WALKING TALL: GWS Giants (from left) Matt Flynn, Harry Himmelberg and Jake Barrett in Wagga ahead of Saturday's NEAFL match at Robertson Oval.

What a difference a year makes.

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Twelve months ago, Harry Himmelberg came to Wagga’s Robertson Oval to play in a North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) game against the GWS Giants reserve grade side.

At the time, he had moved to Canberra to try to pursue his dream of being drafted.

On Saturday, he’ll be back at the same venue playing for the Giants – as a listed player potentially one good performance away from an AFL debut.

“It was definitely a big move for me last year, but it’s all sort of paid off,” Himmelberg said.

Himmelberg was best-on-ground for the Giants reserves in their one-point win over the Swans last week and has been in their best in five of his last six games.

“I’ve made the move down back from the forward line, so my whole game’s been based around improvement in every aspect,” he said.

“Probably my strength’s contested work, a vital part of playing on key forwards, and that work around the contest. There’s a lot of boys around the club who are experts at that like Phil Davis and Joel Patfull so just getting under their wings and learning as much as I can.”

Himmelberg – with Jake Barrett (Temora) and Matt Flynn (Narrandera) – headlines a huge Riverina contingent coming to Wagga but he left his flatmate, Matt Kennedy, at home to sweat it out alone ahead of his AFL debut against Essendon on Sunday.

“He’s pretty excited – he was starting to get a little bit nervous, but it’s good,” Himmelberg said.

Barrett, in his third season at the Giants, made his AFL debut late last season.

He’s been racking up the touches (40 last week) in the NEAFL in a bid to get another opportunity.

“I’m always getting advice from Leon and the coaches,” Barrett said.

“It’s hard to get into that side at the moment, especially that midfield the way they’re playing.

“You’ve got to make sure you keep rocking up every week and when your opportunity comes up, you take it.”

That’s the message for Saturday’s game against Canberra Demons in which the Giants will showcase a host of local talent including Luke Redfern (Coolamon), Brendan Myers, Harvey Daniher, Connor Byrne (Wagga Tigers), Jeremy Finlayson (Culcairn), Jacob Turner (Temora), Matthew Walker (CDHBU).

While Canberra’s only NEAFL team (previously known as Eastlake) includes Leeton’s Lucas Meline, Wagga’s Charlie Bance, Coolamon’s Nick Pleming and Osborne’s Dan O’Connell.

His father, James O’Connell, is an Eastlake great and has been given the honour of tossing the coin at the game.

Teams:

NEAFL Round 12

12noon, Saturday, Robertson Oval

GWS Giants

B. L Redfern, B Myers, H Daniher

HB: C Byrne, D Roberts, P McKenna

C: L Gray, A Tomlinson, C Owen-Auburn

HF: S Powell, M Flynn, J Turner

F: J Stewart, J Finlayson, R Palmer

Foll: D Simpson, B Clark, J Barrett

Inter (from): H Himmelberg, D Lloyd, J Steele

Emerg: B Jamieson, M Walker

Canberra Demons

B: J Baker, R McLachlan, M Vardanega

HB: N Collins, S Askew, L McKay

C: S Martyn, N Pleming, B Halse

HF: D O'Connell, A Bruce, R Stevens

F: C Bernasconi, K Mahon, C Bance

Foll: B Dowdell, I Taylor, J Harper

Inter: M Frail, N Fothergill, T Highmore, L Meline, S Fisher (23rd man)

Emerg: L Harper

The NEAFL game is the highlight on a day of representative junior football and netball between the best young players in the South West and Wagga and District leagues.