CLASSY midfielder Lachlan Fogarty has already tasted team success this season and now he’s hungry for more.

The Western Jets onballer returned to TAC Cup football on the weekend during the Jets’ 52-point loss against premiership contender Geelong Falcons on the weekend. The Jets might sit on the bottom of the ladder but remain in the hunt for TAC Cup finals action, just four points and percentage off a top eight spot.

Fogarty, who was a member of the victorious Vic Metro side that took out the National Under 18s Championships, said it was a tough match on the weekend against a strong Falcons outfit.

“It was a pretty hard game for the boys, I thought we came out hard in the first quarter with the wind,” he said. “We know they’re a quality team and knew they were going to come back hard in the second quarter. “I thought we didn’t cope with the conditions well going against the wind, but in the last quarter I thought we got better and we were actually moving the ball better.”

Fogarty said it was enjoyable to back at the club with a rare week off school football, given the match was scheduled for the winter school holidays. The midfielder racked up 27 disposals, three marks, four clearances and a whopping 10 inside 50s in the match, but said it was far from easy to adjust back to the team structures.

“It’s good to be back playing in the midfield,” Fogarty said. “You get a bit lost sometimes with the structures being in different teams the last couple of months. “It was just good to be out there, I got through all right with my groin, but I thought it was an okay performance.”

Fogarty said the national championships had been a thrilling experience for him despite carrying a groin injury throughout the carnival. Playing alongside the best players in the TAC Cup, Vic Metro won three of its four games to seal the tournament with only a final round loss to the previously winless Allies stopping them for a complete carnival.

Fogarty won Under 18 All-Australian honours, averaging 19 disposals and nine tackles in his three appearances in Metro colours.

“It was an unreal experience, I mean we’ve been putting work in since early January Feb, you’ve made some really good mates and winning with them was such a great feeling,” he said. “I know we lost the last game against the Allies which was really weird but at the end of the day when you’re with your best mates it’s just a really good experience.”

With the groin injury behind him, Fogarty is now looking forward to finishing off the season with school football wrapping up over the next few weeks and then his football commitments will turn to the Jets.

“I thought I started well, I had a really good preseason no injuries but it was really frustrating going into the national carnival with my groin,” he said. “I think I found my feet, especially in that first game against Vic Country and I’m feeling really good at the moment.”

Despite the Jets current ladder position, Fogarty says with a full-strength side, they are capable of making a charge for the finals.

“I think we’re a chance,” he said. “Myself and Cam Rayner, we come back for the last few games so mathematically I think we can still make it so we’ll see what happens. “Me and Cam are really good mates so working with him and talking with him just talking about our training and loads,” he said. “Just watching him as a player he’s a freak with his ability to win the ball at ground level and then beat players in the air, it’s just something I haven’t seen before. “He’s a tremendous player.”