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That’s the message Victorian coach Chris Rogers will deliver his emerging players as the Vics attempt to muzzle a star-soaked NSW outfit next week. Campbell Kellaway, Harry Dixon and Oliver Peake are touted as future Australian players, and they’ll take on Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. Hazlewood is a handful at the best of times, but his recent white-ball form for Australia suggests he is in for another scintillating summer. Then there’s Fergus O’Neill and Todd Murphy, who will have a chance to test their career-best form against Steve Smith. Smith is in form too. He shook off jet lag with a century at the Gabba last week and even had time to tune up his golf swing at the nonstriker’s end. The Vics are already two wins clear on the Sheffield Shield table after three rounds. But the way Rogers sees it, his budding stars have nothing to lose against a slew of all-time greats. “It’s really just a chance for these guys to find out where they’re at and what it takes to play at the highest level,” Rogers said. “These are the bowlers who are some of the best in the world, so there’s this opportunity to find out the questions they’re going to need to get the answers to. “If they do well, that’s going to be fantastic for their careers – there’s nothing to lose I think – go out, fight as hard they can and see what they can do.” Collingwood AFL club assistant coach Matthew Boyd was at Junction Oval last week aiding Victoria. But the link between the Vics and the Magpies extends further back to Rogers sitting in on a Collingwood training session. The unwavering belief and desire to be tested embedded in Collingwood is an element the Vics are trying to implement. “I was lucky enough to go in and watch Collingwood train and how Craig McRae spoke to them,” he said. “I walked away feeling like he’s almost trying to teach the side how to catch fire, trying to find that way as a team where they believe they can win from anywhere. “That kind of analogy of how do we work together, what’s the feeling, what’s the culture required, how does that come together for us to win close ones and believe we can get the job done. “That’s the kind of feeling I think is amongst the side at the moment but, equally, it can be very fleeting and you can’t take it for granted. “You come up against a team full of champion players and that’s an altogether new challenge. “It’s never a better time to take (NSW) on because there’s a bit of confidence within the side, a bit of belief, why not see where we’re at?”
