By RUSSELL BENNETT AND KEN MOORE
2013 VCFL Country Championships – Gippsland League v Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League
THE Gippsland League will take on fellow ATG-ers, the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League in Moe this Saturday in the Worksafe VCFL Country Championships. The Gippslanders are ranked ninth on the country football table, with the hills side 10th.
The strong point of the Gippsland sits with its balance across all lines. Its on-ball brigade will comprise of ball magnets James Blaser and Kelvin Porter, with support from Clinton Rowe, Mark Collison and Jackson Hall. Bairnsdale’s James Gibbs will be the key forward target.
Led by Jordan Dessent with support from his Sale team mate Ryan Pendlebury, the side has both an agile and composed back half. Former Geelong rookie and Traralgon tall Dan McKenna can also double as a key defender if required.
“We hope to field a team with more speed this year. We have a quick and skilful side, but of course we don’t know what we are up against,” coach and Maffra legend Hayden Burgiel said.
The Yarra Valley side’s biggest strength lies in its mixture of youth and experience, with a host of big bodies rotating through the midfield.
But Belgrave superboot Mitch Collins – if selected – could prove the most dangerous player on the ground, given that Gippsland will be missing its premier defender Jack Brown, who sustained a hamstring injury against Drouin on Saturday. He was badly missed last year when Gippsland leaked far too many easy goals to the Bendigo league in their very competitive loss.
Look for Collins’ brother Ben to take on a key midfield role alongside Gembrook Cockatoo trio A.J. Walker, Shane Williams and Ricky Clark. All four are smooth movers with precise footskills and an uncanny ability to attract the Sherrin.
Emerald skipper Caillin Porter, coach Josh Taylor and defensive lynchpin Ryan Simpson – older brother of Carlton’s Kade – all look set to play a role this Saturday, while recent YVMDFL premiers Woori Yallock and Upwey Tecoma will also be well represented.
Though the Gippsland League has a far bigger talent pool to draw its interleague side from, the Yarra Valley side this weekend will also be choc-full of top-end talent. Gippsland will enter as favourites, but the predicted heavy conditions could bring the hills side right back into contention.
