TRFM Gippsland League is pleased to announce the first two nominees for the AGA Football Rookie of the Year Award.
Now in its second year, the AGA Rookie of the Year Award recognises rising stars of our league, with monthly nominees going into the running for the overall award at the end of the year.
The first two nominations for the AGA Netball Rookie of the Year Award will be revealed next week.
April nominee - Ben Dessent (Sale)
Sale utility Ben Dessent is making the most of his first full season of senior football.
The 18-year-old made his senior TRFM Gippsland League debut in late 2014 and was named among the best in a 50-point win against Maffra, but TAC Cup commitments with Gippsland Power limited him to just six senior
appearances before this year.
One of his teammates that day was Shane Fyfe, who is now helping Dessent take his game to the next level as his senior coach.
“The biggest thing is his consistency,” Fyfe said.
“He’s learnt a bit about professionalism and coming back to a different environment in terms of senior footy he looks after his body, eats well and all that as well.
“Ben can play in a variety of positions, but we’ve mainly used him in the midfield and on the wing... at the Power he was used as a halfback stopper but we wanted to show off his creativity as well.
“He makes good decisions, takes the game on and is tough and hard at it.”
Dessent was among the best in each of Sale’s first three games of the season and his consistency was rewarded with an invitation to train with the league’s senior interleague squad.
Photo: Gippsland Times
May nomination - Liam Giove (Bairnsdale)
Stepping up to senior footy is a big ask for any young footballer, but Liam Giove’s initiation has been up there with the toughest.
Week in, week out the 17-year-old Bairnsdale on-baller goes toe-to-toe with the league’s elite midfielders.
Among his assignments so far have been Warragul star Brad Scalzo and Leongatha gun Joel Sinclair and Redlegs coach Stuart Anderson has no hesitation backing his young player in.
“He’s the type of kid who is very determined and loves a challenge and down the track it’s going to hold him in good stead. He’ll become a good midfielder in his own right and this is a good learning curve for him for when that happens.”
“He went through the Gippsland Power training and it was a bit of a kick in the guts when he missed out but he’s come back to us and really taken on what we’re trying to do,” Anderson said.
“We give him a task each week usually against the best opposition midfielder and he’s done some good jobs for us.
Giove missed the round six clash with Sale due to a cut hand, but has been among Bairnsdale’s best in three of his six senior games this season.
Photo: Bairnsdale Advertiser
Last Modified on 03/06/2016 15:10