North Launceston talent Oliver Dean is taking the next step towards his dream of playing AFL.
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The 17-year-old will represent Australia as a member of the AFL Academy, taking on VFL side Coburg at Carlton's IKON Park on Saturday, while the Northern Bombers face North Hobart.
Coach Adrian Smith said the first of two academy matches was an awesome opportunity for Dean.
"He's obviously come a long way with his footy and we wish him all the best," Smith said.
"We look forward to having him available for us in the back half of the season once he's got all these Australian and Allies commitments over and done with.
"Hopefully we can help him progress his footy to his dream of being drafted, that's our goal.
"He's a great kid, he comes from a really good family, so it's a really good opportunity for him to take that next step and put his name up in lights."
The 201-centimetre ruck-forward made his senior debut last season, playing two matches alongside his Devils commitments.
Smith explained what makes him such a valuable commodity.
"At the end of the day, once he starts to learn his body and how agile and athletic he can be, he's got massive levers," he said.
"He's just an unassuming kid that goes about his work. He's got some tricks and for him, it's just about understanding what they are and bringing the best out of them."
Back home at UTAS Stadium, North Launceston are aiming to keep their undefeated record intact.
Their first game, a big win against cross-town rivals Launceston, featured their young guns running wild, while experience came to the fore in the second.
Having both on fire is important to Smith.
"Our team is built on roles and people understanding their roles, so each week there's going to be different opportunities for our players to step up and take control of what they need to do," he said.
"At the moment, we've got a really nice blend of experience and youth. This week we have pretty much all of our Devils back again, so it's a really good opportunity to show and teach them about how we play footy.
"Our more experienced players like Brad (Cox-Goodyer), Jack (Avent), Alex (Lee) and Fletcher (Bennett) are really good at leading and communicating a message and helping the rest of our team understand what it looks like to be the best team in the competition.
"That's what our goal is and they're working hard each week to do so."
Saturday's game is an earlier start than most, getting underway at 1pm.
Josh Partridge
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
