JACK Parker had been eyeing off more midfield time for Red Cliffs, and the results have shown he is more than capable of helping to carry the group forward.
The 19-year-old is a dozen games into his senior career and hitting his straps in the stripes.
Mostly used as an on-baller against Robinvale Euston on Saturday, Parker played arguably his best game at senior level, capping it off with a goal as the Tigers won their first game of the 2021 SFNL season.
His performance has earned him the round 6 nomination for the Mildura and District Real Estate Rising Star award.
Parker said the club enjoyed the victory that had been six rounds in the making.
“It’s been good, great to finally get a win under the belt,” he said. “There’s definitely been a bit of enjoyment around the place this week.
“We just need to stick together and keep improving. Who knows what we can do.
“We’re young and fast, but we just have to be smart and get that experience under our belt. There’s no reason why we can’t roll a few more teams this year.”
With a number of young players in the senior line-up, and under a new coach in Vas Tuifao, Red Cliffs have put in some impressive performances, only to struggle in the second half of games.
That was reversed against the injury-hit Eagles, conceding five opening quarter goals before holding their opponents to just one more for the rest of the match.
Parker feels like he has benefited from another pre-season with the senior group.
“I played a few games in 2019 to get my first taste of it but I felt like I had a good pre-season under the belt with the seniors,” he said.
“I started up forward and then moved up to the wing, but the past few weeks I managed to get some time on-ball. I spent the most amount of time there on Saturday and felt like I did pretty well. To be part of that midfield was always my aim.
“Vas has been a great help for someone like me. He plays midfield and I’ve always wanted to become a senior midfielder, so he’s someone I really look up to.
“Guys like Jake Reed and Beau Riordan are great mates of mine so to be able to play alongside them both has been awesome. My old man and Beau’s old man are great mates so we’ve obviously known each other for a long time. To get to play in the midfield with him has been awesome.”
As the round 6 Mildura and District Real Estate Rising Star, Parker receives $50 courtesy of Mildura and District Real Estate, 91 Commercial Street, Merbein, and is in the running to be the Mildura and District Real Estate Rising Star of the Year.
