By JARROD POTTER
IT WILL be a Dandy campaign for Vic Country with 15 selected in the final National Championships roster.
The 54-man squad was announced on Tuesday afternoon with Stingrays from across the entire region selected for Vic Country state duties at the coming 2018 AFL Under-18 National Championships.
The six-game series is the benchmark of junior football in Australia and a breeding group for future AFL draftees.
Dandenong Stingrays region manager Mark Wheeler said the likes of Jacob Weitering – who some have touted as the number one draft pick – Kieran Collins and Gach Nyuon lead the way for the Stingrays and will definitely impress on the big stage.
“You’d have to say our three AFL academy prospects – Collins, Weitering and Gach,” Wheeler said.
“Collo and Gach are showing some really good form with us – Collo against Eastern Ranges showed he’s not just a deep full back player, but can come up and play multiple positions and (AFL Academy head coach Brenton) Sanderson was impressed with him.
“Gach, the longer he plays, the better he’s going to be – he’s going to get into the draft and have played 35 games all up.”
Wheeler also though the Beaconsfield connection was supremely impressive as Bailey Rice, Thomas Jok, Thomas Glen and Brandon White were set to star at the carnival.
“Bailey Rice definitely – he’s exceeding our expectations and taken his game to the next level. He’s taken a fair bit of interest from the recruiters to see who’s who,” Wheeler said.
“He’s proven himself that he can play in multiple positions and will be a good choice between Carlton and St Kilda if he goes father-son or everyone if he goes into the main draft.”
“Beacy has been really good for us with White, Jok – those two boys have been outstanding, and from around the south-east (Kurt) Mutimer has been exceptional – 20 plus possesions a game and lots of clearances – and Coxy (Mitch Cox) as well.
The Stingrays believe their mercurial forward Jimmy Freeman – who returned from a horror trot of injuries throughout 2014 – has been overlooked by the selectors, especially considering how his swag of goals continues to fill up.
Also the untimely bicep injury for Lachie Batten will leave the prime midfielder to battle it out in the TAC Cup and go the long way around to get into the Vic Country line-up.
“There’s always an unlucky one and while some would say we always want the whole Stingrays team to be picked, you’d think Jimmy Freeman is unlucky,” Wheeler said.
“Fifteen goals and coming back from a double break and doing what he’s got to do, he’s been one of the unlucky ones.
“Lachie Batten is a hard-luck story – was doing really well, then tore the bicep off.
“A 5cm bicep tear doesn’t help him, but he’ll have to do it the hard way and get best-on-grounds through the TAC Cup while the national championships are on.”
While there were no local Gippsland Power representatives in the side, 10 Power players will also be in the mix for Vic Country selection.
Warragul duo Harry McKay and Josh Patullo have featured prominently in the Power’s season so far and will be West Gippsland’s prime pair with Tom Papley (Bunyip) and Matt de Bruin (ROC) both excluded from the initial squad.
Vic Country will battle Vic Metro in the national carnival opener on Sunday morning, from 11am, at Geelong’s home ground – Simonds Stadium.
VIC COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES – DANDENONG STINGRAYS
Thomas GLEN – Beaconsfield/Hallam SC/Dandenong Stingrays
Thomas JOK – Beaconsfield/St Kevin’s College/Dandenong Stingrays
Brandon WHITE – Beaconsfield/Dandenong Stingrays
Bailey RICE – Beaconsfield/Hallam SC /Dandenong Stingrays
Josh BATTLE – Doveton/Haileybury College/Dandenong Stingrays
Mitchell COX – Narre Warren/Dandenong Stingrays
Kurt MUTIMER – Narre Warren/Hallam SC/Dandenong Stingrays
Gach NYUON – Narre Warren/Hallam SC/Dandenong Stingrays
Jake LOVETT – Frankston YCW/Dandenong Stingrays
Daniel CAPIRON – Caulfield Grammarians/Dandenong Stingrays
Myles POHOLKE – Sorrento/ Padua SC/Dandenong Stingrays
Jacob WEITERING – Mt Eliza/The Peninsula School/Dandenong Stingrays
Kieran COLLINS – Langwarrin/Haileybury College/Dandenong Stingrays
Travis YOUNG – Mornington/Dandenong Stingrays
Lachlan WILLIAMS – Somerville/Dandenong Stingrays
VIC COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES – GIPPSLAND POWER
Harry McKAY – Warragul/Gippsland Power
Joshua PATULLO – Warragul/Gippsland Power
Deven COSTIGAN – Lucknow/Gippsland Power
Tate MARSH – Traralgon/Gippsland Power
Ben AINSWORTH – Morwell/Gippsland Power
Nash HOLMES – Sale/Gippsland Power
Josh DUNKLEY – Sale/Gippsland Power
Christian BUYKX-SMITH – Traralgon/Gippsland Power
Sam SKINNER – Moe/Gippsland Power
Ryan HEARN – Morwell/Gippsland Power
