BY TIM MILLER
First, it was Aidan Tilley lining up in VFL ranks for the first time as Coburg’s 23rd man.
And now former Calder Cannons utility Lachie Bramble has joined him in making the step up to the state’s second-highest football competition, making his debut for Williamstown in their Round 9 clash with North Ballarat.
With the Seagulls romping away to a 56-point win, the 19-year old had double cause for celebration.
“I was pretty nervous before the game,” Bramble admitted to Seagulls TV after their 16.22 (118) to 9.8 (62) victory, which saw them jump to second on the ladder.
“But the boys toned it down for me, gave me some pointers and stuff.
“It was a big step up from development (leagues), but it wasn’t too bad.”
Playing as a dashing defender, small forward or a hard-running midfielder, Bramble’s versatility was important across 27 games for the Cannons between 2015 and 2016, with his excellent 2016 season rewarded with selection in the Vic Metro squad for the U18 Championships.
The Seagulls wasted no time snaring the 182cm utility as their first recruit in the off-season, and while he has had to bide his time over the first eight rounds in the Development League, his form made it impossible to keep him out of the seniors any longer.
“It was a lot of fun out there,” Bramble said.
“It was a bit different coming up from development, a bit quicker and stuff, but I really enjoyed my time.”
The jump to VFL level can be a difficult one for young players, but Bramble said he was given one piece of advice by the Seagulls’ coaching staff- keep doing what he has been doing in the development leagues.
“Just play my role, just do what I do in development, and everything will fall into place,” he said.
Having secured a spot in one of the VFL’s perennial contenders, the next challenge is for Bramble to keep his spot in a Seagulls squad brimming with talent.
And the impressive youngster is keen to continue playing the football that earned him his senior berth in the first place, wherever he is told to play on the ground.
“Wherever I’m playing, [I want to] play consistent footy, hopefully push deep into finals for both sides and hopefully make the club successful again,” Bramble said.
His career might be only one game old, but it’s clear the Seagulls have got a star in the making on their hands.
Last Modified on 20/06/2017 14:49
