By Tim Michell
A PERMANENT move to defence has paid dividends in recent weeks for Calder Cannons backman Jaidyn Owen.
The Woodend junior has been a swingman for Calder since making his TAC Cup debut last year, featuring as a key forward and defender in the TAC Cup.
But since being thrown into a key defensive post in a recent Vic Metro trial match, Owen has found a niche in the Cannons back six.
I started the season pretty slow up forward and then I played that metro trial and I started in the backline, Owen said.
I came back to Cannons it s good to start getting some form coming toward the nationals.
Long-term I see myself as a defender but it's always good being able to go back and forward. Owen has strong bloodlines at Calder, with his older brothers Ben and Jake formerly coming through the clubs development system.
Jake won the club s best and fairest award after a stellar 2013 season and now plays with Williamstown in the Victorian Football League.
Jaidyn said his brother s advice had been invaluable as he looks to impress with the Cannons this year.
My brother Jake, he played at Cannons (and) won the best and fairest, he said.
We ve always had a family name in here with my older brother Ben as well. Owen is one of six Calder players still in the mix to represent the Big V at this year s Under-18 National Championships.
Hayden Blythe, Lachlan Bramble, Tom Burnside, Karl Brown and Jackson McDonald are the other players in contention for the Vic Metro squad.
The remaining players will take on Werribee's Development League team next week before the squad is finalised.
It would be an absolute honour to pull on that Big V, Owen said.
I think we ve got another game against Werribee, the development league.
Hopefully I can get some more form going into that and just perform good in that. Hopefully all the boys can. On Friday night, Owen and Calder s defenders were under the pump from the outset against Geelong Falcons.
The Cannons went down 20.10 (130) to 6.8 (44) at Simonds Stadium despite the best efforts of Zach Guthrie, McDonald and Muhammad Saad.
Calder has a week off in the TAC Cup this weekend before returning on May 28 to tackle Western Jets.
Last Modified on 22/06/2016 10:33
