The Tatura Milk Echuca based AFL Goulburn Murray Academy team has just returned from a very successful Bendigo Pioneers VLine Cup campaign in Mildura.
After a strong first up win against Central Murray in Echuca and a narrow two point loss against Bendigo Blue in Bendigo the Academy team contested two games last week in Mildura as part of the Pioneers VLine Cup selection trials.
Coaches Cameron Stewart, Luke Moodie and Jordan Florance were all delighted with the development of the players over the duration of the program, resulting in three victories and one narrow loss.
"Having the opportunity to educate players around game structures, recovery techniques, diet and nutrition and the attitude required to become an elite player was a real bonus to the actual on field match play" Moodie said.
For former Dandenong Stingrays assistant coach, Cameron Stewart, he saw the program as a fantastic opportunity to expose players to the type of environment they will experience through the talent pathway.
"Our players were lucky enough to have access to game footage, high level game sense education and guest speakers from the TAC Cup environment" he said.
"This was a fantastic window in to what they could experience if they continue to develop and attract the attention of Bendigo Pioneers selectors in the future."
For first time coach Florance, he was amazed at the rate of improvement of the players.
"The level of performance in our last game on Tuesday was as good as I have seen from a group of Under 15 players" he said.
Over the coming fortnight, players will find out if they have been shortlisted for the squad of 60 players that will vie for selection in the two Bendigo Pioneers teams to contest the V-Line Cup in Gippsland in September.
This squad will be announced from the five competing teams at the regional trials; two from Bendigo/North Central, Central Murray, Sunraysia and Goulburn Murray.
Game results:
Goulburn Murray 7.19 defeated Central Murray 3.8
Goulburn Murray 7.8 lost to Bendigo Blue 7.10
Goulburn Murray 11.13 defeated Sunraysia 9.6
Goulburn Murray 20.8 defeated Bendigo Gold 2.3
Players of the Championship:
* Cooper Vick (Kyabram) and Dylan Oaff (Rochester)
Last Modified on 04/07/2016 15:28