The Coates Talent League got underway at the weekend with the state’s best junior footballers eager to put their name up in lights, with the prospect of the AFL Draft at the end of the year dangling like a carrot.
Murray Bushrangers boys hosted Gippsland Power at Highgate Recreation Reserve in northern Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
The Bushies were on the back foot from the get-go, falling to a 27-point deficit by quarter-time.
Across the following three terms the Bushrangers evened the contest, but couldn’t close the gap as the Power bolted away to a 48-point win.
Bushies coach Mark Brown said he and his coaches were looking for the basics to be done well in the season opener.
“We want to see them reproduce what they have worked on at training, but more than anything we are just looking for effort and intent,” Brown said.
“Simply because we know how disjointed our pre-seasons are; I think we trained together half-a-dozen times this year as a full squad.
“I thought for patches throughout the day we saw it.”
Bushrangers fought hard throughout the match, but couldn’t capitalise with a strong breeze at their backs as the Power won the match 5.4 (34) to 13.11 (89).
A shining light for the Bushies was the performance of Ryan Ash.
The brother of GWS gun Lachie and son of Shepparton legend Stephen, Ash finished the match with 22 touches, 17 kicks and six rebound 50s.
Brown said he thought Ash had plenty of growth left in him.
“Ryan I think played two games as a bottom-ager and he had a bit of a back issue that he had to work through,” he said.
“He is a very similar player to his older brother, he is a nice small defender who moves and sees the game well, makes sound choices with ball in hand and kicks it quite well.
“His performance probably reflects the level in which he trains — he is a really good trainer.
“We think there is a bit there to work with.”
The Bushies' top draft prospect heading into the season is Shepparton United's big-bodied midfielder Riley Onley.
Brown said the potential top 10 prospect was well prepared for the external pressure that may come his way in 2025.
“There is a level of expectation with all these kids, they all understand what the Coates Talent League exists for and that is to give kids the best opportunity to showcase their talents and hopefully find their way onto an AFL list,” he said.
“The more high profile the player, the more expectation there is and the more additional voices there are.
“It is about making sure Riley has a really good network of people around him — which he has, he is very fortunate — and he listens to the right people at the right time.”
Onley impressed against the Power collecting 28 touches and a goal.
The 194cm product went head-to-head with Gippsland star and potential number one pick Willem Duursma and more than held his own.
The Bushies had 13 players make their Coates Talent League debut at the weekend.
Brown said Goulburn Valley prospects Harry Hopkins (Numurkah), Harry Moon (Numurkah) and Flynn Grumley (Shepparton Swans) showed good signs.
“The speed is always the thing that catches (debutants) the most,” he said.
“I thought Harry early looked a little off pace, but I thought his second half he showed some real signs that once he gets his head around the speed of it he will be right.
“He is hard, he is aggressive and he has real top-end speed himself.
“Harry Moon competed well, he was obviously under siege down there, he will have plenty of vision to go to work on, but I thought he had some good contests.
“’Grummers' had some nice moments, it’s not easy as a small forward-outside mid.”
The Bushies girls begin their campaign against rivals Bendigo Pioneers at Norm Minns Oval in Wangaratta on Saturday, with the boys playing after.
