JONO Benallack is the one of the many faces of Cobden's bright future.
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The teenager has burst on to the Hampden league senior scene in 2015, playing all 10 games for the emerging Bombers.
He started as a small forward before graduating to inside midfielder, filling a void in the absence of injured veteran Paul Foster.
Benallack, 17, admitted it had been a baptism of fire playing against "the big bodies and the smarter blokes".
"They've played a lot more footy than me," he said.
But the Ballarat Clarendon College student has shown maturity beyond his years, often named in the Bombers' best.
Benallack, on the shorter side at 177 centimetres, said reading the play was one of his strengths.
He's added another dimension to his game this year too - goal kicking.
He credited starting in a forward pocket for this new skill, and a better understanding of running patterns when playing on the ball.
"At the start of the year I thought I'd hope to play four or five games but it's been good to play every game so far," Benallack said.
"I am learning a bit from it, and benefitting from it."
Benallack played for North Ballarat Rebels at under 16 level but missed a spot on their TAC Cup roster this season - "there were a fair few blokes who are similar players to me".
He hopes a full season of senior football against battle-hardened bodies will help him push his case for selection in 2016.
"I'll definitely tryout again and see how I go," he said.
For now Benallack is happy to wear the red and black and help the young Bombers finish the season on a high.
They've won two of their past three games and fancy their chances against Camperdown at Leura Oval on Saturday.
"We're a fairly young side, so we're learning the ropes," he said.
"Paul Pekin and Ryan Smith are playing really good footy and Jack Hutt and Christian Koroneos, a couple of our TAC Cup players, are playing good footy."
Benallack, the oldest in a family of four boys, praised co-coaches Wayne Robertson and Foster for their long-term vision.
"They keep you motivated and they are looking towards the future," he said.
Robertson said Benallack would rotate between the forward line and midfield against Camperdown.
"He's a thick-set kid and reads the football very well,” he said.
"He's a very mature footballer.”
Charlie Darcy will become the Bombers' 11th senior debutant this season.
Four of those players will line up against the Magpies.
Darcy is the son of Marty, who played in the Bombers' 1997-98 premierships.
"Charlie is a bit of a utility," Robertson said.
"He's a bottom-age forward, a good mark of the footy and good in close as well."
Robertson said the Bombers were thrilled with their young players’ development this season. Pekin, along with Benallack, has been on of their most consistent.