IT'S been a big two weeks for South Warrnambool teenager Wil Pomerin.
After making his senior debut with the Roosters in round two, the talented midfielder joined five other Hampden region players last weekend for training with the Victoria Country under 16 squad.
Wil, Sam Dobson (Koroit), Tom Steven (Lorne), Ryan Monaghan (Colac), Jackson Merrett (Cobden) and Sam Gordon (Camperdown) travelled to Melbourne for training fitness testing on Saturday at Caulfield Grammar.
The following day it was training and an intra-squad match at Shepley Oval, Dandenong.
The boys face a series of other training commitments leading up to team selection next month.
The national under 16 championships are scheduled for July 4 to10 in West Sydney.
HAMPDEN schoolboys selectors meet next Monday in Camperdown to choose a training squad of 50 for the state under 15 cup.
It is a process which should run smoothly given the experience of key participants Alan Thompson and Peter Banks.
Thompson, AFL Victoria's Hampden region development manager, is co-ordinating the program for the 27th year in succession, while Banks is coaching for the 25th year in a row.
Thompson says East versus West practice matches will be held on June 10 and 17 in Cobden, after which the squad will be cut to 25.
The state titles are in Melbourne from June 28 to July 1, with Hampden participating in division two.
Thompson said the three-day carnival was the first serious introduction to representative football for many young players.
"We haven't changed it much over the years,'' Thompson explains.
"It's still just a good trip where the kids get to know each other and play a bit of footy,'' he says.
"It helps prepare them for under 16s and 18s.''
COMMUNITY radio commentator Gerard Auld was quick on the draw when young South Warrnambool midfielder Anthony Prendergast won a possession in the opening quarter on Saturday in the match against Cobden.
"If there's a draw today we might be able to get Prendergast to do a recount,'' Auld quipped, mindful of the involvement of Prendergast's father Dick in a successful Moyne Shire election challenge.
SIBLING rivalry took on an interesting twist when brothers Daniel and Clinton Baker lined up on opposing sides at Leura Oval in HFNL round three matches.
Daniel was named best player in the winning Camperdown team for his defensive contribution at half-back, while Clinton (a former Camperdown footballer) played at centre half-back for North Warrnambool Eagles.
It's a small sporting world, because Clinton's direct opponent Hugh Douglas is his cricket teammate at Bookaar.
FAMILY connections are also having a big impact in the early rounds for Kolora-Noorat.
Recruit Ben Fraser, the first cousin of Sam and Paddy Moloney, is leading the WDFNL goalkicking after five rounds with 23 - five clear of Allansford spearhead Darren Stenhouse.
Playing at centre half-forward, the 195cm lead-up player is already being likened to former South Rovers premiership player Ed Richardson for his ability to swing a game.
Fraser, who played last season with Casey Scorpions in the VFL, lives and trains in Melbourne.
Despite Fraser's playing background, Power coach Ben Kenna said he didn't have high expectations for the key forward when he arrived at the club.
"He's doing the job at the minute,'' Kenna said.
THE annual May Racing Carnival dilemma for football clubs involves creative solutions to the inevitable training absentees on Warrnambool Cup Day, a gazetted local holiday.
One of the better options came from Warrnambool Football Club's leadership group, which decided on a morning session.
The Blues trained yesterday from 9am to 10.30am, followed by a club breakfast. Players are then free from football demands for the remainder of the day.
Coach Adam Dowie said players were then welcome to enjoy an afternoon at the races, adding "as long as they don't enjoy it too much''.
WE tracked down Jarrod McCorkell for readers in last week's column, which begs the follow-up question about his younger brother Ashley's absence from Warrnambool's line-up this season.
It seems a domestic injury is likely to keep the young midfielder out of action for at least another month.
Club officials report Ashley severed a tendon in his hand washing a glass.
Footballers across the south-west now have a bona fide excuse to neglect domestic chores during the football season.
We'll begin working on a plan of attack for the off-season.
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