LOW PROFILE: Glenn White has been one of Whorouly’s unsung heroes this year. PHOTO Stephen Henderson
McMasters hails lesser known Lions as the key to improvement
Written by SCOTT ANDERSON.
WHILE star players Liam Harrington, Trevor Vyner and Daniel West have received most of the plaudits for Whorouly’s rise up the Ovens and King Football League ladder this year, coach Scott McMasters said a second tier of Lions deserved credit.
Harrington shapes as favorite to take out the Baker Medal this year, having been named among the side’s best players 12 times, while full forward West leads the league goal kicking with 75 majors and Vyner has re-established himself as one of the best inside midfielders in the competition.
But McMasters said the Lions’ strength came from the depth developed during their injury-plagued 2009 season.
"We’ve really had an unbelievably even spread this year," McMasters said.
"It’s easy to list blokes like Liam Harrington, Daniel West and Trevor Vyner when you’re going through the best players, but our lesser-known players have made the biggest difference.
"Players like Daniel White, Ryan Heafield, Glenn White – they’ve played a lot of footy over the last few years, and they’ve become ultra consistent, which is something we’ve lacked previously.
"Having all those injuries last year allowed us to play a lot of our young blokes, and we’re starting to reap the benefits of that now."
The Lions still have significant talent on the sidelines – Christian Jackson hasn’t played seniors since round two, while Luke Matheson and Lance Warr were out last week, but McMasters said the Lions were coping well.
"Christian’s ankle was a fair bit worse that we anticipated at the time," he said.
"He had a couple of runs in the twos, but he’s probably only 75 per cent fit, and I’d say he would be touch and go to play again this season.
"Everyone has blokes out though, and at this stage of the season, we’re not going to risk anyone.
"We want to make sure if players are hurt we get them right."
The Lions come up against Moyhu tomorrow, and McMasters said he was looking forward to the next chapter in an ongoing saga between the two clubs.
"There is a rivalry there, because over the decade or so that they were really strong Whorouly was always around the mark," he said.
"There has been a couple of grand finals and a lot of finals, and traditionally it is a very tight contest whenever we come up against them.
"It’s more of a friendly rivalry than anything else, but the way they go about it means it is a danger game for us."
Whorouly heads into the match in good form after disposing of Bonnie Doon last round, while Moyhu was on the wrong end of an 86-point thrashing against Tarrawingee, but McMasters said that only made the Hoppers more dangerous.
"They have got a heap of talent in their side, and I don’t know why their form has been up and down, but it’s only a matter of time before they click," he said.
"With the make up of the eight and the way things stand at the moment, there is a lot on the line, so I’d expect them to come out strong.
"Our form has been really pleasing – last week was a danger game over at Bonnie Doon, and the week before we were particularly good against Glenrowan.
"But we’re 11-4 and still can’t get into the top four, so obviously we just need to keep winning."
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