Harold ‘stoked’ to lead league charge

Berwick midfielder Michael Harold has overcome serious knee injury to be named joint captain of the South East Football Netball League team to take on Sunraysia. 137444 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By DAVID NAGEL

BERWICK’s comeback-kid, Michael Harold, will have pride and passion bursting through his skin on Saturday when he leads the South East Football Netball League (SEFNL) into battle against Sunraysia at Casey Fields.
The midfield dynamo received one of the highest accolades of an already glittering career when he was announced co-captain, alongside Cranbourne champion Marc Holt, for the Demons’ tilt at a top-10 ranking in the state.
Harold was quite clearly chuffed on Thursday night after receiving the number one guernsey from coach Michael ‘Jock’ Holland.
“Absolutely stoked mate, it still hasn’t hit home and it’s right up there as one of my best achievements in footy,” he said.
“Holty and I got pulled aside by Jock on Tuesday night, and he asked us to take the reins for this week. I was pretty shocked; I didn’t even know if I’d make the team, let alone be named captain, I’m absolutely stoked.”
And the message from Jock?
“He just told me that I’m highly respected in the league and that he just wants me to do what I do every week. That felt pretty good coming from him.”
Holland must also have been impressed with Harold’s commitment to representative football over the years.
The multiple best-and-fairest winner at Oakleigh played eight years in the amateurs, won a G.T. Moore Medal in 2011 as league best-and-fairest in B Grade, the same year he was part of a four-game tour of Ireland with the VAFA. He represented the VAFA on four other occasions, including a close victory over the VCFL at Shepparton, also in 2011.
“I just love the camaraderie and seeing what can happen when you bring the best players together,” he said.
“Generally it’s the team that can gel quickest that will display its best football and get the job done. Through my own experience, that’s always been the case, and I’m sure it will be just as important this year.”
Harold burst onto the scene in his first season at Berwick in 2013, but injured his knee in round 10 and wasn’t seen again until round nine last year.
Now, with a full pre-season under his belt, Harold is back to his dynamic best and ready to perform on a stage that he has already visited before. He starred in the league’s victory over Wimmera, at Horsham in 2013 and can’t wait to get back into the fold.
“I remember that game clearly, how much we wanted to win in the last quarter and how good it felt to lift the cup, and the team bus ride home at the end,” he said.
“This is our AFL; we can’t get any higher, so it’s a great thrill to play again. With the knee-reco, I didn’t know if I’d ever get back to playing good footy again, so it’s just great to be a part of, let alone lead the side.”
SEFNL’s new skipper said the younger players in the side will go back to their clubs as better players for the experience.
“Absolutely. The game is played at a higher pace, you’ve got fitter opposition and team-mates, you’ve got to run harder and for longer, there’s less rest time and I believe you come back at least 10 to 15 per cent better,” he said.
“There’s nowhere to hide, there’s selectors and scouts looking at the young fellas, so if they perform on this stage it could lead to anything.”
“I can’t wait.”
Neither we can we Mick … there’s only one more sleep … the game begins at 2pm.

 

Selected sides (SEFNL in caps)

SEFNL FB: NATHAN BROWN (Pakenham), BRANDON OSBORNE (Cranbourne), MICHAEL JOHNSON (Berwick)

Sunraysia FF: Carmelo Lando (Mildura), Anthony Matthews (Mildura), John Coleman (Imperials)                            

HB: DANIEL JOHNSTON (Beaconsfield), MICHAEL RISELEY (Berwick), TROY TOUSSAINT (Pakenham)

HF: Aaron McKinnis (Robinvale), Dustin Gordon (South Mildura), Warrick Brady (Wentworth)         

C: LUKE BEE-HUGO (Cranbourne), MICHAEL COLLINS (Narre Warren), JARRAD BOUMANN (Doveton)

C: Mitch Rogerson (Mildura), Brad Hards (C) (Imperials), Ash Spencer (Mildura)

HF: MATT LEE (Narre Warren), MATTHEW CLARKE (ROC), DAMIEN JOHNSTON (Beaconsfield)                                        

HB: Kieran Bell (Red Cliffs), Todd Hughes (VC) (Mildura), Zac Nelson (Wentworth)

FF: TROY McDERMOTT (Beaconsfield), MARC HOLT (C) (Cranbourne), JAKE SMITH (Pakenham)

FB: Justin Frankel (Merbein), Brendan Rhodes (Imperials), Simon Callahan (Imperials)

R: RUSSELL GABRIEL (Doveton), MICHAEL HAROLD (C) (Berwick), DYLAN QUIRK (Narre Warren)

R: Craig Beggs (Mildura), Matt Willson (Robinvale), John Jackson (Red Cliffs)

 

I/C: DANIEL BATTAGLIN (Beaconsfield), JAKE RICHARDSON (Narre Warren), JASON FISHER (Pakenham), BEN KERRIGAN (Beaconsfield)    

I/C: Matt Boyd (Imperials), Tom Brownbridge (Irymple), Jordan Birch (Red Cliffs), Colby Hards (Imperials), Matthew Rix (Merbein), Chris Lee (Red Cliffs)

 

Coach: MICHAEL HOLLAND (South East)

Coach: Ashley Connick (Sunraysia)