PORTLAND’S under-18.5 Hampden Football League side has taken major steps forward over the course of the 2023 season and will be looking to capitalise on those with a win against a struggling Terang-Mortlake outfit tomorrow at Hanlon Park.

There could be no better indication of their development than the last two weeks of football, as they defeated finals contenders Koroit, who beat them by five goals back in round two, before travelling to Melville Oval and defeating reigning premiers Hamilton Kangaroos by 35 points on the weekend.

Their head coach Cam Brown said it’s been a very positive season for the group which looks set to get even better.

“I’m very pleased with how the team has improved, from where we were at the start of the season to now you can see the growth,” he said.

“We’ve knocked off North Warrnambool, beaten Koroit for the first time in a very long time, and then went in a beat the reigning premiers.

“Not to mention we lost to South Warrnambool (who are currently on top of the ladder) by a goal.”

Brown said the side’s improvement has come down to buying in to the gameplan that the coaching group wants them to work with.

“We play a dynamic game style… we want the boys to take the game on, and that’s the way we’ve been able to beat these good sides,” he said.

In addition, there have been eight under-18.5 eligible players who have played senior football so far this season, something which Brown said he takes great pride in.

“Guys like Darcy Campbell, Tom Burns, Marcus Zeunert and more have all played really well with the 18s and deservedly got their chance to play senior footy,” Brown said.

“We’ve probably got two or three more guys knocking down the door, I think ‘Kossie’ (Kostya Vallance) and Kodi Jones probably aren’t far off getting a chance.

“Noah Nicholls is another one, he’s had a great few weeks between interleague selection and then playing his first senior game… the key now is trying to hold onto as many of them as possible for the future.”

With six rounds to go, the Tigers sit two games and percentage out of the top-five, with Brown saying a finals berth is “on the board.”

“It could come down to a do or die round 18 against South, I think we match up well against them and could manage to get in there,” Brown said.

“I believe this is a top three side when we’re full strength, but obviously our priority has been on developing the guys by giving them a chance at senior footy.”

The senior side will have their work cut out for them tomorrow when their matchup with the Bloods, a top three side in the competition, gets underway.

Last time the two sides met, the Bloods claimed a comfortable victory in wet conditions, with the Tigers only able to kick three goals for the contest.

Portland will host Terang-Mortlake in a Super Saturday fixture tomorrow, with the start times listed below, with the under-14 side forced to forfeit.