Liam Carter arrived at the Western Jets as a skinny defender and played just one game in his first season of TAC Cup football.
Fast forward two years and through a tremendous amount of commitment and hard work, Carter – now 12 kilograms heavier – is entrusted with playing on the opposition’s best forward each week.
His TAC Cup coaches were so impressed with his work ethic, they invited him back to the club to play an extra season with the Jets as a 19-year-old.
“After last season I had a few VFL clubs interested in me but I thought TAC Cup was the way to go,” Carter says.
“I really wanted to have one more crack at it and see what I could achieve this year.”
The Melton Football Club junior didn’t wait long to repay the faith shown in him by the Jets.
Carter was named Western’s best player in its opening round loss to the third-placed Eastern Ranges. He backed that performance up with a strong hit-out against the Sandringham Dragons the following week.
Western Jets coach Torin Baker said Carter’s improvement had been great to watch.
“We saw that gradual progress over the course of the season and thought we should give him another year,” Baker said.
“He has been taking the opposition’s most dangerous forward each week. The fact that he can play on a tall or a small is a real advantage for us.”
As part of the club’s 2015 leadership group, Carter is a vital Jets member off the field as well.
“Having a couple of years of experience under his belt, Liam has grown more confident in himself,” Baker said.
“He has always been really impressive in being able to meet all club commitments and be a real leader with his organisation. Now it is about him helping others to achieve the same levels as him.”
As if stopping one Carter wasn’t tough enough for opposition sides, this year they also need to concentrate on shutting down Liam’s younger brother, Ryan. Also a Melton junior, Ryan made his debut for the Jets as a bottom-age player in round one.
It was the first time the pair had played a match together at any level of football.
“We are both really enjoying it,” Liam said.
“Before the season I just told him to train hard, do everything that the coaches ask and really have a crack at it and when he gets the opportunity, just to take it with both hands. I think he has done that.”
The Western Jets will take on the New South Wales/ACT Rams in the TAC Cup this weekend.
