PORTLAND has had to hit the reset button heading into the 2023 Hampden Football League season, with the departure of a number of key players from last year’s senior team leaving some big shoes to fill.
Of course, the flipside to this is the opportunity that is then provided to young players to test their mettle against higher level competition.
One such player is Charlie Piergrosse, who as a 16-year-old was selected for his first senior football game in round one against Warrnambool.
Piergrosse, who last season qualified for under-16s and who just recently celebrated his 17th birthday, said the experience was a combination of exciting and nerve-wracking.
“I was very excited when I first found out I was getting picked, but yes there were also some nerves when we went out there, particularly in that first half,” he said.
“I think once it got to the second half I kind of found some confidence, but it was certainly a different experience to junior footy.”
He said it was helpful having a number of younger teammates alongside him on the day, with the likes of Darcy Campbell, Sam Peck and Blake Schwarz also playing their first game of senior football in the same match.
“I never even played under-18s, so to go from playing against kids who were 14 or 15 to grown men twice my age was a massive jump.”
Piergrosse said he believed his selection came down to some strong showings in the club’s practice matches in the lead-up to the season but added that it still came as a surprise.
“After the first practice match against Port Fairy I sort of felt like I was a bit of a chance, but I still didn’t expect it to happen,” he said.
He added that the focus now is on both team success and also how he can develop as an individual player.
“The coaching has been great, I’ve learned so much from ‘Holty’ (senior coach Jarrod Holt) and everyone else, it’s been pretty incredible working with them” he said.
The Tigers will come up against reigning premiers Koroit at Koroit tomorrow, and while facing a side with plenty of premiership experience is never an easy task, the Saints have looked more vulnerable than ever after opening their season with defeats at the hands of Cobden and South Warrnambool.
Whether this reflected the calibre of their opposition or the possibility that a club which has dominated the league for so many years is finally beginning to fall away remains to be seen.
Regardless, Portland will head into this matchup, an away fixture at Victoria Park, with every reason to believe they can right the ship after their opening round loss.
The seniors will get underway at the usual time of 2pm tomorrow.
Juniors to host first home fixture
Portland’s junior sides will play host to Koroit on Sunday, with the under-12 mixed, under-14 boys and under-16 boys to take to Hanlon Park for the first time this season.
The Tigers’ under-16 outfit will be hoping to build on a positive start after their win over Warrnambool a fortnight ago, while the 12s and 14s will look for a reversal of fate against the Saints.
