GIANTS number two draft pick Tim Taranto will make his AFL debut in round one against the Adelaide Crows on Sunday.
The 19-year-old will become the 75th GIANT to don the orange and charcoal when he lines up at Adelaide Oval in the club’s season opener.
The Victorian played all three of the GIANTS’ JLT Community Series matches, averaging more than 17 disposals and five tackles a game.
He also got a big welcome to the competition after a Shane Mumford bump knocked Swans star Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin into him, winding the young GIANT. He returned to the field not long after, slotting a classy goal.
Coach Leon Cameron told Taranto he would be making his debut in front of the playing group ahead of training on Tuesday morning.
The youngster immediately called both his parents with GIANTS TV capturing the moment his American father, who lives in Texas, told Taranto he’d be flying to Adelaide for his first game.
Taranto elevated himself among the best junior talents in last year’s draft with his smarts around goal and an innate ability to find the footy.
Taranto lifted in the big games towards the end of last season, which saw him rise up the draft order to be taken as the second player in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft in Sydney.
A tall midfielder at 186cm and 83kg, Taranto can also play as a genuine forward, which is where he is likely to line-up this weekend.
Playing as an almost permanent half-forward for Vic Metro at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, he was involved in 38 scoring chains, nine more than the second best player in the carnival.
He kicked four goals in four games for Metro, and averaged 19 disposals to prove both his midfield and forward-line credentials. He is tough and competitive, and a great overhead mark around the ground.
A TAC Cup Premiership player with the Sandringham Dragons, Taranto kicked four goals in Sandringham’s TAC Cup preliminary final victory before starring in the Grand Final win with 30 disposals and 11 tackles.
He averaged 27 disposals in 10 TAC Cup games as well as kicking 14 goals.
The midfielder also put in a dominant performance in the Under 18s All Stars match on the eve of the 2016 Toyota AFL Grand Final, finishing with 19 touches and four goals.
The GIANTS travel to Adelaide for the round one clash against the Crows at 3:20pm (AEST) on Sunday afternoon.
The squad to face Adelaide will be named on Thursday evening with the final team confirmed on Friday.
