Wagga footballers star at Nationals

This article and photo first appeared in the Daily Advertiser

By Matt Malone

While most kids were spending the school holidays hanging out with mates, Wagga teens Jock Cornell, Harvey Daniher and Charlie Bance were busy going up against the best talent in the country.

Three Wagga schoolboys, along with others from across Riverina, were part of the victorious Rams team that won the three games on the way to NSW/ACT’s first Under-16 Division 2 title in 11 years.

NSW/ACT proved too good for Queensland and Northern Territory before going on to conquer Tasmania in the final last Saturday at Blacktown in Sydney.

For 15-year-old Daniher, it was his first experience at such a high level.

Daniher moved from Ungarie to Wagga two years ago and loved the opportunity at the nationals where he conceded just two goals while holding down centre-half-back and full-back.

“It was a really good experience,” Daniher said yesterday.

“It was pretty hard, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would have been.”

Daniher was happy with how he fared in the three games.

“I thought I went pretty good,” Daniher said.

“My defence was good, I only had two goals kicked on me for the carnival but my offence probably wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be.”

Cornell, 16, has already been identified as one of the most exciting talents in NSW but spent the majority of the carnival in an unfamiliar role at full-forward.

He bagged 10 goals from the three games and was happy enough with his output.

“I thought I went all right as a full forward,” Cornell said. 

“I had to get used to not playing the on-ball role. I was swapping on-ball but playing mainly deep forward.”

Cornell said he still aspired to make it as a midfielder.

“They want to develop me into an on-baller,” Cornell said. 

“I just need to improve my fitness a bit over the pre-season.”

Bance has represented NSW at Under-12 and 15 levels and was part of the Rams’ midfield group at last week’s championships.

The 15-year-old said he played “all right” but was stoked to help the team achieve its goal.

“We were hoping for that (to win Division 2),” Bance said. “The aim was to beat Queensland in the first game and go from there.

“It was a good experience.”

Cornell and Daniher will  return to Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes for the rest of the season, which Bance will do at Wagga Tigers.

The Under-16 Rams had a strong Riverina contingent which included Temora’s Jack Irvine, Northern Jets’ Lachie Flagg, Narrandera’s Matthew Flynn, Henty’s Matt Klemke and Walla’s Shaun Mannagh.