WHEN Dallas Booth watched Charlie Bailey play under 18s for the Oberon Tigers last year he was impressed, so now the coach is predicting big things when he steps up to play senior league.
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Bailey is the player likely to be given the nod to start at lock in 2020 as the Tigers contest the Midwest League premiership.
While that competition is a step down from Group 10's premier league competition where Oberon's top side formerly played, the Midwest League still has a number of talented forwards.
It means Oberon's emerging juniors like Bailey will be tested, but Booth is confident they can rise to the challenge.
Bailey and his fellow under 18s graduates offered proof by impressing in last Saturday's trial match against Group 10 outfit Lithgow.
"Charlie Bailey was unreal, he was like a sheep dog, he just tackles anything. I got to see him play a little bit last year, but this was the first time I'd got to play with him and he was really good," Booth said.
"I knew he had it in him, but Workies obviously have some big, tough boys and that didn't slow him up at all, he went all day.
"I made him play big minutes to see how his fitness went and he handled it easy. So it's very, very handy to have him in the side.
"We had a couple of the younger fellas do well - Jake Foley, Ryan Thompson, Ray Sargent - they're all coming up from under 18s and they handled the step up fine."
That trial was played over three periods of 20 minutes and for Booth it was less about the final score and more about seeing what his squad has to offer.
It gave the coach valuable insight as he thinks about his regular season starting line-up.
"It was a good hit-out, our team played well and so did they, it was really good to blow the cobwebs out," he said.
Charlie Bailey was unreal, he was like a sheep dog, he just tackles anything.
- Oberon coach Dallas Booth
"It was about making sure everyone who's been training gets a run and giving guys a chance at positions they want to try and play throughout the year. It certainly wasn't our strongest side for 60 minutes."
Oberon will attend a knockout for all the teams in the Midwest League in Orange on April 4, with that tournament to be the Tigers' final hit-out before the start of the season proper.
They are guaranteed to play at least two games at that tournament and more should they win.
Already Booth is excited about what lies ahead.
While the playing group is significantly different to that which contested last season's Group 10 premiership, a good camaraderie has been forged.
It is the same for the women's side which will contest the Midwest League's league tag premiership.
"I thought there might have been a lot of negativity, but everyone is on the same playing field now, no players are being paid," Booth said.
"It's not like you are having some guys that are being paid a fortune and other guys who are getting next to nothing. It's all locals too, we've stressed a lot of times we don't have any imported players.
"After training you end up having 25 guys going back to the pub to have a beer together before going home, so on that side of things the mood is great.
"Personally I couldn't be happier with where the guys are at at the moment and the girls are the same. They had six girls who had never played league tag before the weekend and they went really well.
"They'll only improve from there and they're all excited and having fun. Like us, after training everyone has a joke and a drink together - the vibe is really good for both sides."
It's not just the mood amongst the playing group which has Booth excited either. He said the support from the community has exceeded his expectations.
"The other thing I was little worried about was members of the town being upset we're no longer in the top division, but we had nearly as many people turned up to watch our trial game as there was for normal [Group 10] games," he said.
"The car park was full for that game on the weekend. People out here, they just love footy and I think a majority of them don't care what grade it is, as long as they've got some footy to watch.
"That's why it was important after we folded from Group 10 to keep that second division side alive, it's important for the town."
