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YOUNG GUNS EXPLODINGONTO THE SANFL STAGEBy Peter ArgentAs we look back on season2011, some of our youngeststars are looking forward to thebright lights of the AFL.Early this year, we saw somespectacular young players take onLeague football for the first time.This has continued rightthroughout the season with Northdebuting 17 year old Sam Mayesand 16 year old Nicholas Amato.South, in the final minor roundmatch, debuted Darcy Hourigan, itsyoungest ever player. Houriganeclipsed 2010 debutant ToddMcKay’s record by five monthswhen he played at the age of 15years and 11 months.“It was really good, the pace of thegame was so much quicker and tohave a really loud crowd atNorwood made it even better,” theStrathalbyn Football Club productsaid of his debut in the Panthers’Round 23 win over Norwood.“To have made my debut in suchan important game for the club, torecord what was our mostimportant win for the season wasjust a perfect way to start myLeague career.”Hourigan, who celebrated his 16 thbirthday last Sunday as South wonits Elimination Final against theEagles, began the season as theskipper of the Panthers’ U16s. Hewas then elevated to the U18s andtravelled to Sydney with theMcDonalds U16 Championshipwinning State Team.“The State experience was a realhighlight of the year and I cameback and played a couple of goodgames in the U18s before getting acall-up to play with the Reserves.The coaches just really encouragedme, telling me that I was playinggood footy and to keep doing it.“After a couple of Reserves gamesI got told I was playing League, it’sall pretty surreal.”Hourigan, Mayes and Amato havekept us entertained with stunningdisplays in the closing rounds butDarcy Hourigan.Photo courtesy of Nick Hook,Insanity Multimedia.let’s look back and some of theyoungsters who caught our eyesearly in the season.Ugandan Emmanuel Irra at thePanthers, explosive small forwardfrom Glenelg, Ben Kennedy,Norwood’s versatile small manLuke Brown and Sturt’s indigenoustalent Chad Wingard have all madetheir mark in 2011.All of this group played State U18football this season as SA’s Macca’sCup State side took part in a sevengamecampaign under the tutelageof SANFL High PerformanceManager Brenton Phillips.Other members of this squad whoenjoyed the rigours of Leaguefootball include Redleg MichaelIaleggio and South Adelaidebottom-aged U18 McKay.Glenelg left-footed forward LukeHender made his debut in theRound 8, Friday night AdelaideOval fixture against Sturt andkicked a goal with his first kick.Mitchell Grigg played his firstLeague game at Norwood as a 16year old, back in Round 23, 2009and featured in another four seniormatches during the Redlegs’productive 2010 season.The Port Adelaide pair of clevermidfielders John Nyskohus andSam Tonkes were members ofPort’s 2010 Reserves premiershipside and have enjoyed furthersenior success this year.Tonkes was honoured with thehighly regarded Bob Lee Medal asbest-on-ground in this fixture.It is a unique year in the AFL draftthis year with the AFL’s newestclub, Greater Western Sydney,14