The contrasting fortunes of Stingrays young guns ahead of national championships

He was a junior with Rye Football Netball Club, the Demons of the Mornington Peninsula.

His teams won five consecutive premierships. And by the time Emile-Brennan finished in under-age ranks with two seasons at Mt Eliza, he had never played in a losing side in junior football.

“From Under 11s to Under 15s, we won all five flags,’’ he says.

“Myself, every game I played in, we won. It’s crazy. I think it was something like 130, 140 wins. Pretty lucky to do that!’’

His first defeat came with a Southern Stingrays team in the V/Line country carnival in 2019.

Emile-Brennan played in those Rye teams and in that V/Line side with Taj Campbell-Farrell, and this year they’ve both emerged as excellent prospects with the Dandenong Stingrays.

On Sunday Emile-Brennan, 18, will line up for Vic Country against WA at the national championships.

He has come through quickly. Going into the pre-season, he says, he was taking nothing for granted and had set his sights no higher than making the Stingrays list and playing in Round 1.

The Rays were aware he was prepared to sweat for his place on the squad. Emile-Brennan lives in the same street in Rye as assistant coach Josh Moore, who over summer often saw him starting and finishing a run.

“I played two games last year (as a 17-year-old) and I feel like I didn’t live up to my full potential,’’ Emile-Brennan says.

“I wasn’t expecting to come straight back. To get on the list again was the aim and it’s gone from there. Was lucky enough to play pretty well in a praccie game and get an opportunity in the first real game. It’s given me some confidence, and that’s helped me get to where I am.’’

More than gaining selection every week, he’s made the move from a wing to half-back and picked up plenty of possessions and plaudits.

His kicking?

He calls it his “X-factor’’ (and credits his father, Richard, a former Frankston VFA player, for teaching him to do it correctly and on both feet from a young age).

A recruiter calls it “elite’’. “It’s got some punch and he’s got a variety of kicks,’’ the scout says. “He’s got that speed and agility too. He’s the set-up man for the Dandenong back half. They try to get the ball in his hands.’’

They seem to have done it: Emile-Brennan, 181cm, is averaging 24 disposals from nine NAB League games this year.

“I’m playing back flank for the first time ever… I’ve been a wingman pretty much since Under 10s,’’ he says.

“It’s a bit of a learning curve for me, shifting into defence and playing those defensive roles.

“I’m working on my contested ball – being as skinny as I am (he’s 62kg), it doesn’t come naturally to me – and I do have to improve on that and the whole defensive craft, really. In the past I’ve never had to defend too hard. I’m trying to get that into my game.’’

He says he viewed Vic Country selection as “probably something I thought was out of reach at the start of the year, but I’ve worked for it and I feel like I’ve done my job and I’m deserving of a spot’’.

“I just want to show I’m capable of playing at that level,’’ he says.

In the first match of the nationals he had 19 touches against South Australia and earned a few complimentary words from sharp-eyed Rookie Me scribe Michael Alvaro. He noted Emile-Brennan was “aggressive with his rebound run and kicking, displaying great athleticism to break the lines and surge Country forward.’’

The right-footer is in the Melbourne Next Generation Academy – his mother was born in Mauritius – and the Demons will have first dibs on him at the national draft if he falls outside the top 40 selections.

He says he’s not thinking too much about it. He thinks it’s daft to dwell on the draft.

“I’m just focusing on playing here (Stingrays) and Vic Country, and we’ll see what happens after that.’’

As Emile-Brennan prepares for the nationals, his teammate and mate Campbell-Farrell gets ready for surgery that will end his season.

The midfielder has been playing under the duress of compartment syndrome in his feet and a shrunken artery behind his right knee. He puts the pain level at “seven out of 10’’.

The 18-year-old turned out for the Stingrays last Saturday and had 24 possessions. He has averaged 29 disposals from 10 matches this year, behind only Will Ashcroft (34.3), Elijah Tsatas (32.8) and Joel Fitzgerald (30) on the competition list.

“I’ve been playing like this for about four years now. It’s been pretty painful but I’ve found if I can keep winning the mental side of it then I can do good on the field,’’ Campbell-Farrell says.

“I’ve tried to push through as much as I can and hope for the best. But it’s like sticking my foot in a beehive and getting stung. I’ve spoken to the club and we’ve decided it’s best to get it fixed now rather than wait. Disappointing because I wanted to play finals and try to win finals and give myself a good chance of being drafted.’’

Less painful than his injuries but acutely disappointing for him was being overlooked for the Vic Country team.

It had one or two Stingrays officials elevating their eyebrows in surprise.

“It was pretty annoying. I did think I deserved to be there,’’ Campbell-Farrell says.

“The travelling aspect of it and getting to meet a whole bunch of new people would have been fun. I see my mates doing it and enjoying it, and that’s good for them.’’

Stingrays coach Nick Cox says there is little doubt the injuries have hindered Campbell-Farrell’s kicking and running.

“It’s taken away a little bit of his power around the ground,’’ he says.

“He’s got really good power but he hasn’t been able to show it. Same with his disposal at times.

“But at the same time he’s achieved a lot. He’s leading the comp in clearances. He can find the footy, no question about that. There is a lot of upside to this fellow once he gets his problems fixed up.’’

Emille-Brennan and Campbell-Farrell both attend Rosebud Secondary College, as do Stingrays teammates Henry Hustwaite and Jesse Davidson-Lopo. Rays talent manager Toby Jedwab has started to refer to the school as a “footy factory’’.

Davidson-Lopo - who kicked five goals against the Tassie Devils in Round 10 - also played at Rye juniors.

They had a few hyphenated names at the Demons.

But they had many more wins.