IT'S a long way from Gol Gol to Wellington, but it's a trek that Bendigo Pioneers Football Club's midfielder-forward Kobe Mutch did to represent his country.
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Mutch, 17, achieved one of the highlights of his career when he lined up for the AIS-AFL Academy in Friday's match against New Zealand in Wellington.
"It was an incredible experience, especially playing in a match to mark the Anzac centenary."
The AIS-AFL Academy level one team won by more than 80 points.
Mutch played a mixture of midfield and half-forward and kicked a goal.
The Academy team was coached by Brenton Sanderson and included St Kilda great Lenny Hayes as midfield coach.
"There is a lot I have learnt from both of them," Mutch said.
Sanderson and Hayes racked up many seasons in the AFL.
After 297 games for the Saints, the popular Hayes retired from playing in the big league at the end of last season.
Sanderson was coach of the Adelaide Crows from 2012 to 2014.
The level one squad for the AIS-AFL Academy was chosen last October and had two training camps before Christmas.
Mutch and his team-mates headed to New Zealand the previous Tuesday.
"Our preparation was like what AFL players would do."
The talented teenager said the Academy program had helped focus and improve several areas of his game.
"The defensive side of my game is something I have worked a lot on," Mutch said of this year's play with the Bendigo Pioneers in the AFL Victoria TAC Cup under-18s competition.
"Contested footy is also an area to keep working at and improving."
A groin injury kept Mutch on the sidelines for six weeks in pre-season.
He played in the Pioneers clashes with North Ballarat and Dandenong and aims to be on the field for this Saturday's match against Eastern at Epsom-Huntly Reserve.
In 2014, Mutch represented New South Wales at under-16s level.
He played senior football with the Mark Alvey-coached Wentworth in the Sunraysia Football League.
Drafted from the Bendigo Pioneers to the Western Bulldogs, Alvey also went on to play for Essendon before he headed back to Wentworth.
The move from the Sunraysia to Bendigo is something more Pioneers have done in recent years..
Mutch is studying year 11 at Bendigo Senior Secondary College.
Student numbers at BSSC are more than six times greater than his previous school, Coomealla College.
"The support from my family, mates from Mildura who were also moving to Bendigo, the Pioneers and host family is incredible."
Meanwhile, one of the finest players in Pioneers history, Colin Sylvia from Merbein has retired from the AFL.
Sylvia, who was recruited by Fremantle from Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent in 2013, played 163 games, but only six for Freo.