Ramadan Yze has the brightest young sparks in the Goulburn Valley League at his disposal, and now the under-18 interleague football coach cannot wait to tear the lid off and watch unbottled lightning shine at Albury Sports Ground.
A 22-strong list of players have been selected to make the march across the border to take on the Ovens and Murray League on Saturday.
Though it’s been a short turnaround for players to familiarise themselves with one another, after seeing flashes of what’s to come, Yze is quietly confident his side has enough fireworks to put on a show during the much-awaited clash.
“It’s my first year taking on the role and I’m excited to showcase the GV talent,” he said.
“I think they all can stand out in their own right, they’re all quality, they all can run, they’ve got good skills – it was quite impressive watching them train.
“It will be interesting to see how well they gel come Saturday and I’ll be encouraging them all to showcase their skills to everyone out there.”
It’s likely Saturday’s encounter will be marked on many of the young players’ calendars as the highlight of their footballing year.
The chance to test their mettle at rep level against a fierce country counterpart doesn’t come about often and, in Yze’s eyes, there is no better stage for GVL’s best and brightest to flaunt their ability.
“Some of them are playing seniors on a regular basis – week in, week out – and there’s a couple who are in the better players of senior sides,” Yze said.
“Getting to showcase their talent in under-18 interleague might open further doors down the track.
“My message has been to take the game on, take some risks, showcase your skills to everyone watching.
“Hopefully we can get a big crowd down there to watch the boys, because I think they will be impressed by the way they move the ball and their skill level at a young age.”
What better opponent to go toe-to-toe with than the O&M.
GVL’s traditional rival holds bragging rights after last year’s 14.9 (93) to 11.8 (74) win, and Yze wants to take the game to a well-respected opponent – and by nailing the basics, try to return the favour.
“They’re a quality outfit, aren’t they,” he said.
“They are going to be similar to us I think, they’re going to be strong, quality kids with skill and pace, so it’ll come down to the fundamentals ― who doesn’t turn the ball over as much as the other side will get the result.
“I think it’ll be an exciting, attacking brand of footy, I don’t think there will be too much defence being a one-off game I wouldn’t have thought.”