Carnival Preview
UNDER 12’S
Sapphire Coast v Central West (West Street Oval) 7:00pm Friday
Sapphire Coast v Illawarra (West Street Oval) 10:30am Saturday
Sapphire Coast v Shoalhaven (Nowra Showgrounds) 2:00pm Saturday
Sapphire Coast v TBD (Finals) (West Street Oval) 9:30am or 10:30am
UNDER 14.5’S
Sapphire Coast v Central West (Nowra Showgrounds) 7:00pm Friday
Sapphire Coast v Illawarra (Nowra Showgrounds) 9:30am Saturday
Sapphire Coast v Shoalhaven (West Street Oval) 12:00pm Saturday
Sapphire Coast v TBD (Finals) (Nowra Showgrounds) 9:30am or 11:30am
UNDER 17’S
Sapphire Coast v Central West (Artie Smith Oval) 7:30pm Friday
Sapphire Coast v Illawarra (Artie Smith Oval) 11:30am Saturday
Sapphire Coast v Shoalhaven (Artie Smith Oval) 3:30pm Saturday
Sapphire Coast v TBD (Finals) (Artie Smith Oval) 9:30am or 11:00am
YOUTH GIRLS
Sapphire Coast v Illawarra Saints (West Street Oval) 8:00pm Friday
Sapphire Coast v Central West (Artie Smith Oval) 1:00pm Saturday
Sapphire Coast v Southern Power (West Street Oval) 3:00pm Saturday
Sapphire Coast v TBD (Finals) (Nowra Showgrounds) 10:30am or 12:30pm
Under 12’s
The Sapphire Coast AFL boys will be looking to claim it all in 2016. With 2014-15 junior coach of the year Doug Martyn leading the way the under 12’s are in good hands for success in Nowra. With players coming from a number of teams Martyn has spent plenty of time in the past week trimming and training his squad so they can gel come their first game against Central West on Friday night. The team has a number of key players in 2015’s under 11’s best and fairest Kurtis Carlson and leading goal kicker Campbell Moresi. With the under 11’s and 13’s Sapphire Coast competitions highly competitive in 2016 the players will be used high pressure and stepping up to the plate for big games. Player to Watch: Jonathan Harkins-McMahon, the Bermagui player is in his last year in the under 12’s and will be a key player for the team. In recent weeks Harkins-McMahon has been extremely solid off half back for Bermagui and his school team. Will be key off half back to start the play. Prediction: Sapphire Coast 1st.
Under 14.5’s
With coach Glen Baker shooting for three carnival wins in a row his credentials speak for themselves. Having 38 players to choose from after trials the decision of trimming the squad to 22 was extremely difficult with a number of good players being left out. The 22 players that will line up for the Sapphire Coast are all extremely talented with a great mix of height and ability to play on the inside and outside. The squad will be dynamite in the middle with a number of players able to rotate through the midfield in Kynan Baker, Finley Cooke, Thomas Hodge, Jedd Martyn and Ethan White. The balance of this side is one of the best seen in recent years with a number of key position players and smalls to play off. Last year the under 14’s came from the clouds to claim the championship although in 2016 they will be looking to do it a bit easier in 2016. The Shoalhaven were the big threat in 2015 and will again be the ones to beat. Player to Watch: Jedd Martyn, The Diggers midfielder was a key member last year for the under 14’s win and will again be a key member for the side through the middle of the field. Martyn has all the tools with pace, vision and skill which allows him to hit targets on the run. Prediction: Sapphire Coast 1st.
Under 17’s
Dominant in 2016 the squad that will line up for the Sapphire is equally as strong. A number of players for the Sapphire are currently playing senior football at club level such as Declan Simonson, Liam Clothier, Will Regan among others, the physicality of the carnival should not be a problem. The spread of players across the five under 16’s sides is testament to the evenness of the competition in 2016. Danny Adam’s in his first season of coaching the Diggers 16’s takes the reigns with the highly experienced Grant Regan as his assistant. There will be no shortage of experience amongst the two with Adam’s playing at a high level in South Australia whilst also playing a key role for the Diggers and Sapphire senior rep side. Regan is also a three time league medallist with the Diggers. Leading the way on the field the side will look towards captain Declan Simonson and assistants Liam Clothier and Will Regan to lead from the front. Player to Watch: Adam Wilson, The Pambula ruckman has all the tools to be a dominant ruckman at the carnival with height, a strong leap and ability to find his midfielders in the contest. Having experienced the carnival first hand in 2015 Wilson will again be looking to make his mark this time around. Prediction: Sapphire Coast 1st.
Youth Girl’s
In recent years, bar those playing in the under 13’s the girls who have represented the Sapphire Coast at the Shoalhaven Carnival had not been playing regular football in the lead up to the carnival. In 2016 it is a different story with all the girls involved coming from clubs playing in the women’s competition. Due to this the skill level and knowledge of the game that will be on display will bode well for the Sapphire Coast as they come up against other regular players in the Illawarra Saints and the Southern Power. The girls have been training well under Eden’s Shane Crowe and will be keen to show the rest of the state how much they have improved since 2015. With a number of new faces incorporated into the group amongst the regular girls will be keen to show off a tough skilful brand of football. Player to Watch: Tarni Evans, Playing on the league leading Tathra/Bega side, Evans often flies under the radar but her tenacity at the football is second to none. Has been a definite find for the 2016 season and at 14 years of age has plenty of time to develop her game. Prediction: Sapphire Coast 1st.
Last Modified on 20/01/2017 10:38