By Lance Jenkinson
Werribee has shopped locally for the latest addition to its playing list for the 2019 Victorian Football League season.
The club has signed up exciting youngster Oscar Junker, who played the bulk of his junior career a stone’s throw away from Watton Street with Werribee Districts.
The 20-year-old former North Melbourne utility was delisted by the AFL club at the end of last season after two years on the rookie list and opted to continue his career with Werribee.
“I’m super excited to be part of the club,” Junker said. “I know a fair few of the boys through my local club and the local area. I grew up in this area, so it’s just a good fit.”
Junker also spent time at Avalon Airport Oval in his first year at North Melbourne through the Werribee-North Melbourne alignment.
He was selected with pick 28 in the 2016 rookie draft after impressing with the Western Jets in the TAC Cup, but managed to pull on the boots for only two games in his AFL rookie year after breaking his leg in a practice match.
He made it back in time to play in Werribee’s final development league game of the season – his only appearance in a Werribee jumper to date.
Junker had a more settled 2018 season, featuring in 17 of a possible 18 games and kicking 13 goals in North Melbourne’s inaugural VFL team.
Still, it was not enough for the Kangaroos to keep him on their list and they delivered him the bad news of his delisting at season’s end.
Junker was understandably unhappy about his delisting, but is committed to playing good football for Werribee in the hope of attracting further interest from AFL recruiters.
“Getting delisted from North Melbourne was obviously disappointing, but I’ve dusted myself off,” he said. “I really think Werribee is a great environment for me to come back in to develop my game and hopefully get drafted again.”
Junker is a talent new Werribee coach Mark Williams should be able to utilise.
A utility, Junker stands at 193 centimetres, is good in traffic and can be used in a variety of roles.
Werribee football operations manager Stuart Balloch said: “He’s a terrific mark who can play high up the ground or flip out to a wing, so he’s got a bit of versatility.
“He was unfortunately cut down in his first year on North Melbourne’s list, but was able to play some regular VFL football last year, so we see real scope for improvement in Oscar, and it’s really nice for us that he’s from Werribee and resides in Werribee.”
MORE VFL NEWS
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/good-signs-for-next-year/
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/werribee-showing-fine-signs-for-2019/
