The next generation of players that will take to the elite stage in coming years have been chosen as part of the Vic Country and Vic Metro Under 16 squads.
Each squad has named 30 players, including five emergencies, for the NAB AFL U16 Championships which begin on the Gold Coast on Friday July 4.
As AFL Victoria Metro High Performance Manager Anton Grbac explains, the U16 Championships is the first step for these players in the national talent pathway.
“We pick with an eye on the future, to see whether a player will be an U18 Championships player.
“We do not look beyond that. If you are good enough to be an U18 Champs player that means you will obviously be considered for a draft. But you don’t need to worry about setting those benchmarks at this level,” Grbac said.
The Vic Metro side will be coached by Eastern Ranges assistant Mark Fisher. The coaching staff has kept a close eye on the players since late February when clubs held internal trials at regional level. The key selection period was during the formal U16 carnival over two weeks during the April school holidays.
A recent trial game versus Vic Country gave the squad the perfect warm up for the Championships.
“I think the group got a rude awaking to the demands of nationals when we played Vic Country in a trial game. Country were far better at the physical part of the game and the work part of the game.
“The guys got a quick reality check of what the nationals really mean, and to what elite football means,” Grbac said.
“Across the board we are excited about the shape, size and athletic ability of the group, and are happy where the prospects are for the types of players that are on our list, even to the point where the players that missed out on the cut of 50 were quite unlucky.”
AFL Victoria Country High Performance Manager Leon Harris will gather the Country squad, coached by Geelong Falcons assistant Paul Henriksen, a few days prior to the Championships for the groups’ final training session. The reigning U16 champions will look to defend their title in 2014.
“The Country players will come in a few days before we fly out. We had a trial match versus Metro, and the initial form from that game was good for the new group,” Harris said
“You never know at U16 level, but there were very encouraging signs which is pleasing.”
A further 11 young Victorians will also participate in the NAB AFL U16 Championships as part of the World Team and Flying Boomerangs squads.
The World Team provides boys from a multicultural background with elite training, personal development and AFL talent pathway opportunities.
Six Victorians won selection in this year’s World Team after being a part of the U15 Vic All Nations Squad which won the National Multicultural Championships in April.
Similar to the World team, the Flying Boomerangs is a squad made up of U15 indigenous footballers who took part in the National Kickstart Championships.
Five Victorians have been chosen in the Boomerangs line-up, rewarded for not only their performances but their leadership, school attendance and attitude.
The World Team and Flying Boomerangs will compete in a Division 3 of the NAB AFL U16 Championships against each other and teams representing the South Pacific and North-West Western Australia.
World Team: Temoe Brown (Geelong), Tensae McLaren (Bendigo), Dae Szydlik (Elwood), Changkouth Jiath (Morwell), Mading Atem (Wyndham Vale), Bol Jok (Pakenham)
Flying Boomerangs : Tyrone Hayes (Lakes Entrance, VIC), Aiden Domic (Mt Clear, VIC), Joel Garner (Gruyere, VIC), Jamaine Morgan (Croydon, VIC), Anthony Young (Newborough)
FIXTURE:
Friday July 4:
Vic Country vs SA, Metricon Stadium, 7pm
Saturday July 5:
Vic Metro vs WA, Metricon 2, 10:30am
Tuesday July 8:
WA vs Vic Country, Metricon Stadium, 11am
SA vs Vic Metro, Metricon Stadium, 1:10pm
Friday July 11:
Vic Country vs Vic Metro, Southport, 11:45am
FINAL SQUADS
VIC COUNTRY
COACH: Paul Henriksen
| 1 |
Jy SIMPKIN |
179 |
68 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 2 |
Kade RENOOY |
176 |
71 |
Gippsland Power |
| 3 |
Kyden JARVIS |
176 |
68 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 4 |
Joseph ATLEY |
184 |
79 |
Bendigo Pioneers |
| 5 |
Tom GARDINER |
177 |
69 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 6 |
Alex WITHERDEN |
184 |
73 |
Geelong Falcons |
| 7 |
Will BRODIE |
183 |
76 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 8 |
Ben AINSWORTH |
176 |
72 |
Gippsland Power |
| 9 |
Jake PAGE |
183 |
69 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 10 |
Reece PIPER |
175 |
69 |
Dandenong Stingrays |
| 11 |
Jarrod BERRY |
189 |
74 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 12 |
Josh BATTLE |
187 |
77 |
Dandenong Stingrays |
| 13 |
Thomas WILLIAMSON |
183 |
65 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 14 |
Zachary ZDYBEL |
191 |
78 |
Geelong Falcons |
| 15 |
Keenan HUGHES |
188 |
75 |
Gippsland Power |
| 16 |
Mason MARR |
181 |
82 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 17 |
Todd CLODE |
182 |
80 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 18 |
Ned NIHILL |
191 |
77 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 19 |
Will LESLIE |
189 |
79 |
Gippsland Power |
| 20 |
Darby SCHILDER |
193 |
84 |
Geelong Falcons |
| 21 |
Jarrod KOREWHA |
190 |
75 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 22 |
Lachlan WAITE |
189 |
80 |
Murray Bushrangers |
| 23 |
Sam WHITE |
190 |
82 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 24 |
Nick MULQUEEN |
183 |
67 |
Gippsland Power |
| 25 |
Luke DALMAU |
189 |
80 |
Dandenong Stingrays |
| 26 |
Todd LAWRENCE |
197 |
89 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 27 |
Luke HENRY |
187 |
74 |
Geelong Falcons |
| 28 |
Sean DARCY |
200 |
99 |
Geelong Falcons |
| 29 |
Shannon BEKS |
195 |
93 |
North Ballarat Rebels |
| 30 |
Sean HOLROYD |
184 |
73 |
Geelong Falcons |
VIC METRO
COACH: Mark Fisher
| 1 |
Kane DOUEAL |
172 |
64 |
Eastern Ranges |
| 2 |
Cameron POLSON |
172 |
70 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 3 |
Andrew MCGRATH |
176 |
69 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 4 |
Xavier JORDAN |
176 |
70 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 5 |
Oliver FLORENT |
177 |
64 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 6 |
Corey LYONS |
178 |
68 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 7 |
Tim TARANTO |
183 |
75 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 8 |
Jesse MAXFIELD |
178 |
68 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 9 |
Jordan LYNCH |
178 |
75 |
Eastern Ranges |
| 10 |
Jordan GALLUCCI |
179 |
70 |
Eastern Ranges |
| 11 |
Jonathan AUJARD |
182 |
68 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 12 |
Jack ROUGHSEDGE |
182 |
76 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 13 |
Luke BUNKER |
183 |
75 |
Northern Knights |
| 14 |
Hamish BRAYSHAW |
183 |
79 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 15 |
Dylan CLARKE |
185 |
82 |
Eastern ranges |
| 16 |
Daniel STANFORD |
187 |
71 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 17 |
Tom HOLLINS |
189 |
71 |
Eastern Ranges |
| 18 |
Ben MCMANUS |
188 |
75 |
Western Jets |
| 19 |
Steven CHRISTOU |
187 |
81 |
Northern Knights |
| 20 |
Oscar JUNKER |
187 |
73 |
Western Jets |
| 21 |
Taylin DUMAN |
190 |
72 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 22 |
Jack SCRIMSHAW |
190 |
74 |
Sandringham Dragons |
| 23 |
Pat KERR |
190 |
85 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 24 |
Mitch PROSSER |
192 |
79 |
Eastern Ranges |
| 25 |
Jordan ROBINSON |
191 |
78 |
Western Jets |
| 26 |
Sam MCLARTY |
193 |
85 |
Oakleigh Chargers |
| 27 |
Harrison BULT |
194 |
73 |
Western Jets |
| 28 |
Ovie MAGBEGOR |
194 |
89 |
Calder Cannons |
| 29 |
Joshua HANNON |
196 |
75 |
Eastern Ranges |
| 30 |
Brock MCGREGOR |
196 |
92 |
Western Jets |
Last Modified on 01/07/2014 13:33
