It was the final under-17s game for 15 members of that premiership side, given they were all in their top-age seasons, but in a huge coup for Moama, 13 of those individuals have committed to join the senior ranks at the Magpies next year.
Senior co-coach Jye Warren said it was an outstanding result for the club, which has made a concerted effort to develop the youth at the club rather than looking outside.
“It’s massive,” Warren said of having such a large group recommit together.
“Obviously, from the back of our development program that we’ve got going with that junior program, our number one goal was to maintain that list.
“(Not only) retaining all those junior blokes that had come through the seniors, but also the ones that potentially could go off and play under-18s, and it just helps us develop over the (coming) years.
“The boys were lucky enough to win the premiership in the under-17s (this year), and we want to emulate that, I guess, over the next three or four years, and hopefully, in that fourth or fifth year, they could all be together in a senior flag.
“So, it’s super important for us moving forward, and gives them the opportunity to be able to stick at the football club and give back.”
Liam Hearn, who captained the under-17s this season, said the group enjoyed a special bond in their premiership year, which he thought would only be strengthened moving up to the senior ranks.
“Really special, the culture was really good this year, really tight-knit, always backing each other, it was just super special,” he said.
“This season really brought us closer together, I think, and next year is hopefully going to make us even closer, all sticking together.”
Despite not playing senior football this season, quite a few of his under-17 teammates did, which motivates Hearn to earn the call-up next year.
“I didn’t get the opportunity this year, but I’m definitely going to work really hard next year to hopefully have a crack,” he said.
“There’s a lot of (senior) experience with a couple of those boys, like Jobe (Shanahan), Lachie (Hogan) and Mitch (Bell), I haven’t really talked to them too much about it yet, but I definitely will.”
With such a successful outfit in Echuca being in such close proximity, Warren said both he and co-coach Sam Sheldon had looked at what the Murray Bombers had been able to achieve over the past few years for inspiration, with youth at the centre of their plans.
“You look at that (Echuca) side that played in the grand final against Kyabram, and a lot of them are ‘one-pointers’, and that’s important for us as well,” he said.
“We’ve got the point system in place for the Murray league as well, I think it’s 42 points, and it’s super important going forward to be able to be under that 42, obviously.
“I’ve known clubs in the past that have had to struggle with that and drop blokes and bring other blokes in, and we don’t want to do that.
“We want to give these guys an opportunity, so we’re trying to do what Echuca do essentially, and that’s retain these blokes, give them an opportunity.”
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