PORT Fairy is hopeful boom recruit Daniel Nicholson will be fit to play in round one after limping from the ground during the Hampden league's pre-season competition today.
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The former Melbourne Demon highlighted his skills and decision-making playing in the midfield before hurting his foot in the Seagulls' second round-robin game against South Warrnambool at Friendly Societies' Park.
The Seagulls clung on to win the final match of the competition 5.2 (32) to 4.7 (31) after Rooster teenager Paddy Anderson missed a shot on goal in the dying stages of the shortened fixture.
Port Fairy coach Brett Evans is quietly confident Nicholson, fresh out of the AFL system, will make his Seagulls' debut against Portland in the Hampden league's season-opener on April 18.
"It is just his foot I think so it's not ideal," he said.
"He wasn't sure what he'd done but he could put pressure on it so hopefully with a week or two off and he'll be ready to go.
"He's got plenty of time now. I don't think it's anything serious."
Evans said Nicholson - one of five new faces in the Seagulls' line-up - was an invaluable cog in Port Fairy's midfield.
"He's been great for us so far," he said.
"Onfield he is probably going to perform to that (high) level you'd expect most weeks but it's what he's doing with the younger guys too that's been really good."
Port Fairy won both of its fixtures, having edged out Cobden in its first match, 3.10 (28) to 3.0 (18).
He wasn't sure what he'd done but he could put pressure on it so hopefully with a week or two off and he'll be ready to go.
- Port Fairy coach Brett Evans on star recruit Daniel Nicholson
Evans said the Seagulls, coming off a wooden spoon season, showed positive signs.
"I thought our tackling and pressure in the first game in the first quarter was excellent," he said.
"I spoke to the guys about how that is the standard we have set ourselves now and we have to keep going with that.
"We had a lot of skill errors, which probably most sides have at this stage, and our decision-making was I was a bit disappointed with.
"I thought once we got ourselves out of jail, we then got ourselves back in by doing that extra handball rather than kicking it to our forwards."
Evans said he expected a number of players to produce strong seasons on the back of impressive summers.
The new mentor anointed teenager Kaine Mercovich and rebounding defender Colin Harwood as two of Port Fairy's big improvers.
"I think Aaron Shields might be a better player than last year too," he said.
"So far in the practice matches he's a lot more cleaner with the footy.
"We are looking for a big year out of him too. It'd be good if he was on the bottom dishing it out to us, that's his role for us."
Hamilton Kangaroos coach Jarrod Holt took a settled side into the club's two games against Camperdown and Koroit.
The Kangaroos notched a wins, downing the Pies by four points before recording a 30-point triumph over the Saints.
Holt, sidelined with a back complaint, said his youth-laden team embraced the chance to play against Koroit, albeit with the reigning premier undermanned.
"We'll get a lot more out of that than if we had have played a side and beaten them easily because they (the Saints) are probably the benchmark," he said.
"We just tried to take positives out of that.
"The messages and stuff we're trying to do is not dissimilar to what they do but they're a bit more mature and have been doing it for a few more years and are really good at it.
"Hopefully our guys can see from that game the way they play and we can try and replicate that a little bit."
Eight of the league's 10 clubs took part in the pre-season competition, with Terang Mortlake and Warrnambool opting to play standalone practice matches instead.
North Warrnambool 6.7 (43) def. South Warrnambool 3.3 (21)
Camperdown 7.7 (49) def. North Warrnambool Eagles 2.2 (14)
Hamilton Kangaroos 3.2 (20) def. Camperdown 2.4 (16)
Koroit 6.6 (42) def. Hamilton Kangaroos 2.0 (12)
Koroit 3.1 (19) def. Portland 1.8 (14)
Cobden 12.6 (78) def. Portland 0.1 (1)
Port Fairy 3.10 (28) def. Cobden 3.0 (18)
Port Fairy 5.2 (32) def. South Warrnambool 4.7 (31)
Hamilton Kangaroos def. Cobden 28-10
North Warrnambool Eagles def. South Warrnambool 17-13
Warrnambool def. Terang Mortlake 20-13
Port Fairy def. Koroit 17-14
Camperdown def. Portland 25-7
Hamilton Kangaroos def. South Warrnambool 15-14
North Warrnambool Eagles def. Warrnambool 24-6
Port Fairy drew with Terang Mortlake 13-13
Koroit def. Portland 25-14
Camperdown def. Cobden 19-18
Hamilton Kangaroos def. Warrnambool 16-10
North Warrnambool Eagles def. Port Fairy 26-9
Terang Mortlake def. Portland 17-13
Koroit def. Camperdown 19-18
South Warrnambool def. Cobden 28-14
Hamilton Kangaroos def. 26-17
Terang Mortlake def. Camperdown 18-14
Koroit def. Cobden 30-12
North Warrnambool Eagles def. Portland 26-14
South Warrnambool def. Warrnambool 14-13
justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au