This weekend the Rebels U/16 Development Squad will play two matches in AFL Victoria's 2009 Victorian U/16 Country Championships at the annual Bendigo Carnival. In a huge weekend of football there will be three U/16 matches played at the QEO on Friday, April 17 and another three matches at the same venue on Sunday, April 19. The TAC Cup U/18 competition will also see Round Three matches played at the QEO on the Saturday including the Rebels clash with Gippsland Power.
The Rebels will take on Bendigo Pioneers on Friday in a game starting at 10:30am. The carnival finishes with the Sunday match starting at 1:00pm that will see the squad clash with Dandenong Stingrays. The balance of the weekend is spent providing the squad members with opportunities to learn more about football and also to develop their own life skills.
The Rebels U/16 squad members will attend the TAC Cup matches on Saturday to provide them with a look at their possible football future as they all are striving to become Rebels U/18 players over the next couple of seasons. Already in the new season the Rebels U/18 team has given debuts to six members of the 2008 U/16 Development Squad so the pathway is available to the boys able to seize the opportunity.
Victorian Country U/16 coaching staff and selectors will be in attendance at all matches played at this weekend's Bendigo Carnival to take another look at existing members of the state squad and to run the rule over possible inclusions to that squad.
Highlighting the vast area the Rebels select their players from this year's squad consists of 24 talented players drawn from many clubs across Western Victoria. An initial group of almost 110 players across the region was involved in pre-season training and practice matches before the final squad was chosen.
2009 Rebels Under 16 Development Squad
Peter Lulham (North Ballarat JFC)
Jarryd Graham (North Ballarat JFC)
Sam Gleeson (Merrivale FC)
Will Pomorin (Emmanuel Hawks JFC)
Sam Dobson (Koroit FC)
Alex Bartlett (East Ballarat JFC)
Zane Thompson (Ballarat JFC)
Karl Beddison (Horsham FC)
Andrew Lang (Warrack Eagles FC)
Nick O'Brien (Carngham Linton FC)
Richard Jaroszczuk (Heywood FC)
Callum Hobbs (Harrow-Balmoral FC)
Jack Jess (Redan JFC)
Darcy Watchorn (Redan JFC)
Jimmy Rodgers (Hepburn FC)
Justin Gordon (St. Patrick's College)
Coleman Schache (Hopetoun FC)
Tony Lockyer (Sebastopol JFC)
Keenan George (North Ballarat JFC)
Todd Curran (Ballarat JFC)
Fred Stephan (Nhill FC)
Sean Christopher (Horsham FC)
Rory Taggert (Horsham Saints FC)
Sebastian Ross (Horsham FC)
Coach: Alister Ford
Assistants: Michael Kennedy, Greg Stewart, Michael Boyd, Glen Grundy.
For more information regarding the North Ballarat Rebels U/16 Development Squad and the Victorian U/16 Country Championships please contact Ballarat Region Development Officer, Tim Shearer on 5339 0916 or 0408 586 536.
Last Modified on 16/04/2009 23:26