Nathan Hrovat may have only been subbed on for a quarter in the Western Bulldogs round four NAB Cup clash, but he made an immediate impact on the field, and that experience made an instant impact on him.
Setting up Adam Cooney in the goal square with his first kick, the 18-year-old said it was a privilege to pull on the Bulldogs guernsey and a game he will never forget.
“I’m never going to forget that experience, the first time I chucked on a Doggies jumper it was an honour, definitely, and running out with the boys was just phenomenal,” Hrovat said.
“Luckily enough [I] got a couple of kicks, was a bit nervous to start with.
“The build-up and everything is so professional, it just makes you want more… it was an awesome experience and hopefully I can taste a bit more of it.”
While Hrovat has had a restricted start to the season, contending with a calf niggle, he has already seen the benefit of honing his skills playing for VFL affiliate Williamstown.
Last year’s Northern Knight’s captain has already begun to shape his style during practice matches, playing through the midfield and pushing up into the forward line – a similar role to what’s expected of him in the senior’s game plan.
“I was fortunate to play a bit through the midfield with Willy and a bit of the fourth and fifth role down forward – so pretty much similar to the Dogs… structure wise,” he said.
“So [it makes it] a bit easier to learn when you go down to Willy and you play that role as well.”
Hrovat has made a conscious effort to get to know his Williamstown teammates in the pre-season to better pre-empt their actions on game day.
“You learn a lot about your teammates on the training track and then when you play with them I think it’s a lot easier to predict what they are going to do,” he said.
“It’s been really good to be training with the boys and then going back and playing with them.
“The Willy boys have been fantastic and they have been really… accommodating and welcoming so it has been really good in that aspect.”
The 18-year-old has already felt the intensity lift in both training and games from the TAC Cup, and while expected, will still stake some adjusting.
“The physicality is the big one, things like people crashing in a bit harder… the skills are a bit better and I guess it is a bit more free flowing football so you have to run a bit harder which is obviously natural being that next step up,” he said.
“It’s obviously adapting to that, but being here kind of primes you for that.”
