By Jonty Ralphsmith
Just five 2019 premiership players lined up for Hampton Park on Saturday.
There has been a complete revamp in recent years, with youthful movers such as Makaio Haywood, Tristan Fernandez-Phillips and Jack Wilson coming in.
Their excitement, alongside the leadership of former VFL players Tanner Stanton and Liam Myatt have been the factors behind their success in 2023.
They have produced it only for spasmodic periods, going through a lull in the middle of the season, but will go in high on confidence, with a four-match winning streak and average margin of 38 points.
It’s no coincidence that the form spike has come just as their injury list is thinning out, seemingly for the first time since pre-pandemic days.
Only Declan Brunnell, Trent Downe and Cory Phillips have played 18 games and while many have only missed short periods; every game there has been a handful missing.
The pattern has been that one or two will return from injury each week, and one or two will go down and replace them on the injury list.
There is an internal belief within Hampton Park that this group is capable of reaching preliminary final weekend.
At their best, the midfield is dynamic and hard edged, and they look potent when the ball is on the ground inside 50, players such as Trent Thomas and Kyle Hendy wreaking havoc for opposition defenders.
Nathan Carver being ruled out of the season at its midpoint looked a hammer blow, but it’s created a sense of unpredictability and in some ways negates the effect a key defender can have if the Redbacks lower their eyes.
Luke O’Brien leads the defence with great experience, but as a whole, it’s a line where they have smarts but their skill execution can let them down when put under pressure.
Starting the finals campaign against Highett puts them in a strong position to at least get one win under their belt in finals – a huge achievement considering the dark decade of the 2010’s.
The Spiders’ two best games of the home-and-away season have been their wins over the Bulldogs, by 69 and one point respectively.
Coach Hayden Stanton has on multiple occasions referenced the first win as the blueprint of Redbacks footy, while the second game saw them memorably kick three goals in stoppage time.
The significance of the midfield battle for Hampton Park is to protect their backline from one-on-ones.
Hampton Park are short of key position players all over the ground, but that is particularly evident in defence where every week, each defender is giving up height to their direct opponent.
When the ball does come in, the midfielders need to get back and help plug space because if it becomes an aerial battle, Highett would be well-positioned.
Players to watch
Liam Myatt: Hampton Park become at least a three goal better team when it has Myatt leading the way in the midfield. Is hungry for the footy and spreads from the contest as well as any of his teammates, with his efficiency as you’d expect of an ex-VFL player.
Tanner Stanton: Holds his shape well on the wing which is important on the big grounds where finals footy is played. Works hard to provide an easy outlet from defence and is the most polished ball user in the team, which the Redbacks are aware of. They look for him and he’s been the most consistent player of the year so expect him to deliver when it matters.
Andy Parker and Jye King: Are the only forms of height that Hampton Park has around the field. They don’t need to win the ruck battle, but they need to give their midfield a chance. Parker has height and mobility and King is physical and combative: both will also need to bring the ball to ground down the line as well.
Jack Wilson: Another relative staple of the Hampton Park lineup, the 18-year-old started the season as a winger whose tank saw him run his direct opponent to the ground. It was against Highett a month ago, when he scored after the siren to win it, that he started to show he had the size to stand up in the contest and has a knack of playing well when needed. Has composure beyond his years.
Kyle Hendy: Has 19 goals in his last eight games and three bags of at least five in 2023. Hendy’s reasonable overhead for his size, important in the absence of Carver, and is a momentum player so will hope the ball bounces his way.
