By David Stockdale
CAMERON Thurley's AFL debut for Geelong against St Kilda at Telstra Dome today should be something for the Devils to celebrate, says coach Mathew Armstrong.
"Cameron will become the second former Devils player after Simon Taylor at Hawthorn to make his AFL debut this season and that's terrific news," Armstrong said in a rev-up for his winless team's VFL clash with reigning premier Sandringham at North Hobart today.
"We need a few positives like this after the start to the season we've had and I'm sure it will give our players a lift."
Thurley, 23, who has been in sparkling form for the Cats' VFL side this season, was named as the third emergency behind Tim Callan and James Rahilly on Thursday night.
However, word filtered back from Skilled Stadium yesterday that a late change had elevated him into the playing 22.
Armstrong remains optimistic the Devils can pull off a major upset by beating the third-placed Zebras.
"Sandringham are in pretty good form, but we beat them here by 40 points last season and if we stick to the process we're capable of doing it again," he said. "But to do that we've got to put four quarters together and not just play well in patches.
"In the last round we led North Ballarat by 30 points in the second quarter, but they finished all over us so it's vital we run the game out."
The Devils kept their options open by naming eight players on the interchange bench.
Either Travis Ronaldson or Ben Britton will be included to provide much-needed marking power.
Sandringham arrived in Hobart late yesterday, and coach Mark Williams said it would be foolish to under-estimate the Devils because they were on the bottom of the ladder.
"Tassie are a much better side than they've shown in the first five
rounds, and a lot of the players who helped get them into the preliminary
final against us last season are still there," Williams said.
"We started the season a bit scratchily, but since then we've hit our straps and won our last four."
He named Rod Crowe, and Melbourne-listed players Alistair Nicholson, Guy Rigoni and Cameron Hunter, along with on-baller Mark Corrigan and Chad Liddell, as standouts.
Williams, who doubles as the VFL team coach, said he would look closely at the form of Devils Ken Hall, Mathew Jovanovic, Ben Beams and Ian Callinan for the state game against South Australia at Port Melbourne on Saturday week.
Last Modified on 07/05/2005 15:09