COBDEN president David Buckle is still kicking himself he missed Ben Cunnington’s Hampden league senior debut — some nine years later.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The North Melbourne midfielder, then just 15, announced himself as a player of the future with a 10-goal haul which had Bomber fans in raptures.
Buckle missed the match with work commitments.
But he knew Cobden had unearthed a special talent.
Cunnington, now 23, will play his 100th AFL game tomorrow when North Melbourne launches its 2015 season against Adelaide.
He enters his sixth campaign with a Syd Barker Medal — the Kangaroos’ best and fairest honour — in his keeping and a desire to help the club build on its preliminary final finish of last season.
Buckle said Cobden was proud of Cunnington’s rise to the elite level.
He arrived at the Bombers via Warrnambool and District league club Timboon Demons at 15 and had an immediate impact.
“He started the year in the under 18s but then he ended up playing 10 games in the seniors,” Buckle said.
“The transition from under 18s to seniors was amazing because he didn’t just become a fringe senior player — within a couple of weeks he was in our top six in the seniors
“His marking for a boy was phenomenal and he could play anywhere.
“We’d throw him forward or even at that age onball.
“Wherever he played he was really exceptional.”
Cunnington played all 25 games in the AFL last season, including the Roos’ heavy preliminary final loss to Sydney.
His former Cobden teammate Gary Rohan — one selection behind him at pick six in the 2009 national draft — played for the Swans in that match, too.
Rohan’s career games tally sits at 43 after a broken leg in 2012 stalled his progress.
“It is a tough caper and even Ben battled in his first couple of years and was in and out of the side a bit,” Buckle said.
“I know he copped a spray from Paul Roos on TV one night, saying he was unfit and slow.
“Whether that spurred him on a bit, I don’t know.”
Cunnington’s younger brother Sam still plays for Cobden.
Buckle said the pair were different players.
“Sam would be the first to admit he doesn’t have the natural ability Ben has,” he said. “But he works hard and is a good trainer.
“It’s been noticeable in the off-season that Sam has stepped up as a leader at Cobden too. We are hopeful Sam will be a long-term player with us.”
Buckle, in New South Wales on holiday, will watch the Sydney-Essendon round one game today.
Two Cobden products — Rohan and Essendon young gun Zach Merrett — will play. A third, Jackson Merrett, is also at the Bombers but missed selection.
Buckle, an Essendon supporter, said Cobden’s rich recent history of developing high-quality players showed no signs of slowing down.
Jack Hutt and Christian Koroneos are on North Ballarat Rebels’ TAC Cup list and Trent Reed is in the club’s under 16 squad.
