From the 'Moreland Leader'
Youth boosts Tigers
by Brad Bishop.
THERE may still be one home-and-away round before the
Victorian Football League finals, regardless of how the
Coburg Tigers go at the business end of the season,
coach David Flood will consider 2004 a success.
The rookie coach said the club could be proud of
developing a host of younsters, yet still managing to
claw their way from the lower rungs of the ladder in
2003 to be a side capable of matching it with the best
in the competition.
"As coach, I obviously want to do well this year, but I've
also got have one eye on next year and developing a side
as well," he said.
"We're a pretty young side. We've got a good core of
leadership players but our younger players at different
stages this year have more than held their own, and
that's the exciting part from my end as coach."
While Flood stressed captain Leigh Carlson and his fellow
leaders Dean Talbot, Ryan O'Connor and Ryan Pagan had
ben crucial to the Tigers' success this year, it was
the players under 21 years of age that had most impressed
him.
Travis Jorgensen and Eric Kuret have stepped up to be
genuine stars, Rob Young has grabbed his chance at
centre half-back and Nat Caruso, Alex Isailovic, Steven
Daniher, Vinny Randello, Brad Rayson and Leigh Owen all
continue to do what is asked of them.
As the young players have been a major reason behind the
Tigers' resurgence, Flood will stick with them in the
finals series.
"We're a very young side and I want to continue on with
that line in the finals," he said.
"Where it takes us I'm not sure, but at the start of the
year we were aiming to try and sneak into the final and
maybe play onr or two finals so we'll stick with them."
The Tigers will round out their finals preparations with
a home match against Werribee this Saturday, having come
off a game against the enigmatic Bendigo Bombers.
Youth boosts Tigers
by Brad Bishop.
THERE may still be one home-and-away round before the
Victorian Football League finals, regardless of how the
Coburg Tigers go at the business end of the season,
coach David Flood will consider 2004 a success.
The rookie coach said the club could be proud of
developing a host of younsters, yet still managing to
claw their way from the lower rungs of the ladder in
2003 to be a side capable of matching it with the best
in the competition.
"As coach, I obviously want to do well this year, but I've
also got have one eye on next year and developing a side
as well," he said.
"We're a pretty young side. We've got a good core of
leadership players but our younger players at different
stages this year have more than held their own, and
that's the exciting part from my end as coach."
While Flood stressed captain Leigh Carlson and his fellow
leaders Dean Talbot, Ryan O'Connor and Ryan Pagan had
ben crucial to the Tigers' success this year, it was
the players under 21 years of age that had most impressed
him.
Travis Jorgensen and Eric Kuret have stepped up to be
genuine stars, Rob Young has grabbed his chance at
centre half-back and Nat Caruso, Alex Isailovic, Steven
Daniher, Vinny Randello, Brad Rayson and Leigh Owen all
continue to do what is asked of them.
As the young players have been a major reason behind the
Tigers' resurgence, Flood will stick with them in the
finals series.
"We're a very young side and I want to continue on with
that line in the finals," he said.
"Where it takes us I'm not sure, but at the start of the
year we were aiming to try and sneak into the final and
maybe play onr or two finals so we'll stick with them."
The Tigers will round out their finals preparations with
a home match against Werribee this Saturday, having come
off a game against the enigmatic Bendigo Bombers.
