THIS time last year the final siren had blown on Mitch Martin’s season, his under-16.5s Ballarat team left to contemplate a wooden spoon.
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On Saturday, he will take to the field for the Swans as the youngest player in the Ballarat Football League grand final against North Ballarat City.
Martin, 17, has been named on Ballarat’s half-back flank and has been given partial responsibility for taming the powerful North City forwards.
The only other teenager to run out will be North City’s Mitch Gilbert, aged 19.
Playing in front of thousands of people will be a massive change from anything Martin has ever encountered.
“The big crowd makes you nervous. I suppose I will probably try and take it all in at the start but try and get used to it.”
Before this year, he had only played in one BFL final in his life.
A Herald Sun Shield premiership with St Patrick’s College this year has easily been his biggest career game. Until now.
“I never really played in any finals as a junior, so it’s a fair bit of a turnaround there,” the year 12 student said.
Having missed out on the Swans’ first two senior finals, Martin received the call-up for last week’s preliminary final against Redan; his first senior game in more than a month.
And despite Luke Brennan, Chris Thornton and Damian Larkin coming back into the side for the season decider this week, Martin did enough to hold his spot in the side.
“It wasn’t until Thursday night that Ash (coach Ash Baker) pulled me aside before training and told me I’d be playing,” Martin said.
“I was really excited about it and a bit shocked. I don’t think it really sank in until after training.”
Martin, considered to be one of the best endurance athletes in the side, has been told to run all day.