Nine Rebels players have been selected for the Vic Country under-18 squad, which will play against Northern Territory and New South Wales at Visy Park.

The squad comprises 50 players, with another 12 unavailable owing to injury and AFL/Australian Institute of Sport commitments.

North Ballarat Rebels talent manager Phil Partington was pleased with the results of the initial selection process.

“It gives the players some more exposure and another opportunity to play in front of the scouts,” Partington said.

“Some of those boys will play some very good football over the next month and a half of these trial games.”

Partington was also ecstatic about the selection of 11 Rebels players in the under-16 squad, which was the equal league-high from any one club.

“To have an equal league-high number of players is a great result for our club,” he said.

The under-16 squad will also have an internal trial game and a physical testing day on April 25-26.

The trial games are the first phase of a selection process for the national championships squads.

Rebels players selected:

Under-18: Oscar McDonald (Edenhope-Apsley), Daniel Butler (Lake Wendouree), Darcy Tucker (Horsham Saints), Sam Bennett (North Ballarat City), Tom Templeton (Portland), Josh Webster (Kalkee), James Richards (Horsham Saints), Keegan Mason (Laharum), Rowan Marshell (Portland)

Under-16: Kyden Jarvis (South Warrnambool), Thomas Williamson (Ararat), Todd Clode (Casterton), Jarrod Berry (Horsham Saints), Jarrod Korewha (Koroit), Shannon Beks (South Warrnambool), Sam White (Hopetoun), Todd Lawrence (Lake Wendouree), Lloyd Meek (SMW Rovers), Tanna Blackney-Noter (Hawks JFC), Jacob Brown (Hepburn)