Jonty Wardle is thriving in his new environment at the Shepparton Football Club after crossing to the Deakin Reserve club from the Picola District League at the end of 2016.
The 19-year-old is the latest rising star nominee of the league after playing another strong game against the reigning premier last weekend.
After playing three permit games with the Bears in 2015, Wardle says the lure of playing with some good mates and enjoying some team success is what made it easier to return for the 2017 season after playing last year at home club Katandra.
“I knew Harry Boyd and Liam Duguid and they always wanted me to come in to play with them,” he said.
“I was also keen to see how much of a step up GV footy really was. Another factor was the guys were so inviting when I played the permit games and there was never any other club I was going to go to.”
Wardle says the hardest part of adapting to the GVL has been the pace of the game and the depth of the lists at all clubs.
“There is so many good players on every line at all the clubs and the game is so much quicker than when I was playing at Katandra,” he said.
The forward come defender says he gained plenty from playing on one of the best players in the competition in Lachie Smith.
“He is a star and I learnt so much from playing on him in round two,” he said.
Wardle says he is looking forward to the remaining games before lining up for the Bears in a finals campaign.
“I got injured last year so I missed the finals for Katandra, so that is something I’m really looking forward to and coming up against Kyabram again. We played some glimpses of good footy on the weekend and the feeling within the group is that are beatable,” he said.
Last Modified on 04/08/2017 21:18