Two former junior representative teammates earned the praise of their coaches after graduating to Tasmania’s top-flight competition.
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Charlie Dyer and Will Humphrey have spent much of the last decade playing against each other in the Northern Tasmanian Junior Soccer Association and together in rep teams.
Now both teenagers are playing in NPL Tasmania and making a big impression.
Northern Rangers coach Lino Sciulli said Humphrey was among the real positives to come out of the side’s opening round defeat at Olympia.
“Young Will did well up front,” he said. “He’s a good boy. I put him up top, he gets a lot of scoring opportunities. He’s yet to break his duck but he’s working on it.
“He’s a fairly quiet lad. You don’t hear much out of him. He’s pretty calm and collected but he’s got a few mates at the club and he has a lot of fun with them.”
Launceston City coach Jez Kenth dropped Dyer in the deep end during last week’s 1-0 defeat of Kingborough and said there was much to like about his performance.
“Nerves got the better of him a bit but he’s a huge prospect and we’ll nurture him through the season,” Kenth said.
“He’s aggressive for a kid but not intimidated and wants to learn.
“These young kids are a talent, no doubt. A club like Launceston City, we lack the depth of the Hobart sides or Devonport so it’s good when you’ve got young kids coming through.”
Both coaches said they would carefully manage their youngsters’ game time but expected them to play important roles as the season progresses.
City faces a Clarence side smarting from a 7-0 thrashing at Devonport but Kenth isn’t taking anything for granted.
“We have not seen too much of them so they are a bit of an unknown. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy game just because they got touched up by Devonport who are a very strong team. There are no easy games in the NPL.
“We’ve got a fresh new squad getting together so gelling is our main aim and trying to get as many points as possible while we do.”
While City are enjoying back-to-back home games to start the campaign, Rangers face another trip to the capital to face Zebras.
“We’re not allowed on our ground yet because of cricket so we knew we’d have a few away games to start with. It will be tough but you end up playing everyone three times eventually,” Sciulli said.
Fixtures
Saturday
- 2pm South Hobart v Kingborough Lions
- 4.30pm Hobart Zebras v Northern Rangers
- 4.30pm Launceston City v Clarence United
Sunday
- 2pm Olympia Warriors v Devonport