NEWCASTLE City's Josh Taylor and Jack Lyons won their junior grand final on the weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But this Saturday at No.1 Sportsground the Blues duo will take a major step up.
Taylor, 16, and Lyons, 17, have been selected in City's senior side and will play their maiden Black Diamond Cup decider.
The teenagers join a Blues team defending their crown and meet minor premiers Terrigal Avoca, who are making an eighth straight appearance in the title showdown.
City coach Tim Cotter has put his faith in the young up and comers.
"They won their under-17 grand final on Sunday and would have been in our side earlier if not for that," Cotter told the Newcastle Herald.
"Josh Taylor is with the Sydney Swans academy and is a really talented player who has played around six [first grade] games with us this year.
"Jack Lyons has probably played 10 games and is a really consistent performer.
"We think they can get the job done."
Taylor and Lyons, who were both named on City's bench on Friday, were two of three changes from the weekend's preliminary final win over Cardiff in Singleton.
Stephen Batten also returns from injury and will be the Blues' man responsible for marking Terrigal Avoca captain-coach Chris Bishop, who was this week narrowly edged out for the 2019 Elliott Davey Medal.
Bishop said the grand final loss to City 12 months ago had been erased from the Panthers' memory.
"It's a completely new team and a completely new year," Bishop said.
"We were outplayed on the day [last year] and we accept that. This year we have another opportunity and we want to make the most of it."
Terrigal Avoca, unchanged from Saturday's preliminary final win over Singleton at Adelaide Street Oval, dropped just one game this year and twice knocked over City in the regular rounds.
Bishop said the key would be trying to limit the Blues' running game.
"We can't let them run," he said. "They have speed all round the park and try to take advantage of that. We need to limit that."
Cotter said City would stick to what they know best.
"We want to play our way," he said. "We're a bit smaller in stature but our strength lies in open play, fast movements and ball runners."
City's Harrison Selkirk was named the AFL Hunter Central Coast's rising star on Wednesday night.
Newcastle are also represented in the women's decider while Terrigal Avoca feature in the men's second division showdown.
Windy conditions are expected on Saturday with westerly gusts up to 50 kilometres per hour.
