Weekly Times |THE final 22 players who will represent Victoria Country No. 1 against the Victorian Amateur Football Association will be decided after a final training session tonight.
Coach Peter Knights believes it will be the first time many in the final team will have pulled on the Big V jumper.
Vic Country is preparing to go three rounds with the VAFA on Saturday at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval, with matches featuring the under-19 and Vic Country No. 2 sides billed in the lead-up to the premier clash.
Knights had 31 players remaining on the selection table ahead of a training session on Sunday at Waverley Park.
Of those, 24 completed the full session, three did rehabilitation work, and four were playing in their own competitions.
Subsequent selections have whittled the squad down to 26 players, with the final team to be selected after a full-blown training session tonight.
“I would say for two-thirds of the group, this will be the first time (representing Vic Country),” Knights said on Sunday.
He said the group would be “pretty proud and excited”, but would also have to realise the responsibility of donning the jumper. “Even though it’s great that they wear it for the first time, it will be spelled out it is their responsibility when you accept the guernsey as well,” Knights said.
The last time the two competitions met in 2013, VAFA won by three points.
“I’ve been involved in three of these games and every one of those games has been decided by less than a goal, and one of them with a kick after the siren,” Knights said.
“I expect this to be no different. We’re both pretty competitive, both pretty proud of their heritage ... I say it will be a fantastic game and I see it going down to the wire again.”
VIC COUNTRY NO. 1
v VAFA (Premier), 4.05pm
Coach: Peter Knights
Dane McFarlane (Newtown & Chilwell)
Mark Collison (Traralgon)
Steven Stroobants (Rochester)
Scott Dwyer (Wandin)
Sam Cowling (Warrnambool)
Dan Nicholls (Drouin)
Dean Polo (Albury)
Jeremy Larcombe (Leopold)
Brayden O’Hara (Albury)
Grant Weeks (Colbinabbin)
Justin Van Unen (Mt Eliza)
Tim Looby (Shepparton United)
Kane Martin (Sale)
Lucas Anderson (Lake Wendouree)
James Linton (Colac)
Nathan Horbury (Redan)
Ben Dobson (Koroit)
Robert Condy (Newtown & Chilwell)
Guy Hendry (Pines)
Chris Giampaolo (Redan)
Will Martiniello (Benalla)
Bob McCallum (Drouin)
Lachlan Wallace (Frankston YCW)
Sam Gill (Mt Eliza)
Jack Geary (Golden Square)
Rowan Marshall (Sebastopol)
VIC COUNTRY NO. 2
v VAFA (Prem B-Div 4), 1.10pm
Coach: John Cossar
Nick Pekin (C) (Horsham)
Brett Chambers (Rupertswood)
Brandon Osbourne (Cranbourne)
Mitchell Day (Geelong Amateur)
Ryan Gillingham (Kerang)
Justin Marriott (DWWWW)
Will McGregor (Penshurst)
Luke Bee-Hugo (Cranbourne)
James Hallahan (Sorrento)
Nathan Muratore (Cora Lynn)
Mat Gray (Warragul)
Brad Hards (Imperials)
Brendan Kimber (VC) (Phillip Island)
Luke Clark (Hastings)
Ben Lavars (Geelong Amateur)
Leigh Poholke (Sorrento)
Ryan Gillis (Cora Lynn)
Jye Keath (Leitchville-Gunbower)
Toby Thoolen (Swan Hill)
Mark Gunnell (Gordon)
Ricky Clarke (VC) (Cora Lynn)
Luke Fisher (Donald)
Emergencies: Lochlan Seritt (Colbinabbin), Jaimon McGeean (Moyhu), Matt Deledio (Torquay)
VIC COUNTRY UNDER-19
v VAFA Under-19, 10.15am
Coach: Damien Sexton
Tom Atkins (C) (St Joseph’s)
Liam Cavanagh (VC) (Ararat)
Harry Conway (Strathfieldsaye)
Dale Hinkley (Birchip Watchem)
Dylan Gordon (Warburton Millgrove)
Sam Hooper (North Ballarat City)
Hayden Smith (Newtown & Chilwell)
Joel Heiner (Wodonga)
Samuel Guerts (Dromana)
Xavier Veering (Ararat)
Caleb Simmonds (Albury)
Josh Ryan (Eaglehawk)
Brady Pritchard (Yarrawonga)
Michael Duncan (Albury)
Hayden McMahon (St Mary’s)
Lachlan Ryan (Eaglehawk)
Jake Smith (Pakenham)
Sam McLachlan (North Warrnambool)
Cam Barrett (Balranald)
Danny Stephenson (Sorrento)
Dean Smith (Mooroopna)
Callum Crisp (Myrtleford)
Emergencies: Billy Lloyd (Horsham), Lachlan Marshall (Pearcedale), Luke Quirk (Myrtleford)
