Four young Eurobodalla Shire footballers have been given the opportunity to strut their stuff with the Canberra Raiders.
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Aiden Gaffey, Tremayne Chatfield, and Jordan Martin will train with the Raiders’ SG Ball side, while Aiden’s younger brother Tom has been selected for the Harold Matthews Cup side.
This is the second straight year that Aiden will train with the Raiders, after being a star player for their Harold Matthews side last season.
“He did very well in making the side last year, and he was one of the leading players in that team,” Raiders’ NRL Recruitment and High Performance Director Peter Mulholland said.
“He’s under 17, and he’s made the under 18s side.”
Mr Mulholland said both Aiden and his brother Tom showed great potential.
“Tom’s been one of the standouts in our under 16 trials,” he said.
“They’re big, tall, rangy kids; both over six foot one. They’re good finishers, and really good at the back end of the field.
“Very raw, but a lot of potential.”
We’re really interested in that Group 16 area.
- Peter Mulholland
Jordan Martin plays with the Narooma Devils, but travels twice a week from his home town Eden to train in Canberra.
“Jordan’s an edge back rower that’s played first grade in the bush as an under 17,” Mulholland said.
“He’s one of these kids that’ll take a little time to get a little meat on his body.
“Defensively he’s very sound, and he’s shown up in the trials to be a quality kid and player.”
Chatfield had a successful 2017 with the Batemans Bay Tigers, and Mulholland believes one trait sets him apart.
“It’s his anticipation more than anything else,” he said.
“He’ll be competing with Aiden for a spot on the wing.”
Mulholland said it was hard to pick one player as a standout, but believed Martin may have the best long-term potential.
“I can see something there that could be harnessed,” he said. “But they’re all very good players.”
The naming of four Far South Coast youngsters is part of a Raiders’ effort to find more young talent in the area.
“We’re really interested in that Group 16 area, and we’re starting to do some work around there,” Mulholland said.
“With the readmission of Monaro, it becomes even more important that we’ve got our feelers out there.”