Perth veteran Jamie Harnwell believes the future’s looking bright for the one-time Australian football powerhouse after the club rounded off its home fixtures this season with a solid win over finals-bound Melbourne.
Not only did the Glory send their fans home happy with an attack-driven performance that saw the side recover from going a goal down to eventually win 3-2, but the club also unveiled a potential star of the future in teenage defender Scott Neville.
Given his first start at right back after a quality season in the National Youth League, 19-year-old Neville produced a flawless performance in defence, while his NYL skipper Andrija Jukic also delivered several composed balls to set up Glory attacks after coming on late in the match.
Harnwell, though, feels the young players’ emergence and the extra experience gained from several early-season losses will help push the Glory up the table next season, after results in round 19 conspired to push Perth out of finals’ contention.
“Earlier in the season, we’ve made mistakes,” admitted Harnwell ahead of the team’s recovery on Monday morning. “But players, to their credit have taken those mistakes on board and changed what they’re doing.”
“As long as you keep learning, that’s all you can ask of them.”
“(Against Melbourne) there were probably a few people again getting nervous about, whether we were going to cop a late equaliser.”
“But I thought we were pretty comfortable and, we’ve sort of got that bit of nous now that we can close out and say, ‘alright we’ve got a one goal lead and that will do us’.”
“I think we’ve got the basis of a pretty good squad here. Obviously Mitch (coach Dave Mitchell) is looking for one or two players to add into the mix as you always have to, but I think if you look at the form over the last eight, ten weeks, we’re probably one of the form teams of the competition.”
“So we’ve just got to start (2009-10) off the way we ended (this season).”
Although shuffled from forward to defence and back again numerous times this season, 31-year-old Harnwell said he’s now got the passion back to be a defender and would be looking forward to playing alongside Neville in a re-jigged back four next season.
“I’ve seen Scotty grow up for a number of years now, he’s come from my old local club, so it’s a real pleasure for him, he’s a really nice kid, he wants to succeed, he works hard and the best thing is he listens,” Harnwell said.
“So I could tell him to cover for me on the pitch and he’d get back and do it and then try and get forward again.”
“I think he’s got a very bright future ahead of him and just absolutely wrapped the way he went about things. Some of the tackles and the headers he was winning, were like a seasoned pro.”
“(And) I’ve obviously got another year on my contract and I’m hoping to extend that for a couple of years, so whatever Mitch wants me to do, then I’m more than happy.”
“The passion to be a defender is burning bright again so if that’s the case fantastic, if he wants me to go up and score goals and get headlines, then so be it, I’ll have to do that.”
