Ararat’s Paddy Turner will get his first taste of TAC Cup football when the Greater Western Victorian Rebels kick off their season against the Geelong Falcons at Simmonds Stadium on Saturday.
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Turner will be joined by Ararat resident Jackson Taurau in the line-up to play against the Falcons in the round one match.
Naish McRoberts is battling a finger injury and will not be selected for the match so he can focus on his recovery.
The Rebels boast a young list this year with a large portion of the players coming into the squad as 17-year-olds.
With inexperience somewhat evident in the side coach Gerard Fitzgerald understands his side will not be a perfect side immediately but also has high hopes for the entirety of the 2017 season.
The Rebels have played several practice matches in the lead-up to the opening round.
At the beginning of the year the side played the Bendigo Pioneers.
In the first game against the Pioneers the Rebels matched up but in the second game the Bendigo outfit showed their experience and came away with the win.
In the second practice game against the Falcons, the Rebels showed their inexperience and lost to the experienced Falcons side.
“We could tell the Falcons were more advanced but we expected that,” Fitzgerald said.
“It’s part of how we do things here, we get the team together later than other sides in the TAC Cup because we want to give every player the best opportunity of making it into the side.
“We do not care about practice game scorelines, they are all about the talent identification of each player.”
Fitzgerald had been very impressed with the Wimmera players selected in the side this year.
“We have chosen to have a young squad this year so that we can fast-track their development and have a good foundation,” he said.
The Wimmera Rebels players have been receiving extensive training by Fitzgerald and his coaching staff with him emphasising on visual feedback.
The Rebels Youth Girls team will also be in action against this weekend, following its round one win against the Western Jets at the weekend.
The Rebels team will include six Ararat Storm players.
The side will take on the Falcons in the curtain raiser to the under-18 TAC Cup match.