Sport
31 August, 2023
Brightest and best set to give V-Line Cup a distinct Maryborough flavour
Four of Maryborough’s brightest talents will be taking their football to the next level in AFL grand final week, heading to Shepparton to participate in the V-Line Cup. The Magpies’ Zac Cicchini, Logan Howell, Archie Chadwick and Campbell Wood...
Four of Maryborough’s brightest talents will be taking their football to the next level in AFL grand final week, heading to Shepparton to participate in the V-Line Cup.
The Magpies’ Zac Cicchini, Logan Howell, Archie Chadwick and Campbell Wood have all been selected in the squad of 48 players which will represent the Pioneers’ team, with all four having standout seasons at under 16 level.
All four have been instrumental in guiding the Magpies to a third-place finish during the season, with the club losing its qualifying final to powerhouse Golden Square by just 20 points, although they will have another chance this week when they play South Bendigo at Camp Reserve.
Cicchini has been one of the best midfielders during the season, and has proven himself as a threat up forward as well, averaging two goals per game and being named in the best on 10 occasions from his 12 games, taking out the club best and fairest on Friday night.
Howell has enjoyed a standout season up forward, kicking 40 goals from 12 games to lead the goalkicking charts, as well as finishing third in the count on Friday night.
Chadwick has played nine games due to injury, but has shown his class playing in multiple different positions, named in the best four times.
Wood, a previous competition best and fairest winner in 2022, showed his class throughout the season in defence, named in the best seven times in 12 games, and finishing fourth in the best and fairest count.
Under 16s coach Cam Skinner was thrilled with the four youngsters being named to participate in the V-Line Cup.
“It’s impressive. I can’t remember having that many kids from this area lining up in the V-Line Cup, which is incredible in that regard,” he said.
“It shows that we are developing kids the right way and pushing them to succeed in the next level.”
The V-Line Cup is a competition with a difference. Scores aren’t recorded, with the values of players, teamwork and how they listen to instructions noted, with the best players selected to represent the Bendigo Pioneers under 16 squad in 2024.
The competition will be held in Shepparton from September 25 to September 27.
“The V-Line Cup is something of a breeding ground for the Pioneers. It’s an extension of the academies, which runs through Victoria. It’s a catchment from the area to get the best players at the bottom-age level next year. It will be played in the week leading up to the AFL Grand Final, and the under 16s team for 2024 is picked from there,” Skinner said.
“The four guys are completely different players, and it’s pleasing that they won’t be fighting one another for the same position in the team.”
Skinner spoke of the four’s best qualities.
“Zac is a ball magnet; he can kick goals from the midfield and play wherever. Archie can roam around, play a key forward role if he has to, but he can also play off half back as well. Logan can play at either end of the ground, at centre-half-back, centre-half-forward, ruck, and Campbell’s been so good down back and reads the play very well. They are all very handy,” he said.
Skinner says the level of talent around town shows that there is still a number of young players who can take their football to the next level.
“It shows the level of talent we have, even though we are a bit of a smaller town. In the past, a lot of players have made it to AFL level,” he said.
“It’s good to see the next crop is coming through, and it’s good they are coming in from different clubs to try their hand at big league footy.
“Zac came from Talbot, Logan came from Avoca, Cooper Mark came from Carisbrook. It shows that they want to try at the next level and it pushes them to go forward in the future.”
Pleasingly for the Magpies’ campaign in 2024, should all four be selected, it will make minimal impact on the club season, according to Skinner.
“It shouldn’t affect our season too much. They will play some under 16s games early on if they make it, perhaps one or two games, but it’s more or less showing how much training needs to be done to go to the next level and sets them up for the year after when they become bottom-age under 18 players in the Pioneers hopefully,” he said.
With Taj Bond, Lucas Hurse and Kaian Constable all representing the Bendigo Pioneers this season, Skinner was hoping that the quartet would reach out and receive support from the trio who have each made a mark on the club this year.
“Add to this that we have three under 18s who have represented the Pioneers, it’s probably a first for us in that regard as well,” he said.
“It’s great that we have the three guys going through the Pioneers now, hopefully they get around the young guys in the V-Line Cup and give them some guidance and tips on what training is going to be like and how much effort they will need to put in. It will be good to get a heads-up, and they can be a sounding board for the year ahead.”