State League coach Heath Younie says he’s not sure what type of reception he’ll get when he returns to Prospect Oval to coach against his former club, North Adelaide, in Round One next year.
It’s been revealed the Crows State League team will play its first-ever game against the Roosters on Sunday, April 6 – the day after Adelaide’s AFL side plays its first home game at the redeveloped Adelaide Oval, against the Sydney Swans.
Originally from Wodonga, Younie played 183 games and won two best and fairest awards at North Adelaide. A qualified teacher, he retired at the end of the 2010 season and took on the role as North’s Under-18 coach for the next two seasons before joining the Crows late last year.
“I played for 10 years at North Adelaide and then coached for two, so the majority of my football career was spent there. It’ll be fantastic to go back to Prospect,” Younie said.
“I’m expecting a few boos, but that’s okay. I just really hope that, for the sake of the competition, for North Adelaide and for us, we get a really good crowd there.
“We want to play a part in getting more people involved in local footy.”
New rookie Alex Spina, who was coached by Younie at Under-18 level, and second-year defender Sam Siggins, could also be in line to play against the club they represented last season.
Adelaide’s development squad has now completed three main training sessions under Younie and development coaches Tate Kaesler, Peter Jonas, Ian Callinan and Jarrod Cotton. A number of the ‘top-up’ players have also participated in non-compulsory Saturday morning sessions.
The squad has swelled to 22 players, with a few more recruits joining in the past fortnight. The group is made up of ‘nominated’ players from six of the SANFL clubs, excluding Norwood, Central District and Port Magpies, as well as country recruits. The Crows will aim to limit the squad to about 25 players, leaving “a few spots” available for select latecomers.
Younie said he’d been impressed by the squad’s application.
“I wasn’t sure what shape the players would come to us in, but their fitness is okay and the skill level is really good. They’ve all been really enthusiastic and are doing a great job,” Younie said.
“Without getting too excited there are a few guys, whose junior pedigree speaks for itself, like Tyson Davis-Neale and Matthew Thompson. Davis-Neale looks like he can play footy – he’s a natural.
“Gene Robinson from Mypolonga has kicked more than 200 goals in the last two years and it’s easy to see why. He’s a very good kick and has great goal sense. We’ll just have to wait until the trial matches to get a clearer indication of how they’re travelling.
“All the guys have been keen to participate and everything we’ve thrown at them, they’ve done without any fuss.”
Adelaide Football Club ticketed members receive free entry to all Crows State League (SANFL) matches. Browse 2014 memberships online at 19thman.com.au.
