Rejuvenation is taking place at Altona Vikings Football Club.
The Western Region Football League division 1 side, minus Vic Metro representative Lee Spiteri and injured forward Mitch Turnbull, upset finals-bound Hoppers Crossing against the odds in a sign of accelerated maturity at JK Grant Reserve on Saturday.
PICTURE GALLERY | Altona v Hoppers Crossing
Vikings player-coach Josh Russo was thrilled with the impact of his inexperienced players, including best-on-ground Kelly Pickard, Daniel O’Leary, Tommy Szanyi, Omar Abou-Zeid and Daniel Mutton.
Those raw youngsters are just a few who have been thrust into first-team roles and have taken the opportunities presented since a mass exodus of top-quality senior players in the off season.
“I looked at our team and I think we had nine or 10 players under 21 years of age,” Russo said. “As a coach, you look at that as a good stepping stone moving forward.
“I think some of the lads are catching on to senior footy a bit quicker than they would have if they were playing their footy through the twos.”
Russo, captain of the Vikings’ 2012 premiership team, was one of the people entrusted to keep the club relevant following the exodus.
He gets a kick out of watching players graduate from juniors to reserves and then on to the seniors, and he gets a kick-along on the training track when those younger legs are sneaking by him.
“They certainly give a bit of a spark that some of the older blokes lack,” Russo said. “They’re fresh, they’re new blood, they’re definitely keen, and their enthusiasm and energy is contagious.”
Pickard, an under-sized ruckman with good athleticism, on Saturday was given one of the toughest assignments a big man can face in the WRFL, going head to head with former AFL player Wayde Skipper.
Skipper, as he so often does, controlled the centre square, but Pickard competed well and took the honours around the ground on the day.
“Skipper got a fair few taps but they weren’t all effective, so Kelly did a great job,” Russo said. “For a kid to go up against a player like that is a good challenge – he had a really good day … he’s another kid who is always improving.”
While Russo could see a win like this coming, based on the Vikings’ recent form, he has urged his team to re-set for the massive challenge of facing top-two contender Werribee Districts away at Soldiers Reserve on Saturday.
“It’s important that you don’t get carried away with one win,” he said.
“You test yourself against the other really good sides in the comp.
“I feel we can test ourselves against Werribee for the whole game – that’s what I’m looking for, that consistency and that real contested footy.”
Log on to www.maribyrnong.starweekly.com.au for in-depth coverage of last weekend’s round of matches in the WRFL, including more of Russo’s reaction to the Vikings’ big win and our footy photo galleries.
