Former Clarence Roos player Josh Green has been identified by Brisbane Lions legend Jonathan Brown as one to look out for in season 2014, with the Queensland side set to kick off its 2014 AFL campaign against reigning Premier, Hawthorn.
It has been a great journey for Green, developing out of the organic surroundings of the Clarence Roos Football Club and heading for the AFL.
Check out the story about Josh below, which appeared in The Mercury.
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BRISBANE giant Jonathan Brown sees Tasmanian Josh Green as the player to improve the most this season as the Lions prepare to meet Hawthorn in their season-opener in Launceston today.
The Lions signed Green for another two seasons this week, along with stars Tom Rockliff and Jack Redden.
Brown expects 21-year-old crumber Green, recruited from Clarence in 2010, to step up as a prime on-baller.
“I think Josh is going to go to the next level this year,” Brown said.
“With Dayne Zorko and Josh Green, we’ve got a pretty good one-two punch there in the forward line and they’ll start pushing into the midfield as well.”
Green just wants to play his role as a goal sneak, adapt to new coach Justin Leppitsch’s game plan and win games.
“It’s a big shift in terms of the game plan and we’ve been learning over the preseason and studying it away from training as well,” Green said.
It will be Green’s first AFL game on home soil, and his mum and dad, Jackie and Michael, brother Nathan, 23, and sister Alana, 19, will be among family and friends in the stands.
“To go from Clarence to Brisbane in such a short time has been a really good transition for me and I’m loving it in Brissy,” Green said.
“Hawthorn are a really good side but hopefully we can put on a really good show for everyone who comes along.”
Hawthorn will be without seven players from last year’s premiership-winning team, including game-breaker Lance Franklin, now at Sydney.
That will put the squeeze on the Hawks 2013 Coleman Medal winning forward, Jarryd Roughead, to carry the load up forward.
“I don’t think there’s extra pressure on him, it means we have to share the load,” said Hawthorn’s Tasmanian assistant coach Brendon Bolton.
“A really good forward line mix is one that can have multiple goal scorers, so if we were relying just on Roughy we are probably going it from the wrong angle.”
Among the new blood for Hawthorn is former St Kilda ruckman Ben McEvoy, who comes straight into the role of primary ruckman, while speedy wingman Derick Wanganeen will debut after being elevated to the senior list on Wednesday to replace Brendan Whitecross (knee reconstruction).
“It’s really exciting, such a turnover in players from last year,” Bolton said.
“Young Wanganeen gets his first go at it and Timmy O’Brien comes in, so we are excited to debut a few players and it shows our development program over the past few years has created a lot of depth for us.”
Hawthorn will unfurl its 2013 premiership flag today, with fans meeting at City Park to accompany it to the stadium in a march called Hawk Walk.
Premiership defender and Norm Smith Medal winner Brian Lake, who is serving a four-match suspension from last year’s grand final, will then do a lap of the oval with the coveted pennant.
This story appeared in the Mercury, titled ‘Tassie’s Lion cub Josh Green tipped to roar in season-opener’ on 22 March, 2014.
