Junior premiership footballers to feature in 2023 Hamilton Kangaroos' senior side

Coach Hamish Waldron said the club had retained the bulk of its teenage prospects with many taking on trade apprenticeships in the area while Ben Starkie, who has started university in Geelong, was committed to travelling back to play.

Under 18.5 premiership players Ethan Knight, Zach Burgess, Hamish Cook, Deacon White, Lachie Urquhart, Noah Herrmann, Will Povey and Starkie all got a taste of senior football in 2022.

Promising teenager Jack Jennings, who was still eligible for the under 16 competition, also made his senior debut last season.

Waldron believes those players could entrench themselves in the senior team while other emerging prospects, including Charlie Alexander, Angus Kissel, Tom Calvert, Bailey Baker and Bailey Cooper, will also push for opportunities.

Multi-talented athlete Vincent Huf will pursue cricket and will play in Darwin.

Waldron is rapt the club has maintained its core group of young players as it strives to make Hampden senior finals for the first time.

"We have some ripping kids coming through out of that under 18 system who will get a bit of an opportunity," he said.

"Guys like Ethan Knight will come in and spend a bit of time onball, Zachy Burgess will spend a bit of time going through a (midfield) rotation and Deacon White too.

"Deacon is still (part of) the under 18s."

Cook kicked 23 goals in 13 senior games in his debut season and will again be a target in the Roos' forward half.

"He's had a super pre-season and is looking really fit," Waldron said.

"He had a breakout year and it will be interesting to see what he can do this year."

Baker is a player with a mature outlook on his game.

"He plays a bit of a shutdown role in the back line," Waldron said.

"He's pretty tall for his age and well built. He's one of those blokes who sticks at his task."

Cooper is a agile ruck prospect and Alexander "is moving really really well at training". Waldron, who will be without the injured Duncan Rentsch (knee), said it was important to give the club's teenage cohort responsibility.

"The last few years we've always lost a few who have headed off to uni and now to see young Starkie has headed off to uni but he wants to hang around here and play which is pleasing for us," he said.

"A lot of the young ones are in trades which is handy - we're going to have a few of them for four years."

Waldron, as a veteran of the group, said he changed pre-season plans ahead of his second campaign in charge.

"At the start of training, seeing all the young ones there sort of sparked me up," he said. "Sometimes you think you're starting pre-season too early. This year I held off a little bit and started just before Christmas. It was probably better... they're still eager to get into everything at training and are driving standards really hard."

The Kangaroos' injury list is minor but Charles Murrie is carrying a back complaint.

"He's playing cricket at the moment but goes week-to-week with that," Waldron said.

"I am hoping to get him sorted out and fit for round five."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: