League star Nathan Cooper took a giant step to playing at a higher level with a five-star display in the team's interleague loss to Mornington Peninsula Nepean on Saturday.
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Still only 21, Cooper kept boom forward Keegan Downie goalless in the O and M's 41-point loss.
It was no surprise though, given the hulking fullback has played on GWS power forward Jonathon Patton at NEAFL level.
"He was excellent, just his one-on-one contests," O and M co-coach Jon Henry said.
"He's pretty quick for a big guy, he was just desperate, he really put his body on the line, he was really a shining light for us."
Cooper bolted home as the O and M's AFL Victoria medallist and that will only help his goal of again playing at a higher level.
"It can't hurt, Nath made the effort to come down from Sydney, that was a terrific effort," Henry said.
"He'll be trying to put his name forward and it was good that those guys (including Richmond VFL player Shaun Mannagh, who starred early) put their hands up and try to really challenge themselves."
When Cooper signed with Wangaratta Rovers in January, the Sydneysider said he was hoping to utilise coach Daryn Cresswell's connections to further his career.
He might have taken matters into his own hands with VFL scouts, at the very least, likely to have been present for AFL Victoria's three versus four playoff.
And yet another 21-year-old in Mannagh also did his chances no harm of playing more consistently at the higher level.
In something of a surprise to O and M watchers, Mannagh played the first six games for Lavington, before winning a senior spot in Richmond's VFL side.
"Shaun's obviously doing all he can to play VFL at the moment," Henry said.
