The Courier |
IMPRESSIVE interleague campaigns in Ballarat and Central Highlands football ranks have captured the attention of selectors.
Eight Ballarat and Central Highlands players were named yesterday for the AFL Victoria Country training squads. A further four players from the region are shortlisted for an under-19 representative team.
Ballarat and Central Highlands football leagues were both convincing victors in AFL Victoria Country Championship matches a fortnight ago.
Leigh Burke (Melton South), Brett Chambers (Sunbury), Ryan Luke (North Ballarat City), Derick Micallef (North Ballarat City) and Ryan Waight (Redan) have been invited to train with the Vic Country 1 team, coached by Peter Knights, which is preparing to face Victorian Amateur Football Association senior representatives at the Junction Oval on July 7.
Number one-ranked league Geelong has four invitees, while the biggest contingent will come from rival Goulburn Valley – a league Geelong outclassed by 33 points.
The CRHFL, in its second country championship quest, thumped Ovens and King by 109 points to rank at 24.
CHFL captain Adam Sewell (Newlyn), Jarrod Morgan (Buninyong) and Dean Kelly (Waubra) have been called up to Vic Country 2’s preliminary team, along with Maryborough Castlemaine footballers Matthew Bilton (Carisbrook) and Matthew Giri (Harcourt).
Vic Country 2 is set to clash with a VAFA team pieced together from the association’s B to division four footballers.
Ballarat footballers Mitchell Phelps (Redan), Abraham Kur (Bacchus Marsh), Greg Hay (Sunbury) and Highlander Sebastian Walsh (Daylesford) are in the mix for under-19s.
Vic Country 1 will start training from Sunday at Princess Park with Vic Country 2 and under-19s to start training at Harry Trott Oval on June 16.
INVITEES
VIC COUNTRY 1: Leigh Burke (Melton South), Brett Chambers (Sunbury), Ryan Luke (North Ballarat City), Derick Micallef (North Ballarat City), Ryan Waight (Redan).
VIC COUNTRY 2: Adam Sewell (Newlyn), Jarrod Morgan (Buninyong), Dean Kelly (Waubra), Matthew Bilton (Carisbrook), Matthew Giri (Harcourt).
UNDER-19s: Mitchell Phelps (Redan), Abraham Kur (Bacchus Marsh), Greg Hay (Sunbury), Sebastian Walsh (Daylesford).
