BALLARAT Football League country championships coach Shane Skontra has opted for a more experienced squad this year for the crucial interleague clash with Bendigo.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The league named its initial 45-man squad on Sunday in preparation for the May 23 match, including six development players who have been earmarked as future interleague representatives.
North Ballarat City, Lake Wendouree and Darley share the most squad members with seven each, while Redan has six players in the squad.
The squad will train four times before the match, with the first session to be held next Wednesday in Darley.
It features 14 players from the final 23 who went down to Goulburn Valley last year, which Skontra said was crucial in maintaining stability and developing experience.
“We have been able to put together a squad of committed players who are really looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
“We aim to draw on the experiences the players gained from last year’s campaign.
“With the integration of new, established and high-quality players, it makes us excited about the final mix we will have.”
The six development players will train with the squad and will remain eligible for selection throughout the campaign.
Nine North Ballarat Roosters-listed players have also been named in the squad.
Their availability will depend mainly on Roosters commitments, although they are required to play at least two BFL games in order to eligible.
Just two BFL rounds remain before the interleague clash, to be played at Eastern Oval.
Ballarat is ranked fifth in country Victoria and Bendigo sixth.
The 45-man squad:
BACCHUS MARSH: Cameron Richardson, Declan Phyland, Tim Hughes (D)
BALLARAT: Adam Sewell, Daniel Kennedy, Mitch Martin (D)
DARLEY: Steven Kennedy, Shane Page, Rhys Ellis, Jake Edwards, Nathan Lyons, Jarrod Edwards, Darren Leonard
EAST POINT: Jonathan Lanyon*, Daniel Tung, Paul Kodorenko
LAKE WENDOUREE: Steve Clifton, Angus Kirby, Jackson Bowen*, Lucas Anderson*, Tyler Blake*, Nathan Pring, Nathan Monk (D)
MELTON: Brad Murphy, Nick Gale, Matthew Notman
MELTON SOUTH: Angus Storey
NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Ryan Hobbs, Simon McCartin, Derick Micallef, Shaun Lyle*, Marcus Darmody, Mitchell Gilbert, Ben Hurley (D)
REDAN: Nathan Horbury*, Jarod Bacon*, Callum Currie, Chris Giampaolo, Mitch Phelps, Grant Bell
SEBASTOPOL: Rowan Marshall*, Michael Powell*, Leeroy Sheridan (D)
SUNBURY: Andrew Duhau, Nathan Wood (D)
(D) Development player
* VFL-listed player
Training sessions: May 13 (Darley Park), May 16 (St Patrick’s College), May 19 (Darley Park), May 21 (Eastern Oval, jumper presentation at Saxon House).
patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
