VICTORIA Country under-16 most valuable player Jarrod Berry will join Ballarat Clarendon College’s state schoolboy title campaign.
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Berry, from Horsham, is enrolled to start school at Clarendon this term and is tipped to make the trip to Colac on Wednesday, when the school chases a third consecutive AFL Victoria Herald Sun Country Shield.
A half-back flanker and North Ballarat Rebels’ under-16s captain, Berry arrives in strong form from the AFL national under-16 championships.
Clarendon has won the past seven of eight country football crowns – stepping up to test MCC-Herald Sun Shield ranks alongside St Patrick’s College in 2011.
Clarendon will this year face Warrnambool’s Emmanuel College, a school it defeated in a fourth-quarter surge last year.
College coaches Brad Macgowan and Shaune Moloney are expecting a tough game this time.
“(Emmanuel) often has a heap of kids already playing senior footy in the Warrnambool leagues. They’re usually big, solid body players,” Macgowan said.
Clarendon and Emmanuel will meet at Colac’s Central Reserve after AFL Victoria moved the game late Monday afternoon from Geelong’s Simonds Stadium.
Matt Davidson will captain the Clarendon charge, with Rebels’ key tall Keegan Mason his deputy and Korry Smith in the ruck.
Clarendon boys progressed to the country shield final with an emphatic win against Catholic College Sale by 64 points late last term in Craigieburn.