Tatura’s boom recruit Ethan Penrith has hit the ground running in the Goulburn Valley League.
Penrith, who joined the Bulldogs in the off-season, has been one of Tatura’s best performers in the opening two rounds of the 2023 campaign.
The former VFL talent was a clear standout for Tatura due to his speed and run out of defence, with his foot skills also catching the eye of onlookers.
Penrith, who featured 15 times for the Northern Bullants last year, chalked up 23 disposals, nine contested possessions and finished with 86 per cent kicking efficiency from his 17 kicks in the 10-point defeat to Mansfield.
In the opening game against Echuca, Penrith gathered 25 disposals, all of them kicks, along with his seven intercept possessions.
He finished with nine rebound 50s and he is ranked number one in the competition for one-percenters — excelling in the team-first domain.
Tatura coach Paul Barnard praised his side’s top performer following the narrow defeat to Mansfield at the weekend.
“Ethan is pure class. He’s a seasoned footballer who has been in the system for a while now,” he said.
“His impact off half-back was fantastic and we decided to try a few things and threw him into the midfield and he was one of our best performers.”
Opposition coach and Mansfield mentor Chad Owens called Penrith “a star” and highlighted the need for his side to put some focus into his game, with Tom Dunstan called on to play a “shut-down role” on Tatura’s recruit.
Penrith and Tatura face a trip to Benalla on Saturday with both outfits searching for their maiden wins of the season.
Key stats
Ethan Penrith against Mansfield
Disposals: 23
Contested possessions: 9
One-percenters: 8
Rebound-50s: 4
Tackles: 4
Disposal efficiency: 86 per cent
Ranking points: 126