IT’S come a week later than planned, but South Warrnambool teenager Dominic Moloney will make his TAC Cup debut today.
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North Ballarat Rebels’ selectors had earmarked the defender-cum-wingman to play against Geelong Falcons at Warrnambool’s Reid Oval last weekend.
But Moloney tweaked his left knee at training on the Thursday, forcing a quick reshuffle of the Rebels’ line-up.
The Emmanuel College student has overcome the niggle and will play his first game for the Rebels today against Eastern Ranges at Box Hill City Oval.
It won’t be the first time Moloney has been thrown a daunting task this season.
Moloney, 16, spent time on Warrnambool spearhead Jason Rowan in his Hampden league senior debut in round one.
The 189-centimetre prospect said it was a tough-but- rewarding initiation.
“It was a good learning curve but he kicked a bag on me,” Moloney said.
Moloney, who lives on his family’s dairy farm at Panmure, said he was thrilled to make his TAC Cup debut as a bottom-ager.
The Rebels picked him as their 23rd player today, meaning he will play 50 per cent game time as the third-placed team attempts to stretch its winning streak to nine.
“I sort of thought I was a chance because I think I was meant to play in the Warrnambool game,” Moloney said.
Moloney said he wasn’t concerned when he injured himself last week.
“It wasn’t too bad but I couldn’t train the rest of the night,” he said.
“I thought it was minor because I did it at the start of the year too.”
Moloney said Eastern Ranges, starting the weekend in eighth place, would test the Rebels.
“They have a few really good players and one who is likely to go top 10 (Christian Petracca),” he said.
Moloney said he entered the 2014 season eager to make his senior debut for the Roosters and play at least one TAC Cup game.
Today he will achieve those two goals, having played the opening two games of the Hampden league season under new South Warrnambool coach Matt Monk.