By DAVID NAGEL
THE South East Football Netball League’s (SEFNL) rising stature in representative football has been recognised with nine players selected in Vic Country training squads this week.
Eight players from the SEFNL join seven from the Nepean Football League (NFL) and five from the Ellinbank and District Football League (EDFL) in the Vic Country 2 squad, while Pakenham’s livewire small-forward Jake Smith is the league’s sole representative in the Vic Country Under 19 squad.
Smith kicked five goals in the SEFNL senior side’s big win over Sunraysia at Casey Fields on 23 May.
Selection highlights include Beaconsfield twins Damien and Daniel Johnston while former Frankston VFL star, and now Doveton ruckman, Russell Gabriel has been rewarded for his fine start to the season.
EDFL club Cora Lynn is well represented with Ricky Clark, Nathan Muratore and enigmatic forward Ryan Gillis all making the list.
Vic Country No.2 will take on a representative side from the Victorian Amateur Football Association on 11 July at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The match will kick off at 1.10pm following the clash between Vic Country U19s and VAFA U19s at 10.15am, and act as the curtain raiser to the Vic Country No.1 v VAFA encounter at 4.05pm.
The Vic Country 2 squad will eventually be trimmed to 22 in the lead-up to the match, with trainings to be held on consecutive Sundays – 14, 21 and 28 July.
Vic Country No.2 has won the past two encounters against VAFA (Prem – Div 4), securing a thrilling one-point victory in 2013 and powering to an easy triumph in 2014.
The Gippsland League has four representatives in the Vic Country 1 squad, with a member each from the Nepean and Yarra Valley and Mountain District Football Leagues.
SOUTH EAST REGION SQUAD MEMBERS
VIC COUNTRY 1
GIPPSLAND – Bob McCallum (Drouin), Dan Nicholls (Drouin), Kane Martin (Sale), Mark Collison (Traralgon). NEPEAN – Rob Forrest (Rosebud). YARRA VALLEY – Scott Dwyer (Wandin).
VIC COUNTRY 2
SOUTH EAST – Michael Riseley (Berwick), Michael Johnson (Berwick), Michael Harold (Berwick), Damien Johnston (Beaconsfield), Daniel Johnston (Beaconsfield), Luke Bee-Hugo (Cranbourne), Brandon Osborne (Cranbourne), Russell Gabriel (Doveton).
ELLINBANK – Ricky Clark (Cora Lynn), Nathan Muratore (Cora Lynn), Ryan Gillis (Cora Lynn), Mat Gray (Buln Buln), Tye Holland (Longwarry).
NEPEAN – Leigh Poholke (Sorrento), James Hallahan (Sorrento), Luke Clark (Hastings), Adam Kirkwood (Rye), Kris Bardon (Rye), Dean Millhouse (Rye), Dean Warry (Crib Point).
VIC COUNTRY U19s
SOUTH EAST – Jake Smith (Pakenham).
GIPPSLAND – Nick Dinsdale (Heyfield), Michael Jacobsen (Traralgon), James Jacobsen (Morwell), Bryce Collings (Moe), Toma Huther (Wonthaggi).
NEPEAN – Samuel Geurts (Dromana), Joshua McMahon (Somerville), Kyle Salerno (Devon Meadows), Lachlan Marshall (Pearcedale), Niall Young (Somerville).
YARRA VALLEY – Dylan Gordon (Warburton-Millgrove), Daimon Kift (Mt. Evelyn).
