But 14-year-old Josh Klemke’s senior debut for Henty felt similar to any other junior game in many ways.

The reason – six of his Swampie teammates were 18 or younger.

While Klemke was still the baby of the side with his 15^th birthday falling on August 26, the talented youngster said he felt right at home at Jindera.

“It’s a really young side,” Josh said.

“I’ve been training with the seniors but it was still a bit of a surprise to get called up.

“I think I played 10 or 12 minutes a quarter so I got a good run which was great.

“I enjoyed it.”

Several Hume league officials were unable to recall a younger senior debutant with CDHBU’s Matt Walker coming close.

He debuted for the Power against Osborne at Osborne in 2015 at 15 and two months.

Long-time league president Merv Wegener said he expected more and more youngsters to break into senior football at a young age.

“It’s fantastic to see,” Wegener said.

“With the points system and player payments, I can see more and more clubs promoting their good, young players when they feel they are up to playing at that level of competition.

“I can’t remember a younger player than Josh but in saying that it wouldn’t surprise me if there was.

“Henty’s got a good crop coming through at the moment.”

Anthony Pope, Andrew Yates, Nick Murray, Taylor Clark, Jonathan Male and Tyson Muller also played in Henty’s win over Jindera at the weekend and were members of the Swampies’ premiership winning under-17 side last season.

Henty co-coach Matt Klemke said the youngsters were holding their own at senior level.

“They have all been good,” Klemke said.

“They provide pace and pressure and want to learn and improve their footy.

“We’re fortunate to have had a lot of good kids coming through the under 14s and 17s over the past few seasons.”

Klemke, a Year 9 student at St Pauls College at Walla, recently made the NSW Under-15 All Schools team to play in the national championships.

The championships will be held in Perth later this month.

Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock is another Hume league club to play plenty of under-age talent this season with Eddy Ziebarth, Josh Koschitzke, Rhys Mitsch, Mitchell Scott and Aidan Johnson still eligible for thirds.

Ziebarth, Koschitzke and Mitsch made their senior debuts as 15-year-olds.