Narre Warren footballers Daniel Uzarevic and Nathan Brewster are in contention to represent the VCFL’s under-19 side this weekend. 32242 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Marc McGowan
NARRE Warren could boast two representatives in Sunday’s under-19 clash between the VCFL and the VAFA at St Kilda’s Junction Oval.
Nineteen-year-olds Daniel Uzarevic and Nathan Brewster, brother of Magpies triple premiership players Shane and Danny, are in the 52-man VCFL under-19 training squad.
Their selections follow the club’s five representatives in the VCFL Country Championships two weekends ago.
Michael Collins, Lee Boyle and Daniel Borninkhof competed for the senior MPNFL Sharks, while Justin Marriott and Dean Scanlon took to the field for the under-18 equivalent.
Brewster’s selection came as little surprise, but Uzarevic’s nomination continued his stunning rise to prominence after spending most of last year plying his trade for Narre Warren’s Colts team.
Magpies senior coach Matt Shinners is delighted for both his players.
“They’ve been given an opportunity and I have no doubt they’ll hold themselves well,” he said.
“I’m sure, given the opportunity, they’ll represent their club and league quite well.”
Brewster made his senior debut in 2008 before going on to play in Narre Warren’s triumphant under-18 side.
He has spent much of this year in defence, but moved forward on Saturday and his impressive form has already earned him a nomination for the 2009 Pakenham Gazette Casey Cardinia League Young Gun award.
Shinners is full of praise for Brewster, admitting he is further advanced than the coaches at Fox Road expected.
“Nathan’s come through the under-18 system and he’s done a lot of hard work and that’s probably held him in good stead for senior footy,” Shinners said.
“But he’s probably going better than we originally thought … we’re rapt with the way he’s going and the chance he’s been given with the VCFL is a good reward for his hard work.”
Uzarevic, who lives in Beaconsfield, turned up in pre-season expecting to play reserves football.
But the half-forward/wingman didn’t miss a beat over summer and was picked in the first senior practice match and hasn’t looked back.
“(The VCFL selection) was a good surprise, but it was something I was working towards,” he said.
“So far the season’s going all right. I thought I was going to be playing reserves, so I was pretty happy to be selected for the senior side.
“I worked harder over the summer to get fitter.”
Uzarevic played his junior football for the Narre North Foxes and Beaconsfield before competing for the Magpies at Colts level.
The apprentice electrician is hoping to break into VFL ranks in the future and still dreams about an AFL career.
Shinners described Uzarevic as “a real surprise packet” and said his vast improvement was due to his work ethic.
“Like all our young blokes, he’s been prepared to do the hard work because he knew if he was going to make the grade he needed to be fairly fit,” he said.
“He breaks the lines well, he’s got a nice shoe on him and he hadn’t missed (in the pre-season) so we gave him an opportunity in the first practice match and he’s gone on from there.”
