By Jonty Ralphsmith
Narre Warren’s Sam Toner and Casey’s Caleb Lewis continued to press their Mid-Season Draft cases in the AFL’s Young Guns series on Saturday.
The pair were both promising last weekend in game one of the two-game series, with Toner backing up his three goals with four on Sunday against Vic Country.
Three of those came in a dominant first half where he showed off his marking and running power.
The Richmond VFL-listed Toner will push for further state league opportunities ahead of the Mid-Season Draft, but may get limited opportunities given the health of Richmond’s AFL-listed forwards.
Lewis, meanwhile, was lively in the third quarter, taking three contested marks and kicking 2.1.
While Lewis was less consistent across the series than Toner, his ability to fly for the footy has propelled him into Mid-Season Draft calculations.
“Caleb’s moments are really eye catching,” Casey coach Taylor Whitford said.
“He’s very tall and takes the ball at the highest point and he’s a really good finisher.
“I think his skillset is his aerial game – his running capacity is high for a guy his size.
“Every time he plays VFL, he’s kicking two or three goals so he’s been able to show he can have an impact on games and he’s at the level.
“For him to get a Young Guns opportunity is great for our program by showing you can get an opportunity if you put your skills on show.”
Fellow Casey-listed Noah Yze, who impressed in some early season VFL games, and Max Roney, who is yet to debut, were also in action.
Yze played as a forward in the first game with his marking impressive, while he was on the wing in the second game.
“I’ve been really impressed with Noah,” Whitford said.
“We’re looking to see moments and he’s given us that.
“Every time he’s on field, he’s had flashes that are better than VFL standard.”
Roney was a winger in both matches and will push for Casey selection in the second half of the season if not selected in the Mid-Season Draft, but is currently playing in the Coates League.
“He’s a real athlete whose skillset is on the outside with his run and carry and execution of his kicking and he’s quite tall so he’s the prototype winger,” Whitford said.
A quartet of locals impressed for Vic Country, which defeated the Young Guns.
Gippsland Power captain Tom Matthews kicked four goals as a damaging front-and-centre forward, while pick-one contender and Power teammate Willem Duursma was part of the midfield rotation and while below his best, still showed moments of class.
Dandenong pair Jay-De Varlet and Sam Lewis both pressed their Vic Country selection cases, with Varlet a dynamic forward presence and Lewis clean and clinical in the contest.
Gippsland’s Jobe Scapin and Zach O’Keefe and Dandenong’s Fraser Marino missed with injury which opened the door for Power defender Ollie Wilson to fill a role in defence and he was an assured distributor.
Phillip Island’s Zac Walker was part of the Young Guns side in game one but missed the second match with shoulder soreness.
