ALBURY young gun Charlie Spargo looks a certainty to be selected in the AFL level one academy to tour New Zealand after being named NSW-ACT Rams’ player of the national under-16 championships.
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Despite missing the state’s final division two match against Queensland with a hip-abductor injury, Spargo did enough in the opening two clashes to take out the McLean Medal.
“I must temper my words because Charlie was outstanding,” NSW-ACT Rams coach Rhys McAlister said yesterday.
“Charlie’s game against Tasmania was breathtaking and he was brilliant against the Northern Territory.
“He’s a tough kid, has footy smarts and is just a very good young footballer.”
Spargo’s selection as player of the NSW-ACT Rams team was made by a panel including former Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson.
A squad of 30 academy players is expected to be named next week to tour New Zealand.
McAlister said Spargo, who played as a midfielder-forward, was missed in the Rams’ 21-point loss to Queensland on the final day of the titles.
“We were up at three quarter-time but ran out of legs,” he said.
“Queensland played 25 players in the final and we were going to do the same but we had three ruled out on the morning of the game.
“They ran over us.
“It was a shame Charlie missed the last game against Queensland because he would have made a difference to us.”
National talent manager Kevin Sheehan was another to be impressed by Spargo.
“He was just such a busy player around every stoppage, was full of life around the ball and had that burst of speed away,” Sheehan said.
“He was a leader and dominator out there.
“Size just won’t beat him, because he won the ball virtually in every situation from the start.”
Spargo is a student at Caulfield Grammar in Melbourne after starting at The Scots School Albury.
Walla’s Alex Paech, Corowa-Rutherglen defender Jack Schilg and Henty’s Andrew Yates also represented NSW-ACT in its three matches.