NORTH Ballarat Rebel Louis Herbert says an improved fitness base and change of mindset were behind his stellar TAC Cup campaign.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Herbert, a former South Warrnambool junior, claimed the TAC Cup coaches’ award as part of Morrish Medal night.
He attracted 27 votes from coaches, who considered how players prepared, accepted coaching decisions, followed instructions and sought feedback post-match.
Herbert and Geelong Falcons dynamo Lewis Taylor (Terang Mortlake) also earned selection in the team of the year — Herbert at half-back and Taylor at half-forward.
Herbert said he attended the function, at Docklands Stadium on Sunday night, with no expectations.
“To end up with those two awards, I’m honoured and privileged,” he said.
“There are so many other good players that had good years.”
Herbert played as a mid-sized forward for the Rebels in 2012 but failed to attract the attention of AFL clubs in the national and rookie drafts late last year.
Rebels regional manager Phil Partington and coach David Loader offered him a chance to play on as a 19-year-old, which he took with open arms.
The result has been astounding — an average of 18.2 disposals in 12 matches, with a season-best of 34 disposals against Northern Knights in round seven.
Herbert said he knew he had to change as a footballer if he was going to make it at the elite level.
“After I didn’t get drafted last year, I spoke to Parto and he said I could come back as a 19-year-old,” he said.
“He said my role would definitely change. I needed to prove to recruiters I could win the contested ball.
“Playing deep full-forward didn’t help me achieve that. I played on a half-back flank and also onball for a big part of the season.”
He worked on his endurance, improving his beep test by a level, to the low 14s, and slashing 30 seconds off his three-kilometre time-trial time.
Quickly adjusting to the demands of playing in defence also helped him add more strings to his bow.
“I haven’t played back line at all in my whole career until this year,” he said.
“It was defence first, always watching your opponent was a big change.
“I was always used to finding my own ball and taking marks in the forward line.
Taylor, who averaged 31.5 disposals from 10 matches, said team of the year selection was “a big shock”.
“It was a huge honour. There are good players in there, I was pretty lucky to get in,” he said.
Taylor is recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot which has kept him out of the Falcons’ finals campaign.
The young Blood was in Melbourne yesterday to have the plaster cast removed.
He will have six weeks in a moon boot, after which he can start cycling.
The Morrish Medal had four winners for the first time in the 22-year history of the TAC Cup.
George Cameron (Geelong Falcons), Jacob Chisari (Bendigo Pioneers), Josh Scott (Gippsland Power) and Ben Cavarra (Eastern Ranges) tied with 16 votes each.
Only twice before — in 2008 and 2010 — have there been multiple winners of the medal, named after Tom Morrish, a former long-serving treasurer of the VFL reserves.
