AFL Townsville: Hermit Park secret weapon Ashton Leeming steals show in Round 2
Hermit Park may have unearthed a star of the future after a midgame injury forced a 17-year-old into a featured role in the club’s season-opening win over University. AFL Townsville Rd 2:
Hermit Park may have unearthed a ruck star of the future after a midgame injury forced teenage debutant Ashton Leeming into a featured role in the season-opening win over University.
The athletic 17-year-old stepped up when ruckman Sean Mackereth landed awkwardly before halftime in the 9.5 (59) to 6.6 (42) victory.
Standing around 193cm tall, Leeming made an instant impact in the ruck to earn the praise of coach Max Tink.
“Ashton went in there full-time in the second half and was outstanding,” Tink said.
“He gave us first use in the second half and in third quarter we were able to score a bit and a lot of that came off the work of the midfield, off the back of his work.
“He’s a supreme athlete - like an elite athlete - but he’s still fairly new to the game. If he sticks to footy when he gets a little bit older, by 23 or 24 he is going to be a very, very good player.
“He’s got the potential there, he’s just scratching the surface.”
Tink said Mackereth could have returned to the game but the Tigers saw no need to risk him with understudy Leeming proving he was up to the task.
Mackereth is expected to resume his starting role for the grand final rematch against Thuringowa next week.
Hermit Park’s senior players were instrumental in high-scoring second and fourth quarters, with captain Joshua Andrews and Jason Di Betta kicking a hat-trick of goals each, but a crop of Tiger cubs stood up to be counted too.
“We took a lot kids into the game with a few of our more senior players out,” Tink said.
“The pick of them was Ashton … (but) all the young boys had their moments. They chipped in where they could and there weren’t any let-downs there.”
Hermit Park kicked 24 and 20 points respectively in the back end of each half as fatigue was introduced into the fixture.
University grew into the contest and by the fourth quarter were scoring neck-and-neck with Hermit Park, though the Hawks fell short of clawing back the 17-point deficit by full-time.
“They challenged us late and we were able to wrestle a sealing goal back but they’re definitely an improved outfit,” Tink said.
“Uni have definitely added some more speed and pace around the ball. Their team looked a lot more balanced to me than I’ve probably seen in the past.
“A few of their new faces played well and look a little more well-rounded. They’ll win some games this year.”
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Curra’s baby Swans put Round 1’s defeat to Thuringowa in the rear-view mirror with a 16.13 (109) to 3.4 (23) win over Northern Beaches at North Shore Oval.
Veteran goalsneak Craig Crichton kicked five goals to tie Bulldog Reegan Mrsich and University’s Ben Dempsey atop the Townsville Senior Men’s goals leaderboard.
Curra’s women defeated Northern Beaches 6.7 (43) to 1.0 (6) while Hermit Park defeated University 3.15 (33) to nil.
Originally published as AFL Townsville: Hermit Park secret weapon Ashton Leeming steals show in Round 2
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