Marty Hore is as country as Victorian football players come – he grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Cohuna, a town close to the NSW border north of Bendigo with a population of around 2000.
But after impressing as a 19-year-old with the Bendigo Pioneers last year, Hore has moved to Melbourne to take up an offer to play with Collingwood – the nation’s biggest football club – in its Peter Jackson VFL team.
The attacking half back/wingman has played all five matches for the VFL Magpies (four as their 23rd player) in 2016, averaging 14 disposals, five marks and four inside-50s per game.
The 20-year-old is justifying the efforts of his new senior coach Dale Tapping, who took it upon himself to convince Hore to make the move south.
“Dale Tapping was pretty keen to get me there – he was ringing me a bit,” Hore said.
“They only select a certain few players they want to bring in each year. They don’t bring in a heap of kids straight out of the TAC Cup and I was one of the select few he wanted.
“He didn’t say he had a spot for me in the side, he just thought it’d be good for me and my development – being under their eyes a bit.”
Hore has likely opened plenty of eyes already this season. He was one of Collingwood’s best players in the club’s ANZAC Day eve loss to Essendon for his 18 disposals (17 kicks), seven marks and four inside-50s.
Those stats give an indication about how wiry 189cm Hore likes to play. He says his precise, raking boot is one of his biggest footballing strengths.
“I’ve played on the wing a little bit and back flank (with the Magpies), trying to use my leg to hit targets in the forward 50,” Hore said.
“I like to attack as a defender but I think I’m pretty good at defending too, so I try to keep the balance right – defend when I have to and run off when I can.
“My intercept marking is probably coming along a bit now too. I’m getting heaps better at reading the ball.”
In those veins, Hore takes inspiration from the likes of relentlessly attacking Port Adelaide backman Jasper Pittard and Essendon’s defensive intercept specialist Cale Hooker.
He’s still working on his speed and endurance though, perhaps legacies of his humble football beginnings as a junior at Leitchville-Gunbower back home.
Hore said his first taste of TAC Cup football in 2014 with the Bendigo Pioneers was “a big step up” from where he’d been playing.
“At Bendigo I learnt about how hard you’ve got to work to make it,” Hore said.
“I got invited to try out and training was pretty hard, but I chipped away at it and ended up making the list. I played in my top-age year and probably wasn’t as developed as I am now so I struggled a bit.
“When I got invited back (last year) as a 19-year-old, I got to be a bit of a leader and stand up. I was one of the main backmen in the group and it was really good.”
Hore averaged 19 disposals across 15 games in 2015, kicking the ball almost five times as much as he handballed it. He finished second in Bendigo’s best and fairest award behind Collingwood teammate Lachie Tardrew, whose presence has helped Hore settle into Melbourne, where he’s working as a cabinet maker.
Hore says he’ll probably move back to the family farm once his footy career in Melbourne is over – but the way it’s progressing, that may not be any time soon.
* Photo: Shane Barrie
Last Modified on 10/05/2016 11:04
