BFNL: Young guns impress; player rankings round two

Gisborne's Brad Bernacki at age 22, 19-year-old Aidan Hare from Maryborough and Sandhurst's Noah Walsh at age 19 are just three of a large group of young midfielders that are ready to take over the mantle from some of the league's established stars.

Bernacki, Hare and Walsh have made brilliant starts to the 2022 season.

Bernacki is averaging 38 possessions through two rounds, while Hare and Walsh are averaging 32 touches - all three in the top 10 averages in the BFNL.

Bernacki has been the best player in arguably the best performed team through two rounds, while teenagers Hare and Walsh are carrying big workloads in teams that are yet to win.

"Brad is easy to coach and he does everything right,'' Gisborne coach Rob Waters said.

"He works so hard and that's why he's a star player."

Walsh played most of the shortened 2021 season off half-back, but has graduated to the Sandhurst midfield with flying colours.

He was the standout for the Dragons in the loss to Strathfieldsaye on Friday, collecting 22 kicks and nine handballs.

"Noah led all our running groups in pre-season,'' Sandhurst coach Ashley Connick said.

"It just shows that hard work pays off. He's very talented, has enormous ability and is very driven, but he's worked so hard and got himself extremely fit.

"I thought he was just about the best player on the ground (in the round two loss to Strathfieldsaye)."

Hare played most of his NAB League football with the Bendigo Pioneers in defence.

New Maryborough coach Rick Andrews has moved the teenager into the midfield and Hare has been the shining light in a difficult two weeks for the club.

He was outstanding in the Good Friday loss to Castlemaine, picking up 37 possessions, including 20 contested disposals. He also had eight tackles and took 10 marks and cracked the double century (205) in rankings points.

"Aidan has developed really well physically,'' Maryborough assistant coach Coby Perry said.

"He put on three or four kilos in the off-season and he's in fantastic shape. His contested disposal count has been high in both games and he had 14 tackles in round one.

"He has a really good balance in his game between contested and uncontested disposals.

"Aidan is a great example for the young boys we have coming through the under-18s. The way he trains and prepares is to a really high level. His professionalism around the club is first class."

Read more: Stats what I'm talkin' about - BFNL round 2

RANKING POINTS

1. Jake Thrum (GS) 205

2. Aiden Hare (Mb) 204

3. Tommy Horne (Cm) 195

4. Jack Geary (GS) 173

5. Nathan Horbury (SB) 170

6. Josh Kemp (Gis) 170

7. Brad Bernacki (Gis) 164

8. Cameron Manuel (Kyn) 147

9. Cooper Leon (Gis) 146

10. Jayden Burke (GS) 144

..........................................

DISPOSALS

1. Jake Thrum (GS) 48

2. Jack Geary (GS) 43

3. Nathan Horbury (SB) 38

4. Aiden Hare (Mb) 37

5. Jake Moorhead (SS) 36

6. Brad Bernacki (Gis) 35

7. Tommy Horne (Cm) 34

8. Ryan Hartley (GS) 34

9. Noah Walsh (Sh) 31

10. Mitch Trewhella (KF) 31

..........................................

KICKS

1. Jake Thrum (GS) 37

2. Jake Moorhead (SS) 26

3. Cooper Leon (SB) 25

4. Cameron Manuel (Kyn) 25

5. Nathan Horbury (SB) 24

6. Jack Geary (GS) 24

7. Liam Latch (Mb) 22

8. Hunter Lawrence (SS) 22

9. Noah Walsh (Sh) 22

10. Josh Kemp (Gis) 21

..........................................

HANDBALLS

1. Brad Bernacki (Gis) 19

2. Jack Geary (GS) 19

3. Aiden Hare (Mb) 18

4. Riley Wilson (SS) 18

5. Flynn Lakey (Gis) 17

6. Baxter Slater (Gis) 16

7. Ryan Hartley (GS) 16

8. Billy Evans (Eh) 15

9. Nathan Horbury (SB) 14

10. Tommy Horne (Cm) 14

..........................................

MARKS

1. Jake Thrum (GS) 17

2. Jayden Burke (GS) 14

3. Cooper Leon (SB) 12

4. Oscar White (SB) 12

5. Tommy Horne (Cm) 11

6. Josh Kemp (Gis) 10

7. Aiden Hare (Mb) 10

8. Bailey Henderson (Cm) 10

9. Jack Geary (GS) 10

10. Darcy Richards (Eh) 9

..........................................

CLEARANCES

1. Brad Bernacki (Gis) 13

2. Tommy Horne (Cm) 13

3. Hamish Hosking (Sh) 10

4. Cooper Leon (SB) 9

5. Billy Evans (Eh) 8

6. Liam Marciano (Eh) 7

7. Flynn Lakey (Gis) 7

8. Dean Bartrop (Kyn) 7

9. Brady Neill (Mb) 7

10. Tom Cain (Cm) 7

..........................................

HARD BALL GETS

1. Hamish Yunghanns (Kyn) 8

2. Tommy Horne (Cm) 8

3. Flynn Lakey (Gis) 6

4. Coby Perry (Mb) 6

5. Cooper Leon (SB) 5

6. Rhys Magin (Kyn) 5

7. Aiden Hare (Mb) 5

8. Kyle Symons (KF) 5

9. Nathan Horbury (SB) 4

10. Isaiah Miller (SB) 4

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TACKLES

1. Hamish Yunghanns (Kyn) 17

2. Aiden Hare (Mb) 14

3. Dean Bartrop (Kyn) 8

4. Declan Slingo (Cm) 8

5. Fraser Verhey (Eh) 7

6. Mitch Comben (Kyn) 7

7. Nathan Horbury (SB) 6

8. Cameron Taggert (SB) 6

9. Noah Wheeler (Eh) 6

10. Isaiah Miller (SB) 6

..........................................

ONE PERCENTERS

1. Matt Panuccio (Gis) 20

2. Harrison Huntley (Kyn) 11

3. Pat Murphy (KF) 11

4. Jack Geary (GS) 10

5. James Orr (Kyn) 9

6. Lachlan Hood (Sh) 9

7. Sam Barnes (KF) 9

8. Wil McCaig (SB) 8

9. Jayden Owen (Gis) 8

10. Harry Burke (GS) 8

..........................................

SCORE INVOLVEMENTS

1. Brad Bernacki (Gis) 14

2. Tommy Horne (Cm) 11

3. Clayton Holmes (Eh) 10

4. Josh Kemp (Gis) 10

5. Lachlan Sharp (SS) 10

6. Zac Pallpratt (Sh) 10

7. Matt Panuccio (Gis) 9

8. James Orr (Kyn) 9

9. Cameron Manuel (Kyn) 9

10. Aiden Hare (Mb) 9

..........................................

SPOILS

1. Harrison Huntley (Kyn) 11

2. Liam Ireland (Sh) 6

3. Jack Geary (GS) 6

4. Jack Reaper (Gis) 5

5. James Orr (Kyn) 5

6. Mason Crozier (Kyn) 5

7. Mitch Comben (Kyn) 5

8. Tyson Hickey (Cm) 5

9. Harry Burke (GS) 5

10. Sam Barnes (KF) 5

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