THE door is open for Wagga teenager Brandon Demmery, or some other young gun Australian motorbike rider, to make a high-octane entry onto the MotoGP circuit.

At the moment Australia doesn't have a Casey Stoner making headlines in the sport, a pertinent point raised on the brilliant Big Sports Breakfast yesterday morning.

For six or seven years, Stoner was the ever-youthful face of motorbike racing (MotoGP) in this country.

He won a couple of world titles, broke a few bones and definitely made motorbike racing palatable for even those with barely a passing interest.

Now Stoner's gone, and there is a yawning gap to be filled on the Australian sporting landscape.

And not for one second does The Notebook expect Brandon Demmery to just walk up and jump on Stoner's old bike, metaphorically speaking of course.

After all, Demmery is only 15 years old and far, far removed from the million-dollar world of MotoGP.

He's merely a fresh-faced kid from Wagga who loves motorbike racing and has had a bit of success on a small scale.

Then again, it would also be silly to ignore some of the similarities between the development of Casey Stoner and Brandon Demmery.

According to Wikipedia (again), Stoner was only four years old when he hopped on a motorbike in for the first time, which I gather isn't that much earlier than Demmery did a decade ago.

It's also worth remembering that Stoner was born and bred in the Hunter Valley town of Kurri Kurri - and surely that has to be significant.

Get my drift - it's almost like Wagga except it starts with K and K and could easily be the capital of India.

Seriously though, Demmery obviously can ride a motorbike fast and has a growing reputation in the sport.

You don't get personally invited to ride on the Malaysian MotoGP program at famous Sepang International Circuit if you are not a rising star going places.

Anyway, that's exactly what happened to Brandon Demmery earlier this month when he rode in the Ninja Cup series against the best of young Malaysian riders - even picked up a trophy.

Again this is no guarantee that Demmery will be riding in the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island sometime soon, if ever.

I think it does show that the teenager at least has the talent and passion to give it a go and good luck to him.

It's a tough road, and it will take a kid with exceptional skill, nerve and perseverance to zoom past the opposition which is in the queue waiting for the opportunity to become the next Casey Stoner.

The challenges are immense and not just on the racetrack.

As Michael Slater and Terry Kennedy pointed out on the BSB yesterday, it is all about getting the right "ride".

This means rookie racers like Brandon Demmery need to get aboard a bike that can carry them forward through the grades, not chugging along on a machine that can't beat time with a stick.

Ideally, Demmery needs to forge a strong link with a manufacturer or constructor on the MotoGP circuit, much easier said than done.

Still, it's not beyond the realms of possibility and it won't be for lack of trying.

Beforehand, Wagga the entire region needs to get behind Demmery, just like they did when his gear was stolen earlier this year.

At the time it seemed Demmery's dreams and ambitions of a motorbike racing career had been flogged as well, but the community rallied.

Likewise, there are other emerging sportsman who are also struggling to get ahead because of a lack of resources.

Not so much the young players striving to make it in the heady world of AFL (even NRL at a pinch), but those in the sports that do not command buckets of money and intense interest.

Try archery or the equestrian disciplines or softball or whatever else that is so often unfairly lumped into the category of the "Cinderella" sports.

I suppose archery is a classic case.

Last week The Daily Advertiser carried a story about Wagga teenager Joe Hand "setting his sights" - cliches can be so useful - on competing at the World Bowhunter Championships in America next year.

No one in the sport in Wagga doubts that Joe has the canny eye and finesse to make the grade, next year or some time in the future.

Joe's mother, Leonie, has more basic concerns, like about the family securing the money for the trip.

This is a problem for many young athletes trying to find their way in sports that are devoid of rich benefactors or patrons.

So much so, the challenges are little different for a Joe Hand or a Brandon Demmery as they strive for glory on a grand scale.

They are superbly talented, but without backing or funding they can be left lamenting.

Sadly, the plethora of sports in Wagga, and the lengthy list of young performers needing to clear the bar, can lead to some falling short of their marvellous goals.

Honestly, I think Wagga City Council has a responsibility to make every effort to help these wonderful young citizens achieve their ambitions.

Certainly council should be doing something rather than wasting time on revisiting the same the issues - try dressage complex for starters - on a ridiculously consistent cycle.

There are some in council that won't let go and others that should be let go.