The 20-year-old Hillhead keeper took plenty of heat for Charter in the lead-up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last week, putting his frame between the Kookaburras’ world champion strikeforce and the practice net.

The reward? A chance to pick the Canberra shot-stopper’s brain about the finer intricacies of hockey goalkeeping, and a potential move to Perth next year to play in one of the world’s strongest club competitions.

A 7-1 demolition of Wales on Saturday kick-started Australia’s Commonwealth Games campaign and showed off the relentless firepower at the Kookaburras’ disposal.

It’s the best arsenal in the world, and Kerr stood right up to it.

“It was quite difficult on Monday but on Thursday I think I did OK,” Kerr said.

“It’s a lot better hockey than in Scotland and even in Europe. They’re all world class, they’ve all proven the last couple of weeks that they’re world champions for a reason and this week has definitely proved that to me.

“Even their relaxed training session on Monday was really high intensity.”

Kerr was a Godsend for Charter, who usually enjoys the luxury of a back-up goalkeeper at major tournaments.

Commonwealth Games rules only allow squad sizes of 16, not the standard 18, meaning the reserve keeper is usually culled from the playing roster.

“He’s an energetic young guy - it’s a pretty hard workload for me if I stay in the net the whole time,” Charter said.

“It was good to have a little bit of cover, there’s a chance of injury as well and just the workload, it’s good to have someone to help with it.

“He’s coming to Australia later in the year and I think he’s got a pretty big future ahead of him if he keeps up with it.

“He was a little bit hesitant on the first day. It’s a pretty big step up for him being in the national Scottish program to coming up against some of the best players in the world but the second day there he was really good and a pretty solid keeper.”

Kookaburras striker Jacob Whetton, who plundered a hat-trick against Wales, was also impressed by Kerr’s ability.

“Really good, I guess it’s good for Charts to have someone. We obviously pound balls at Charts all day and he gets pretty tired,” Whetton said.

“To have another keeper from a local club is pretty cool. If he comes to Perth we’ll sort him out with a good club.”

Kerr, 20, has been planning a move to Australia since earlier this year. He had initially planned to base himself in Melbourne, but may now elect to settle in Perth where Australia’s national program is based.

Australia plays its second game of the tournament on Monday night (AEST) against South Africa and Charter expected an even stronger performance.

“Unfortunately we let a goal in on the back of some pretty poor defending [against Wales] which we’ll go home and have a look at,” he said.

AT A GLANCE

AUSTRALIA 7 (Chris Ciriello 6’ PC, Kieran Govers 7’ PC, Jacob Whetton 29’, 44’ PC, 46’, Matt Gohdes 66’, 69’) bt WALES 1 (Dan Kyriakides 50’) 1. Monday: Australia v South Africa at Glasgow National Hockey Centre, 6pm (AEST).