Captain Max Gawn is assured Melbourne can deal with the hype round younger gun Jacob van Rooyen and maintain the stress off the rising ahead.
Van Rooyen needed to bide his time within the VFL in his first season final yr however has booted 15 objectives in 10 video games, averaged 3.2 marks and infrequently been the Demons’ essential ahead this season.
The final time Melbourne had been this excited a couple of key ahead prospect Jesse Hogan received the Rising Star however finally didn’t kick on.
Gawn believed van Rooyen’s relaxed character, mixed with some skilled heads round him, held him in good stead to thrive beneath expectation.
The Demons skipper mentioned he’d realized from working with Hogan and Luke Jackson how greatest to assist gifted younger talls.
“You can put a lot of weight on the kid’s shoulders, playing full-forward at 19,” Gawn instructed reporters on Tuesday.
“The crowd are behind every disposal, so that puts even more pressure on but I feel like the character that we have with Jacob is someone that just doesn’t really care about that. He’s out there playing football.
“I’ve had some learnings with a few of these guys up to now and I feel that is why I’m down there possibly to take a few contested marks as nicely however I’m fairly assured Jacob’s obtained all of it settled.”
Gawn joked the Demons had a habit of plucking talented young talls out of Perth, but stressed he had complete confidence van Rooyen, signed until the end of 2025, had no plans of following Hogan and Jackson in returning to WA.
Van Rooyen earned a Rising Star nomination for taking seven marks, collecting 16 disposals and kicking a goal against Carlton.
“He’s child. Not many younger guys, particularly tall guys come into the competitors and crash packs like he does,” Gawn mentioned.
“He’s an amazing character, he is bubbly and he is additionally operating the ahead line as a tall participant with no Tom McDonald or Ben Brown on the weekend by himself.”
Van Rooyen said McDonald and Brown had given him important guidance as had star full-back Steven May which will be crucial ahead of a likely match-up with Collingwood star Darcy Moore on King’s Birthday.
“My locker buddy Steve May, he is been actually massive for me as a result of I’ve to coach on him all pre-season,” he mentioned.
“If I can play on him then I feel I’m fairly nicely ready to play on most key place defenders.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
