Peter Jackson VFL coach Damian Carroll is not underestimating the challenge confronting his players when they host the SANFL, with top spot on the State League representative ladder up for grabs.
Carroll said the performances of the West End SANFL team in recent years in State representative matches had earned them bragging rights as the best State League competition.
But the VFL has the chance to grab top spot, with the possibility of all three traditional State League competitions – VFL, SANFL and WAFL – being locked on two wins and one defeat after year three of the six year program, should the Vics take the points and move ahead on percentage.
Carroll noted it was something that the VFL were keen to wrest away from the visitors when they meet for the first time in six years.
“We think we have some good depth and good experience. We’re certainly excited about the upcoming challenge,” Carroll said.
The VFL is aiming to return to the winners list after a 17-point loss to the WAFL in 2013, which followed a commanding win over the Tasmanian State League in 2012.
There’s a mix of experience and rookies in the VFL squad with seven of last year’s VFL Team of the Year being joined by some of this season’s most exciting recruits.
A total of 13 players - David Mirra, Scott Sherlock, Evan Panozza, Chris Cain, Sam Pleming, Josh Scipione, Adam Cockie, Toby Pinwill, Ben Jolley, Shane Valenti, Khan Haretuku, Adam Marcon, Ben Davies - have previously represented the VFL.
Included in the final squad are five club captains - Mirra (Box Hill Hawks), Panozza (Casey Scorpions), Cockie (Sandringham), Jolley (Williamstown), Nick Lower (Footscray) – with plenty of leadership material representing the competition.
“The SANFL have been the measuring stick over the past few years and certainly deserve the No 1 ranking in Australia, but we believe we have a good mix of guys who are really enthusiastic about playing and representing Victoria,” Carroll said.
When the VFL last hosted the SANFL at Port Melbourne in 2005, the visitors emerged from an epic battle four point winners, but then the SANFL smashed the VFL by 65-points in 2008.
Carroll said the strength of the VFL will be measured by those players who don’t gain selection when the final 22 players are announced, with the focus on picking a team that is suited to the Port Melbourne ground.
The list has now been reduced to 25, with three emergencies from that group to be named at State training tonight, along with the captain and vice captain.
Carroll believes the ability to win the contested football on the small Port Melbourne ground will play a telling role in which team will emerge victorious.
Recruiters will keep a keen eye on the match, with no less than eight VFL representative players drafted in the last two years, with that list including Sam Lloyd (Frankston/Richmond), Leigh Osborne (Frankston/Gold Coast), Sam Dwyer (Port Melbourne/Collingwood), Brett Goodes (Williamstown/Western Bulldogs), Kyle Martin (Frankston/Collingwood), Kyle Hartigan (Werribee /Adelaide), Ben Ross (Werribee/Hawthorn) and Dean Towers (North Ballarat/Sydney)
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VFL FINAL SQUAD
Anthony |
Anastasio |
Williamstown |
Chris |
Cain |
Port Melbourne |
Scott |
Clouston |
Williamstown |
Adam |
Cockie |
Sandringham |
Ben |
Davies |
Williamstown |
Lech |
Featherstone |
Coburg |
Khan |
Haretuku |
Frankston |
Ben |
Jolley |
Williamstown |
Ayden |
Kennedy |
Box Hill Hawks |
Marc |
Lock |
Box Hill Hawks |
Cameron |
Lockwood |
Williamstown |
Nick |
Lower |
Footscray |
Alik |
Magin |
Bendigo |
Adam |
Marcon |
Williamstown |
Nick |
Meese |
Williamstown |
David |
Mirra |
Box Hill Hawks |
Daniel |
Noonan |
Port Melbourne |
Evan |
Panozza |
Casey Scorpions |
Toby |
Pinwill |
Port Melbourne |
Sam |
Pleming |
Port Melbourne |
Julian |
Rowe |
Port Melbourne |
Joshua |
Scipione |
Port Melbourne |
Scott |
Sherlock |
Werribee Tigers |
Luke |
Tynan |
Port Melbourne |
Shane |
Valenti |
Port Melbourne |
SANFL FINAL SQUAD
Kory |
Beard |
Sturt |
Jonathon |
Beech |
West Adelaide |
Jace |
Bode |
Norwood |
James |
Boyd |
Woodville West Torrens |
Keegan |
Brooksby |
South Adelaide |
Ian |
Callinan |
Adelaide |
Michael |
Coad |
Sturt |
Joel |
Cross |
South Adelaide |
Brett |
Eddy |
South Adelaide |
Luke |
Habel |
Central District |
Ben |
Hansen |
Sturt |
Luke |
Jarrad |
Woodville West Torrens |
Zane |
Kirkwood |
Sturt |
Nick |
Liddle |
South Adelaide |
Tim |
McIntyre |
Central District |
Todd |
Miles |
North Adelaide |
Leigh |
Ryswyk |
North Adelaide |
Jarrod |
Schiller |
Central District |
Jay |
Shannon |
North Adelaide |
Steven |
Summerton |
Port Adelaide |
Paul |
Thomas |
Central District |
Daniel |
Webb |
West Adelaide |
Michael |
Wundke |
Woodville West Torrens |
Last Modified on 29/05/2014 11:24