By Nick Creely
As Narre Warren enjoys a rollicking 5-0 start, they have also unearthed an absolute gem in defender Jesse Davies.
The 19-year-old graduate from the Dandenong Stingrays and a Frankston listed player in the VFL has been in superb touch as a key defender down at Kalora Park, breaking out as one of the competition’s most exciting talents in the opening five rounds of the season.
Davies, who is banging down the door for a game with the Dolphins, is thrilled with his start to the season, but ultimately wants to keep improving himself.
“The first few rounds I’ve been really happy with how I’ve been playing – not getting picked to play VFL is a bit disappointing, but to go back to Narre and play good footy and be 5-0 is great,” he said.
“I just want to play my role – if the coach comes to me and wants me to lock down on a bloke, that’s my number one priority.”
Davies was among the Magpies’ best in their superb win over Berwick earlier this season, while games against Beaconsfield and Doveton in recent weeks has provided the defender with the perfect chance to showcase some elite skills.
And he hasn’t felt out of place in the rigours of senior footy, with his early introduction during his junior days a perfect grounding in a tough competition.
“The big bodies haven’t bothered me, I played my first game of senior footy when I was 15 with Longwarry and I played the whole year in the seniors, so that hasn’t really bothered me – as I continue to step up to higher levels, it’s more just going to be the speed of the game I need to adjust to,” he said.
Davies’ 2017 was superb with the Stingrays, helping marshal one of the TAC Cup’s stingiest defences, but after missing out on the draft had some decisions to make.
“It was a bit weird, at the end of last year I had a really good year and I didn’t get talked to by any AFL clubs, so I was unsure what I wanted to do – I took a couple weeks off footy, missed the first few weeks of pre-season and then decided to go down to Frankston and give it a crack and play the highest quality I can,” he said.
“Whether that’s this year or next, I’ll continue to work on my footy and keep improving – the two biggest things for me is my fitness, which has always held me back, and then also my confidence in talking, and to talk on the ground – coming into a new environment, I’m pretty shy, so I came in pre-season late and I was starting behind the pack a bit, but as the season’s gone on, I’m feeling more comfortable.
“The backline down at Frankston is pretty stable, and not many ins and outs, I’ll just keep improving at Narre and get at least one game this year.
“My goal is to keep improving and if I get one game at VFL that’s great, that’s what I’ll aim for, and if I don’t get a game, I know I’ve got a whole new pre-season to play round one next year.”
And Davies could turn out for the South East in the AFL Victoria Community Championship clash with AFL Yarra Ranges on Saturday.
“I’ve been to training, and as long as I’m picked I’ll be playing this weekend – I’ve always loved interleague, playing with the best and against the best, it’s just a good standard of footy and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
