Nick Kohlhagen on his Rand-Walbundrie-Walla team-mates

Kohlhagen, 24, may already have 69 games of senior football under his belt at Rand-Walbundrie-Walla but it doesn't feel that long ago he was dreaming of joining in with 'the big boys.'

And with the next generation now looking up to a Giants side which will play Hume League finals again this season, keeping those youngsters engaged is going to be critical to the club's very existence in the future.

The fact the Giants haven't been able to field under-17s this year is a timely reminder of that.

"Having family involved out there, I have some really good memories of the club - Walla as it was then - and being a young kid around the change rooms," Kohlhagen said.

"I remember looking up to all the senior players at the time.

"I thought that if you were a senior footballer, you were a pretty big deal and I loved being in and amongst it and seeing how they warmed up and what they did.

"I used to think if I could get there, I'd love to do that.

"You are quite impressionable as a youngster and you do pick up on things.

"We've tried this year to have a kick with the Auskickers before training and take an interest in what they're doing because at the end of the day, they're the ones who will eventually be there, as far away as it does feel now, running out at 2 o'clock on a Saturday.

"Every club has some challenges with numbers and that's just the nature of the sport and how it's going.

"But being that little bit further out, it is vital we keep hold of those kids and develop them.

"I think that comes from feeling part of it, which we're trying to do."

Kohlhagen, who returned from a slight calf injury to help the Giants defeat Henty by 38 points on Saturday, can at least block out the first weekend in September now finals football is guaranteed.

"It's been a really good year," he said.

"Maybe, externally, we weren't predicted to finish as well (as we have), and we did lose some big names over the summer.

"But getting games into kids last year from (ex-coach) Lucas Mellier is paying dividends this year; the kids have got better and it's a pretty fun place to be around this year.

"Everyone is enjoying what we're doing and playing some younger guys brings that energy and gives you a bit of a lift.

"It's probably been good that in the last couple of years we've played finals but we've still been able to bring these kids in, so they haven't been thrown to the wolves straight away.

"With each game they play, they get a bit more confident and they're a funny bunch - they come out with some interesting things.

"I'm 24 but I almost feel like one of the older ones with these 17 and 18-year-olds.

"They keep you on your toes and they don't let you get away with much.

"If you stuff up or they don't like what you're doing, whatever it is, they'll be sure to let you know, some of those young blokes."

Kohlhagen, who played junior footy at Albury, spent a year in the Tigers' reserves before heading bush in 2019.

"I've really loved my time at the club," he said.

"I've played under a few different coaches and they've all brought something different.

"Each year we will have played finals and I'm proud of that.

"You always want to get to the end of September but I suppose in reality only two clubs do.

"What Pumpkin (Daniel Athanitis) and Jack (Duck) have spoken about is doing enough to make the finals and once you get there, you never know."

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Kohlhagen believes the Giants could do some damage when finals kick off in two-and-a-half weeks.

"We've proven with wins over Holbrook and some other quality sides that, at our best, we can play some good footy and are hard to play against," he said.

"At the moment, we're still trying to find that consistency week-to-week but I think that comes with training at a higher standard, knowing a bit more in-game when you've got to up the ante and absorb the opposition's heat a little bit better.

"But we're working at that and we know that having made the final six, we've given ourselves an opportunity to go as far as we can."

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