St Kilda coach Alan Richardson says powerful utility Darren Minchington forced the match committee to select him this weekend following an impressive start to the season with Sandringham.

Playing through the midfield and inside 50 in the last fortnight in the VFL, the 22-year-old has put his hand up for another opportunity at AFL level, by collecting 44 touches one week and then booting five goals the next.

“He’s been pretty positive ‘Minchy’. He comes into the team with some really strong form. He’s certainly earnt his spot so we look forward to seeing what he brings to our team,” Richardson told reporters at a press conference at Moorabbin on Friday.

“He had a really good game a couple of weeks ago in the VFL and he backed it up with another strong performance last week.”

Minchington has played ten games across his three years at Linen House Centre, with a haul of five in 2015 his biggest output. However, in his limited exposure to senior football, he has never earned an opportunity in the first ten rounds.

Having not been able to turn opportunity into a permanent role, Richardson pointed the finger at unfortunate injuries as the main reason for Minchington’s stop-start career to date.

“His history has been often through injury not necessarily drop off in form (he’s come out of the team),” Richardson said.

“He’s had some really strong VFL performance and a very strong AFL game late in the year against Geelong.

“But he hasn’t been able to maintain that consistency, and as I said it’s often through injury.”

And with that encouraging three-goal performance against Geelong late last year in mind, Minchington has another opportunity at the highest level, an opportunity he will be hoping starts the most fruitful period of his budding career. 

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