how far he has come.
Max Virgona
Defender
Virgona has played all but one game in his first full season of senior footy, and has been named in the best on seven occasions. The defender has a pinpoint left boot and has showcased his intercept ability in 2023.
Noah McGregor-Dawson
Position: Defender
Another young Roos defender, Collins stands out with his elite kicking as a rebounder. Has been named in the best on seven occasions this year, including in their elimination final win over Modewarre.
Lachie Smith
Midfielder
A midfielder with genuine speed, Smith has been named in the best in half of his 14 BFL games this year, kicking nine goals. Smith has also played two games for Port Melbourne’s VFL side this year, averaging 9.5 touches.
BARWON HEADS
Oliver Wiltshire
Midfielder
The best young players in the BFL, with his dominant season even catching the eye of AFL talent scouts. Wiltshire has had a major impact in the midfield and up forward, booting the seventh-most goals in the BFL with 48 in 16 matches, including a staggering 12-goal haul against Modewarre in round 4. He also posted three consecutive five-goal hauls against Geelong Ammos, Portarlington and Modewarre later in the season. He has great speed, wins plenty of his own footy and uses the ball well on the outside.
Finn Cornell
Defender-midfielder
Cornell has played just the four games for Barwon Heads while juggling his Geelong Falcons and Geelong College football commitments. But Cornell has shone when he has featured for the Seagulls, where he has been used as a defender, through the midfield and on the wing. Has also played three games for the Falcons this year.
Cooper Ward
Forward
A lively small forward who has strong workrate, Ward is dangerous around goal and applies good pressure. Ward is a member of the Geelong Falcons as a bottom-ager and has booted five goals across seven matches for the Seagulls.
Charlie Walter
The ultra-competitive Walter wins plenty of the footy and uses it well. A regular in the Seagulls senior side for the past two seasons, Walters has kicked seven goals from 15 games this year.
Charlie Hurst
Defender
Hurst is a smooth-mover and a great decision maker off halfback. The defender offers attacking drive and can also lock down on dangerous forwards. He has been named in the best in six of his 14 senior games this year and has kicked four goals.
DRYSDALE
Jake Hargreaves
Forward
After kicking 43 goals in the reserves last year, Hargreaves repeated those goalkicking feats at senior level this season. Hargreaves has been one of the breakout BFL performers of 2023, leading his side’s goalkicking with 41 majors – ranked 10th in the competition. And when he is on, he is hard to stop, producing seven hauls of three goals or more this season.
Bailey Sykes
Forward
Sykes has impressed in his second season of senior football, booting 21 goals in 19 matches as a high half forward. Has been a consistent contributor to the potent Hawks forward line and has been named in the best on four occasions.
Ben Henderson
Ruck
Henderson has stood up as an up and coming ruckman this year for the Hawks. Was named as Drysdale’s best in their upset win over Torquay and also pushed forward to kick four goals.
Mitch Clarke
Forward-midfielder
Clarke splits his time between half-forward and the midfield for the Hawks, with his pressure and toughness his standout traits.
GEELONG AMMOS
Sam Bain
Midfielder, 21
Bain’s composure and decision-making belies his age. The outside midfielder has tidy skills and is close to taking the next step in 2024 after an impressive third season as a senior player. Bain kicked six goals and was named in the best five times this year.
Jackson Williams
Utility
The versatile Williams has been used all over the ground for the Ammos over the past two seasons – anywhere from outside midfield to key position at either end. He has showed off his skills, aerial ability and work in traffic primarily as a wingman this year but has even been thrown on the ball in 2023.
Xav Muhor
Defender, 19
Muhor arguably has the highest ceiling of any Ammos player. After playing seven matches for Geelong Falcons last year, Muhor turned at the start of the year with disposal tallies of 24 and 26 disposals against Anglesea and Modewarre before a nasty ankle injury sidelined him until round 11. It has been a frustrating year for Muhor but he showed glimpses of his exciting talent in defence – and he has signed on at the Ammos for 2024.
MODEWARRE
Oscar Cooke
Defender
Came to the Warriors as a midfielder but Cook has shone at halfback this season. The defender was named as his side’s best player in their elimination final loss to Anglesea and was among their best six on nine occasions across the year.
Seb Hutley
Midfielder
After getting limited opportunity for Newtown & Chillwell, Huntly crossed to Modewarre and has taken his opportunity with both hands at the Warriors. The tough inside midfielder started in the reserves but has played every senior game since round 4, named in the best in seven of his 15 matches. Is also a talented cricketer, taking 7/18 for Murgheboluc earlier this year.
Nat Matthews
Modewarre believes Matthews has stepped up to the level of team of the year defender Morgan Fenton this year. Another youngster who has regularly featured in their best players.
NEWCOMBE
Charlie Harvey
Midfielder
After crossing from the Portland in the Hampden Football league, Harvey has excelled in his first season at Newcomb. Brings speed and great energy to their midfield and has been named in the best nine times in 17 games.
Jack Walsh
Midfielder
Walsh crossed to the Power with Harvey and has combined well with him through the midfield. He has kicked four goals for the season and finished the season with a strong display against Barwon Heads in the final round.
OCEAN GROVE
Ed Dayman
Ruckman, 22
Staggeringly, Dayman has been named in Ocean Grove’s best players in nine of his 10 senior games this year - a sign of dominance in the ruck. While injury has kept him out of actiom, the Grubbers giant has proved he is among the top echelon of ruckmen in the competition.
Max Sutton
Midfielder/forward
Queenscliff must want two of Sutton, a really smart small forward who is also one of their best midfielders. Sutton is tipped to poll well in the club’s best and fairest after booting 11 goals and finishing in the best in ten of his 18 matches.
Jett Kneebone
Midfielder, 19
The Falcons graduate went straight into Ocean Grove’s midfield in 2023 and has impressed with his contested ball-winning and burst from stoppage. Kneebone has booted six goals from his 18 games, including two majors against Queenscliff in the final round.
PORTARLINGTON
Luke Salvador
Defender/wing
Salvador started out as a wingman but has flourished down back, standing up in a season where Portarlington’s defensive group was under significant pressure. He has the capacity to lockdown on dangerous small forwards and can also hurt sides going the other way, with Salvador regularly trusted with taking the kick-ins.
Tyler Cummins
Midfielder/forward
Cummins improved his midfield craft in what was a consistent season for the Demon. A contested midfielder who can provide spread on the outside and threaten with his overhead marking up forward.
Blaide Dowie
Forward/midfielder
Developed into a running midfielder after entering the Portarlington senior side as a forward. A fierce tackler, Dowie brings pressure around the ground and at stoppages. Another who showed promising improvement this season.
QUEENSCLIFF
Joe Cincotta
Ruck, 18
Cincotta was eligible for under-19s this year. Instead, he played a full season in the ruck for the Coutas senior side and thrived. A brave ruckman who follows up at ground level with his great workrate, Cincotta was also able to have an impact up forward with 15 goals, including a bag of seven against Portarlington in round 16. Former coach Rory Nicol says the Bellarine Football League is just the beginning for this promising prospect.
Lachie Kidd
Midfielder, 21
Kidd thrives in the coalface where he wins clearances and contested bal at willl. Kidd, who played three games for Gold Coast’s VFL side during the Covid period in 2021, regularly reaches 30-plus possession tallies and has even been up around the 35-40 mark. One of the best young talents in the competition.
Sol Bowtell
Midfielder 17
Bowtell has had an interrupted season after suffering a collapsed lung in the Coutas’ win over Anglesea in June, but it has still been an eye-catching campaign from the Geelong Falon. His explosion from the contest and vertical leap have stood out, with his contested ball-winning and overhead marking also impressing. He also played two games for the Falcons this year.
Will Savickas
Defender
Savickas is one of the first picked at the Coutas despite being new to senior footy. The defender was challenged at the start of the year and his improvement throughout the year impressed Queenscliff, with his footy IQ and reading of the play catching the eye. Savickas was named in the best on five occasions in 2023.
TORQUAY
Charlie Ham
Midfielder, 20
The former North Melbourne listed player returned to his home club of Torquay after a year at Werribee and has shone with his ball-use as an inside midfielder. Ham has also hit the scoreboard, averaging a goal per game from his 14 matches. Torquay coach Dom Gleeson doesn’t think he’s seen him lose a contest all year.
Sheldon Ham
Midfielder, 21
Ham might be just as good as his brother, Charlie. The inside midfielder has showcased his leadership qualities and his clever ball-use has delighted. He has notched nine mentions in the best so far this season, missing just the one game in round 16.
Edward McCoy
Ruck, 19
The ruckman is one of the most promising young talents in the BFL. McCoy has notched five mentions in the best and has showcased his athleticism throughout the season, underlined by his mark of the year contender against Barwon Heads in their qualifying final win.
Chase Loftus
Loftus has plenty of speed and is very versatile, having been used on every line this year. He’s kicked seven goals and been named in the best on eight occasions in an impressive second season of senior football.
Clay Page
Midfielder
A versatile midfielder, Page is a contested beast on the inside for the Tigers. His brother, Reef, has impressed for the Geelong Falcons and Geelong Grammar this season.
Oscar Lewis
Defender, 21
The left-footer can play on talls and smalls and some serious speed off half-back. He has been named in the best eight times across the season, including three weeks in a row against Barwon Heads, Geelong Ammos and Drysdale.
Baxter Mensch
Midfielder, 21
Mensch wins plenty of the footy for the Tigers and breaks the game open by hand. He has booted six goals for the season and has been named in the Tigers’ best in five of his past seven senior games.
Nathan Mifsud
Forward
Mifsud has averaged a touch under a goal per game for the Tigers, booting 16 goals from 17 matches. His form comes after a promising first full season of senior football in 2022, where he kicked 14 goals.
Originally published as The best under-23 young guns in the Bellarine Football League
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