WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country Article – June 20/21
Vic Country squads prepare for VAFA challenge
Anticipation is building for the three representative matches between AFL Victoria Country and the Victorian Amateur Football Association at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval on Saturday July 11.
Peter Knights and his team of selectors have settled on an initial 39-man Vic Country No.1 Squad that will be trimmed to 22 in the week before the clash.
Vic Country No.1 side will play the best of the VAFA in a special twilight fixture at 4.05pm.
The game will follow two other representative matches, with the Vic Country U19s to meet VAFA U19s at 10.15am, and Vic Country No.2 set to tackle VAFA 2 (Prem B – Div 4) at 1.10pm.
Each squad will train for the second time this Sunday in Melbourne in preparation for their respective games.
Leading Vic Country’s charge under a the guidance of Knights will be a premier side boasting a host of experienced stars from every corner of the State.
Tim Looby (Goulburn Valley,) Chris Giampaolo (Ballarat), Jack Geary (Bendigo), Lachlan Wallace (Peninsula) and Dan Nicholls (Gippsland) form a select group of players who represented Vic Country in the historic clash with Vic Metro last year, but they have been joined by many more familiar names in the initial squad.
Former All-Australians Grant Weeks (Heathcote & District FL), Justin Van Unen (Peninsula), Tyson Hartwig (Ovens & Murray FL) and Ryan O’Sullivan (Central Murray FL) have all been included, alongside James Linton (Geelong FL) and Derek Micalleff (Ballarat FL), who were part of the team that lost to the VAFA by three points in 2013.
Other familiar faces include former Bendigo Gold captain Steven Stoobants (Goulburn Valley), former North Ballarat Rooster Nathan Horbury (Ballarat FL) and former Richmond forward Brett O’Hanlon, who was crucial in the Peninsula FL’s victory over O&M in the 2015 WorkSafe Country Championships.
But the list of country stars doesn’t stop there.
O&M guns Brayden O’Hara (Central Districts – SANFL) and Dean Polo (Richmond) have a wealth of big game experience, while speed machine Dane McFarlane (Geelong FL) set the field alight as his side ran over the Goulburn Valley FL in the 1v2 Country Championship play-off.
Forty seven players from across Victoria will have the chance to earn selection in the final Vic Country No.2 side after a large preliminary squad was announced last week.
Coach John Cossar and his team of selectors revealed a highly talented squad that contains players from 18 different leagues.
The South East FL (formerly known as Casey Cardinia) is the best represented with eight players in the squad, followed by the Nepean FL with seven.
Vic Country No.2 has won the past two encounters against VAFA (Prem - Div 4), securing a thrilling one-point victory in 2013 and powering to an easy triumph in 2014.
The initial Vic Country U19 Squad also includes players from 17 different leagues, with the Geelong FL (12 players) and Ovens & Murray FL (11 players) the best represented.