A SELECT group of North Ballarat Rebels will again be out to impress in the AFL National Under-18 Championships in South Australia on Sunday.
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Matthew Johnston, Darcy Tucker, Yestin Eades and Jarrod Berry will line up for Vic Country against SA at the former home of AFL in Adelaide, AAMI Stadium.
Horsham Saints duo Tucker and Berry have played in each of Vic Country’s three games in this year’s championships, while Johnston (North Ballarat City) and Eades (St Patrick’s College) have two games under their belts and will start on interchange.
Playing across half back, Berry and Tucker were among Vic Country’s best in its latest outing – a win over Vic Metro on Sunday.
Vic Country has two wins, having lost to Vic Metro first-up and then beaten Western Australia before squaring the ledger against Vic Metro.
While this quartet is wearing the Big V, the Rebels return after a week off to take on the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup at Craigieburn on Saturday.
Billy Lloyd and Rhona Conboy return with Jacob Wheelahan, Jake Edwards, Luke McLeod and Clay Bilney in an expanded squad. Bilney, from East Point, is making his TAC Cup debut as the 23rd player.
Wheelahan is playing his first game with the Rebels this season after sustaining a shoulder injury late last year.
The Rebels are chasing an eighth win in a row.
They lost their opening game to Geelong by two points but have not looked back to head the ladder.
North Ballarat did have to work extremely hard last time it was on the park.
Although the team managed just 3.9 (27) – by far its lowest score of the season – it was still enough to get the points over Sandringham at Ararat.
The Rebels will need to break the shackles this time.
Murray Bushrangers have a similar record, with six wins in eight outings.
The Bushrangers will be striving to stretch their winning run to five.
david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au
