JONTY Marciano is one of those players you want in your side.
A veritable jack-in-the-box, the 24-year-old leaves nothing in the tank as tries to inspire his Red Cliffs teammates to success each game.
It’s been relatively lean pickings for the Tigers in this season’s SFNL seniors’ football competition, but co-captain Marciano has been a standout in leading a young group coming to grips with the demands of top-level country football.
The two-time premiership winner (2014-15) made his seniors debut in 2013 at the age of 15 and has since racked up 120-odd games for the club.
Forming a strong leadership unit alongside coach Chris Lee and fellow captain Vas Tuifao, he is confident the Tigers will be a force in the coming seasons.
The team, sitting in eighth place heading into round 16, gave a glimpse into their future on Saturday when they outgunned second-placed Wentworth at George Gordon Oval.
Marciano saw plenty of the pill in the midfield, while Tuifao and brother Peter, who pushed forward to boot three decisive goals in the 17-point win, were also influential.
Speaking moments after the Tigers’ big upset win, Marciano said that “our whole team can hold our heads high today”.
“Everyone played their role really well. Everyone cheered each other on, and we had so much fun out there,” he said.
“We did all the one percenters very well. The extra efforts were there. This is the sort of stuff that lifts a team so much.
“From the back sticks to the forward sticks, it was all working well for us.
“Credit goes to our coach, Chris Lee, and all the leaders at the club. They’ve rallied around all the boys this season and the hard work is starting to pay off, as you saw today.”
As for his own strong form this season, the spring-heeled livewire said: “I’ve got two hours to do my stuff each week.”
“So when I’m out on the field, I pride myself on having a good work rate and playing with a bit of flare,” he said.
“I find I play better when I’m having fun and taking the game on, like we did today.
“I might make a mistake every now and then, but I back myself in to make something positive happen. That’s what I’m all about.”
The hard-running midfielder said his playing style had changed in recent seasons.
“A few years ago I tried to sidestep more and do u-turns to beat opponents, but now I’m trying to run straighter with the ball and be more direct,” Marciano said.
“I used to be a stay-at-home forward pocket, but I feel the midfield is where I play my best footy.”
As the Holcroft Lawyers Footballer of the Week, Jonty receives $125 from Holcroft Lawyers, 143 Langtree Avenue, Mildura, and is in the running to be the Holcroft Lawyers Footballer Of The Year winner.
