Football
8 April, 2025
Six on debut for teenage star
Fifteen-year-old Chase Whelan has shot to the top of the top of the HDFNL goal-kicking table thanks to a haul of six in Laharum's belting win over Kalkee in the season's opening round.
The Demons began their 2025 campaign emphatically, outclassing Kalkee on the day on which the league paid tribute to Michele Mibus, who died of ovarian cancer nine years ago.
On Saturday afternoon, the Dees had the upper hand at every change in their Michele Mibus Memorial Round clash, leading by seven points at quarter-time and 22 points by mid game.
After the main break Kalkee managed to add only five behinds to its tally to end the day trailing 3.8.26 to Laharum's 13.16.94.
The 68-point victory at home catapaulted the side to the head of the HDFNL ladder with a percentage of 361.54.
In his post-game assessment on Monday morning, Laharum co-coach Robbie Miller was quick to praise Whelan for his significant contribution.
"Chase in his first game, playing forward, kicked six," Miller said.
"We know he's a raw natural talent but it was great to actually see him stand up kick goals for us when we needed them."
Aside from Whelan, Laharum's best included William Miller, Shannon Argall, Daniel Easson, Todd Heynen and Miller himself.
"Will Miller at centre half-back ran straight lines, incercept marked when needed and also crashed packs when we needed it, and Todd Heynen across our half-back line was great with his foot skills as well," Robbie Miller said.
In front of goal, Whelan was backed up by Riley Lenehan, Robbie Miller, Easson, Butsch, Argall, Hayden Kemp and Brodie Mines with one apiece.
"A couple of new guys really proved that having them come on board was what we needed but there was a fair team contribution that was probably our strength," Miller said.
For Kalkee, the top performers were Charlie Millar, Ben Lawson, Andrew Devereaux, Matt Nield, Dylan Avery and Louis Papst.
Lawson was the sole multiple goal-scorer for Kalkee with two, and Isaiah Adams added the only other major for the visitors.
Miller said it was a pleasing way to "get the ball rolling for the season".
"Kalkee came out of the blocks red-hot," he said in a humble and gracious review of what on paper could have been interpreted as a one-sided clash.
"They were fierce at the contest – they were probably out-working us, to be truthful, but we found our groove.
"We just got on top and ground away from there."
Miller said the Demons had "been deliberate in how we want to move the ball this year".
"We've been working really hard with that at training but we weren't quite doing that early on on Saturday," he said.
"We identified that at quarter-time.
"We slowly put the pieces together and started to figure it out."
Miller said the Demons had several players who struggled with the intensity of their first game for 2025 after one of their two scheduled practice matches was cancelled.
"To come through the other side with a win was pleasing," he said.
"We showed some great signs as the game progressed."
