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From Bendigo Advertiser

MACORNA teenager Matthew Ladson will made his debut with the Bendigo Bank Bombers in round five of the VFL tomorrow.
The 18-year-old has been selected in the Bombers side for their clash with Gold Coast at the Queen Elizabeth Oval in a game to be shown on ABC TV.

Ladson will play as the Bombers’ 23rd player under a VFL rule that allows players straight out of the TAC Cup to play a maximum of two games as an extra player.

Ladson’s selection for the Bombers comes after his solid performances off half-back for his aligned Bendigo Football League club Strathfieldsaye over the past month.

“I’m really excited to get out there on Saturday and play - I can’t wait,” said Ladson, who last year played in the TAC Cup with the Bendigo Pioneers.

“Having the 23rd player rule definitely helps a lot of the younger players to give them a go, so hopefully, I can make the most of it and contribute to the side.”

Bombers coach Shannon Grant said he had been impressed with Ladson’s work ethic right from the opening night of pre-season training back in November.

“There are two or three different roles we believe he can fulfil in our side,” Grant said.

“He’s a quality young kid and very coachable and I don’t think he has missed a session since he started training with us in the first week of November.

“His intensity and willingness to want to improve and learn is fantastic, so I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how he goes.

“I’m sure he has got a bright future with us.

“We’ll wait and see how the match-ups go, but I would think the midfield and down back would be the two main positions he would work through.”

The Bombers will be gunning for their fourth straight win tomorrow, while the Gold Coast - which next year will become the AFL’s 17th club - is yet to open its account for 2010, with just a draw against Werribee from its first four matches its only points.

“Gold Coast has some really talented kids in its side and we’ve got to make sure we respect and pay plenty of attention to them,” Grant said.

From last week’s Bombers side that defeated Geelong by 31 points best-on-ground Ben Howlett has been elevated to the Essendon team to play Port Melbourne at Etihad Stadium tomorrow.

The Gold Coast will be without forward Nathan Ablett, who will miss the game after suffering a corked calf against the Casey Scorpions last week.

Tomorrow’s game at the QEO starts at the earlier time of 12.10pm.