By JARROD POTTER
SIZE isn’t everything for Victoria Country’s most valuable player Jack Lonie.
The Dandenong Stingrays co-captain Lonie, 17, from Seaford, is punching well above his 174-centimetre, 67-kilogram frame as he starred in multiple matches at the NAB AFL Under-18 National Championships.
Although the campaign soured for Vic Country – as they tumbled to third on the table with back-to-back disappointing losses to South Australia and Western Australia – Lonie impressed the Vic Country coaches and selection panel to earn their coveted trophy as the most valuable in regional Victoria.
“It’s a great honour obviously and to get the MVP with such a prestigious group and a lot of talented footballers it’s very good,” Lonie said.
“Playing for all of Vic Country, the coaches showed me what my role was and I tried to play that to the best of my ability and that’s the main thing.
“To finish like we did was a bit disappointing… it was a tough game and credit to South Australia they were probably too good for us… we really could not get ourselves into the game.”
Lonie averaged 14.5 possessions a game, including a 25 possession game against old enemy Vic Metro and his personal favourite – a 24-disposal haul against Western Australia at Fremantle Oval where he kicked four goals.
“Probably the WA game… played my best game of the carnival… it was a great win as well… to sing the song was the bonus after the game… and play like I did was very pleasing,” Lonie said.
There’s still “fire in the belly” for Lonie to avenge last year’s disastrous end to the TAC Cup finals’ campaign. Otherwise he’s focused on the week-to-week efforts of captaincy at Dandenong.
Lonie’s TAC Cup coach Craig Black said his prowess deserves recognition and his leadership qualities should not be underrated either.
“You take away his height – he’s a fantastic competitor and I really do believe he’s turning into a really good leader at the footy club,” Black said.
“Talks to kids and keeps them all in the same direction… as a footballer he’s fantastic and doing everything… he’s just as happy tackling and putting pressure on as he is kicking goals.”
“Fantastic effort to win the Most Valuable Player for Vic Country with some really good potential number one draft picks in that group like Pat McCartin and others.”
Lonie will be available for TAC Cup selection this weekend when Dandenong faces Bendigo at Shepley Oval on Saturday from 1pm.
