By JARROD POTTER
A METEORIC football ascension continued this week as Gach Nyuon earned a pair of stellar accolades.
Nyuon, 18, from Springvale, just recorded the best week of his short football career with his Vic Country side claiming the AFL Under-18 National Championship with a perfect six-from-six winning record.
In the carnival’s final match on Thursday against Western Australia, the 200cm high-flying Dandenong Stingrays’ ruck-man starred, generating 29 hit outs to give first use to his midfield team mates.
The hard graft of knocking over South Australia, Western Australia and heated rivals Vic Metro, led to a dead-rubber on Thursday, but Western Australia toiled to stay in it. But their resolve was quashed by Vic Country in a 32-point win and Nyuon could hardly believe it, especially once his hard-earned national championship’s medallion was wrapped around his neck.
“It means the world to be honest at the moment,” Nyuon said.
“It’s a great feeling, I’ve lost my voice from the excitement and it’s awesome, especially winning at 18s and 16s.”
Nyuon pegged the team’s success to its tight knit work rate – especially under new coach Paul Henriksen who had the side at the under-16 level.
“Six-and-zero, so we just played team footy… go out and do whatever the coach tells us to go out and do,” Nyuon said.
“Probably just the boys – last year I was trying to fit in, but these boys I’ve known since under-16s and it makes it pretty much a lot easier.”
Coach Henriksen believes Nyuon’s rise through the ranks is remarkable considering he’s still fairly new to the game – Nyuon only picked up the Australian code in 2012.
“He’s a revelation,” Henriksen said.
“Had him at 16s as well… he was a bit green back then with his footy, so to speak, but his efforts throughout the last couple of games have been outstanding and he’s growing and developing very quickly.”
Continuing the stellar news, it was announced on Saturday morning that Nyuon along with team mates Jacob Weitering and Keiran Collins were also selected in the Under-18 All Australian team.
Picked for the key spots in the All Australian line-up; Nyuon (ruck), Weitering (centre-half-back) and Collins (full back) – the trio have set not a foot wrong in their bids to join the AFL.
Three seasons in and Nyuon has ticked off every task asked of him along the way – Vic Country under-16 national champion, AFL Academy representative, Dandenong Stingrays’ player and now Vic Country under-18 national champion and All Australian.
There remains one last challenge for him this season – getting back to TAC Cup and hopefully pushing his beloved Dandenong Stingrays, currently sitting third in the competition, towards finals and beyond.
Nyuon wanted to thank everyone throughout Vic Country, Stingrays and especially his family for getting right behind his football dream.
“Just wanted to thank the coaches, docs and everyone who looks after us behind the scenes and especially my family,” Nyuon said.
“They’ve been to every game I’ve played in Victoria so far so they’ve been pretty good for me.”
For more on Vic Country’s national championships’ win, turn to page 52 of the Dandenong Journal.
