The 13-year-old joined Matt Lather in the first ever Northern Inland Academy of Sport AFL team as it headed to the Central Coast at the weekend for its debut tournament. 

Both Lather and Green kicked a brace of goals as the NIAS team won half of its six games held over two days. 

Green used his natural talent to boot a banana-kick goal in open play and was presented with a match football by coach Tim Cotter for his efforts. 

But the Year 8 Moree Secondary College student admits he needs to focus on basic AFL skills.

“Tim told me to make sure I bounce the ball every 10 metres, ‘cause I was bouncing the ball every two steps,” Green said. “He also said I need to work on kicking and handballing.”

The Central Coast tournament was a first for Green, who had never played before and only began training with the newly-formed Moree Suns this year. 

But Lather, who lived in Gunnedah until late 2013, brought more experience to the table.

“I played AusKick in Tamworth when I was 13 and played some senior footy for the Gunnedah Bulldogs when I was 14,” he said. 

The Western Sydney Academy of Sport won last week’s ClubsNSW Academy Games comfortably, but the rep footy journey isn’t over for Green and Lather.

The NIAS squad will travel to the NSW capital later this year to tour the Western Sydney Giants stadium, attend a match and play a game at half-time.