CENTRAL Coast Mariners have earmarked former Orange junior Nathan Sherlock as a future A-League star by making him one of their first two signings for the new National Youth League competition.

Sherlock was unveiled this week alongside Central Coast native Brady Smith as the Mariners’ inaugural NYL players ahead of the season’s kick-off late next month.

The 18-year-old trialled with the Mariners during pre-season trial matches and impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a place in the maiden squad.

It is an exciting time for the former Waratahs junior as he prepares for the inaugural NYL season and continues his swift rise through the ranks after playing with NSW Premier League outfit Sydney Olympic at a relatively young age.

“It’s pretty exciting, not only because it’s the first year of the National Youth League but it’s another step up,” Sherlock said yesterday afternoon before a training session.

The lanky defender has set his sights on consistently playing well and helping the Mariners to the first title but

would ideally love to break into the Mariners’ A-League side at some stage during the upcoming season.

He knows that will take time and plenty of hard work, with the likes of Wade Park goal scorer Nigel Boogaard and captain Alex Wilkinson ahead of him.

Central Coast hold the former Bathurst ’75 state youth league player in high esteem and expect him to flourish as a central defender with the Gosford-based club.

“I’ve seen Nathan in action with our first team in trial matches previously and I’m excited by just how much he will develop with guidance from one of Australia’s all-time great central defenders in our NYL head coach Alex Tobin,” executive chairman Lyall Gorman said on the Mariners’ website.

Tobin added: “Both Brady and Nathan are players that we had intentions to sign as soon as the NYL was introduced.

“Both have such huge potential and we hope that they can fulfil this with the Mariners.

“As with all players that we will sign, we hope for them to not only play an integral part in our NYL campaign, but also push for places in the senior squad should the situation arise.

“Both Brady and Nathan have played in trial matches with the first 11 and made the step up quite comfortably.”

The NYL kicks off on September 26 with the Mariners hosting Perth Glory at Bluetongue Stadium before the A-League match between the two clubs.