Central Highlands Football League coach Clive Raak believes he will be able to assemble a winning side, despite many of the competition’s stars ruling themselves unavailable for the upcoming AFL Victoria Community Championships clash against Riddell District.
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Dual Geoff Taylor Medal winner David Benson, boom Newlyn recruits Myles Sewell and Steve Clifton, Springbank star Billy Driscoll and classy Rokewood-Corindhap onballer Sam Chapman are among those that aren’t part of the Highlanders’ squad.
But Raak remains pleased with the current group of 30 players that will be whittled down to make the final team.
Among those in the squad are decorated Beaufort assistant coach Nick Sullivan and teammate Jack Duke, exciting Dunnstown duo Harry McKimmie and Nick English, Waubra midfielders Thomas Nash and James Lukich and Hepburn forward Jimmy Rodgers.
Raak and his coaching panel, which includes assistants Matt Beaston, Jarrod Morgan, Johno Leoncini and Grant Luscombe, will finalise the squad in time for next Thursday’s last training run before the game on May 19.
Raak said the aim was to be a flexible team that was out to play fast football.
“The people are 100 per cent committed to being successful and having a crack at it,” Raak said.
Raak believed this clash would be the toughest in his three-year coaching tenure, which has resulted in heartbreaking four-point defeats in the past two years against the Geelong and District and Southern leagues.
The clash with Riddell District had been scheduled at Bungaree, but has recently been moved to Buninyong.
An under-18 encounter will be played as a curtain-raiser to the senior match, with the Central Highlands team to be coached by Pete Rizzoli.
The under-18 game will begin at 12noon, with the senior game scheduled for 2.15pm.
On the same day, the Ballarat Football League will take on Goulburn Valley in a clash at the MCG.