STEVE Kennedy has been given the honour of captaining the Ballarat Football League in the inaugural AFL Victoria Community Championship.
Coach Shaun O’Loughlin said Kennedy had been the stand-out candidate for the key on-field leadership role.
He told the player group that the Darley premiership player’s commitment to have himself right to represent the BFL against Western Region at Footscray on Saturday had been phenomenal.
Kennedy was in some doubt after suffering a leg injury against Redan on Saturday.
O’Loughlin said Kennedy had left no stone unturned in ensuring he was fit to play – highlighting his commitment to representing the BFL.
He said there was no player more respected in the squad, in the BFL and across the football community in general than Kennedy.
O’Loughlin announced the captaincy at the Eastern Oval on Thursday night, when the squad had a final briefing and short training session, which was primarily aimed at sharpening up the players and providing another chance to gel as a team.
O’Loughlin said the campaign had focused on emphasising basics.
“We’ve kept it simple. It’s a simple plan. Win the football.”
He said a major selection criteria had been going with players who could kick well and were prepared to work hard.
O’Loughlin expects Western Region to be bigger than Ballarat, as well as having a strong midfield.
This does not faze him though.
O’Loughlin believes the BFL has what it takes to get the upperhand at the contest.
He said Ballarat would be looking to run and spread to ensure Western Region were stretched at every opportunity.
O’Loughlin took the opportunity at last training session to emphasise his “team first” approach to the one-game campaign.
He said it was all for the team...everything.
LINE-UPS
BALLARAT
B: D Tung L Buckwell N Hind
HB: J Graham R Hobbs D Micallef
C: A Del Papa S Kennedy D Kennedy
HF: J Bolton G Valles A Pitson
F: D Cupido L Anderson L Delahey
R: B Sortino M Banner N Horbury
Inter: L Bucknall, T Carey, C Giampaolo, M Notman, N Pring
WESTERN REGION
B: L Spiteri J Halloran J McDonald
HB: T Langlands R Prismall T Quick
C: D Castellano D Sablich T Jenkins
HF: J Perkins H Armstrong-Weston M Stocco
F: P O'Shea B Ferrari R Miles
R: M Boyd M Ryan A Panayi
Inter: J Bench, M Dean, T Finco, J Magnabosco, B Christodoulou, B Graham, J Mills
