A new-look Peter Jackson VFL state squad has been announced to face the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) on Sunday May 29 at Adelaide Oval.
State coach Andy Collins has named an initial 30-man squad, with just six players – David Mirra, Khan Haretuku, Scott Sherlock, Peter Faulks, Willie Wheeler and Nick Meese – having previous state game experience.
Eleven of the 15 VFL clubs are represented in the squad, with reigning premiership team Williamstown boasting the most selections with nine players, followed by Werribee (4), Box Hill Hawks, Footscray, Port Melbourne (3), Essendon, North Ballarat (2), Coburg, Frankston, Richmond and Sandringham (1).
The line-up includes five club captains (Mirra – Box Hill Hawks, Dan Coghlan - Essendon, Jordan Russell - Footscray, Michael Sodomaco – Werribee and Sam Darley - Richmond), nine 2015 Team of the Year selections (Mirra, Peter Faulks, Jake Wilson, Russell, Luke Kiel, Nick Rippon, Matt Hanson, Sam Dunell, Nick Meese), three 2015 best and fairest winners (Ben Cavarra - Frankston, Hanson - Werrribee, Kiel – North Ballarat) and the reigning J.J.Liston Trophy winner (Rippon).
Clubs nominatedplayers that were in form to the VFL state game match committee – which included Channel 7 commentator Nigel Carmody - with all names reviewed and discussed in their preferred playing positions, then the squad was narrowed down to 30. The squad will be reviewed after Round 6, before a final training squad of 25 is announced.
Collins said some tough decisions needed to be made to reduce the squad to 30.
“There was a lot of discussion, especially with a number of first year players in terrific form, such as Kade Answerth (Sandringham) and Tom Stewart (Geelong), and players like Dane McFarlane (Werribee) and Matt Smith (Collingwood),” Collins said.
“They were names that were strongly discussed along with a number of players that had represented the state in the past.
“You need to be athletic to play on Adelaide Oval, and we wanted to make sure we had a really athletic team, a versatile team that can be flipped around to keep ahead of the game and be able to react to a situation too.”
Collins’ coaching panel consists of Ash Hansen (Footscray), Robbie Campbell (Williamstown), Marc Greig (North Ballarat) and Kieran McGuiness (Northern Blues).
A pleasing aspect for Collins and the panel was the abundance of new names that were nominated by clubs, who may not have been considered for state duties in previous years.
“Young players like Gibbons, Cavarra, Rippon, Sodomaco, Kiel have been producing strong form at VFL level for over 12 months, and selection in the initial squad is just reward for their performances over a sustained period of time,” he said.
“I think there are real draftable kids in this squad and hopefully they can showcase their talent on the big stage.”
Port Melbourne pair Sam Dwyer and Jordan Lisle and Coburg recruit Ahmed Saad were not considered due to injury. Experienced campaigners such as Ben Jolley, Toby Pinwill and Chris Cain, who Collins said “have been great servants of the VFL and continue to be great representatives of the competition,” were not nominated by their clubs for the clash.
SANFL and VFL have met on five occasions since 1999, with the SANFL enjoying a 4-1 record. This record is something Collins wants to quickly change, and he will have a number of familiar faces from his premiership winning Williamstown team at his disposal.
“That is my motivation for taking this job on. When I accepted the role (as coach), I did so on the proviso that I chose a team to win,” he said.
“I have enormous respect for the SANFL, having spent six years coaching with and against some of this (SANFL) team, but this will be a great contest between two strong state competitions.”
A number of former VFL players have been named in the Graham Cornes coached SANFL squad, including Joel Cross (Box Hill Hawks), Matthew Panos (Williamstown), Brett Eddy (Collingwood), Jarryd Cachia (Richmond) and Nick Liddle (Coburg). Add to this SANFL assistant coach Brad Gotch (Casey Scorpions/Williamstown) and there will be plenty at stake when they greet their former league on May 29.
The VFL squad of 25 will come together for the first time on May 24, in the first of three training sessions before a traveling team of 23 will be named for the state game showdown.
“I wanted to make sure that we did not interrupt club football at all,” Collins said.
“Teams come together really quickly when you have this sort of talent. I remember 1989 (Victoria v SA) when we had Dunstall, Lockett and Brereton we played SA at the MCG and I remember how well we came together.
“When you have talented players with great decision making and really good social skills, they adapt very quickly.
“That is my experience, it has worked in the past, and I am looking for it to work in the future.”
Radio station 3WBC will broadcast the game live into Victoria on 94.1fm and online via www.3wbc.org.au
SANFL West End State Team v Peter Jackson VFL | 2:10pm
SA U18’s v SA U20’s | 11:25am
Ticketing:
FREE entry SANFL Club Ticketed Members (Home match and season ticket holders, excludes 3/5 game ticket holders), Adelaide Oval Football Members, Essential Crows and Essential Power members
Adults $14 | Concession $8 | U18’s FREE
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BOX HILL HAWKS
MIRRA David
ILES Sam
WARREN Max
COBURG
UYSAL Ozgur
ESSENDON
COGHLAN Daniel
FERRY James
FOOTSCRAY
RUSSELL Jordan
HAYES Will
DALGLEISH Lauchlan
FRANKSTON
CAVARRA Ben
NORTH BALLARAT
KIEL Luke
RIPPON Nick
PORT MELBOURNE
HARETUKU Khan
SANDILANDS Hugh
MIHOCEK Brody
RICHMOND
DARLEY Sam
SANDRINGHAM
SIMPKIN Tom
WERRIBEE
SHERLOCK Scott
HANSON Matt
WILSON Jake
SODOMACO Michael
WILLIAMSTOWN
DUNELL Sam
GIBBONS Michael
FAULKS Peter
MASTERS Leigh
DORGAN Jack
SIPOSS Arryn
ANASTASIO Anthony
WHEELER Willie
MEESE Nick
Last Modified on 13/05/2016 23:29