BIG bodied inside midfielders will headline the top-end talent in the 2017 Victoria Country squad at the National AFL Under 18s Championships.
The team is filled with some of the draft crop’s top inside midfielders led by Dandenong Stingrays’ Luke Davies-Uniacke who will be in the battle for the number one draft pick at the end of the season. Along with Davies-Uniacke, Geelong Falcons’ pair James Worpel and Cassidy Parish will ensure Country has an advantage at the stoppages, as well Stingrays’ Hunter Clark. Parish himself had 30 disposals in Sunday’s Vic Country trial game and will be a key cog to their strong midfield.
Vic Country U18 Trial Scouting Notes
To add a touch of class is Bendigo Pioneers’ pair Lochie O’Brien and Paddy Dow, while Falcon Matthew Ling will provide some speed and dash coming out of defence. There should be no shortage of Stingrays moving across the ground with bookends Tom De Koning and Oscar Clavarino to pull on the ‘Big V’.
Greater Western Victoria Rebels’ high-flyer Jordan Johnston is sure to create some excitement over the course of the championships, while Gippsland pair Aidan Quigley and Changkuoth Jiath are those the most highly rated from the far east of the state. Up north, Murray Bushrangers’ defenders Jordon Butts and Ben Paton will provide good rebound for the Country side.
Vic Country have strong inside midfielders, a variety of forwards and good smaller defenders, with only a deficiency at key position defense – but with Clavarino being the top key defender in the draft, they should have no issues taking the opposition’s best forward.
Vic Country will be co-captained by James Worpel and Oscar Clavarino
Country commences its campaign against the Allies in Blacktown on Sunday June 11 from 12.30pm.
SQUAD:
| FIRSTNAME | SURNAME | DOB | HT | WT | REGION | LOCAL CLUB/SCHOOL | |
| 1 | Kane | Farrell | 17/03/1999 | 180 | 72 | Bendigo Pioneers | Castlemaine |
| 2 | Samuel | Walsh | 2/07/2000 | 182 | 68 | Geelong Falcons | St Josephs |
| 3 | Jye | Caldwell | 28/09/2000 | 181 | 78 | Bendigo Pioneers | Golden Square / Geelong Grammar |
| 4 | Gryan | Miers | 30/03/1999 | 177 | 73 | Geelong Falcons | Grovedale |
| 5 | Ben | Paton | 19/10/1998 | 185 | 78 | Murray Bushrangers | North Albury |
| 6 | Aidan | Quigley | 7/05/1999 | 183 | 72 | Gipplsand Power | Yinnar |
| 7 | Harry | Benson | 12/06/1999 | 180 | 72 | Geelong Falcons | St Marys |
| 8 | Lochie | O’Brien | 18/09/1999 | 184 | 75 | Bendigo Pioneers | South Mildura / Geelong Grammar |
| 9 | Luke | Davies-Uniacke | 8/06/1999 | 187 | 85 | Dandenong Stingrays | Rye / Haileybury College |
| 10 | Brent | Daniels | 9/03/1999 | 172 | 70 | Bendigo Pioneers | Nyah Nyah West United / Geelong Grammar |
| 11 | Laitham | Vandermeer | 3/02/1999 | 180 | 73 | Murray Bushrangers | Mooroopna / Xavier College |
| 12 | Edward | McHenry | 13/07/2000 | 176 | 67 | Geelong Falcons | Barwon Heads / Geelong College |
| 13 | Ethan | Floyd | 15/07/1999 | 179 | 70 | Geelong Falcons | Colac |
| 14 | Callan | Wellings | 20/02/1998 | 181 | 71 | GWV Rebels | Trentham |
| 15 | Paddy | Dow | 16/10/1999 | 184 | 78 | Bendigo Pioneers | Swan Hill / Geelong Grammar |
| 16 | David | Handley | 1/09/1999 | 181 | 76 | Geelong Falcons | Geelong West Giants |
| 17 | Zane | Barzen | 25/08/2000 | 191 | 76 | Murray Bushrangers | Shepparton United |
| 18 | Bailey | Henderson | 20/10/1999 | 188 | 75 | Bendigo Pioneers | Strathfieldsaye |
| 19 | Matthew | Ling | 21/04/1999 | 182 | 74 | Geelong Falcons | St Marys |
| 20 | Tom | De Koning | 16/07/1999 | 200 | 92 | Dandenong Stingrays | Mornington |
| 21 | Hunter | Clark | 26/03/1999 | 186 | 79 | Dandenong Stingrays | Mornington |
| 22 | Jordon | Butts | 31/12/1999 | 195 | 80 | Murray Bushrangers | Shepparton |
| 23 | Cooper | Stephens | 21/05/1999 | 180 | 72 | Geelong Falcons | Colac |
| 24 | Sean | Masterson | 23/08/1998 | 192 | 78 | Gipplsand Power | Ellinbank |
| 25 | Oscar | Clavarino | 22/05/1999 | 195 | 86 | Dandenong Stingrays | Berwick / Haileybury College |
| 26 | Angus | Schumacher | 16/03/1999 | 189 | 76 | Bendigo Pioneers | Strathfieldsaye |
| 27 | Harrison | Jones | 15/03/1999 | 183 | 79 | Murray Bushrangers | Wodonga Bulldogs |
| 28 | James | Worpel | 24/01/1999 | 185 | 84 | Geelong Falcons | Bell Park |
| 29 | Bailey | Williams | 17/04/2000 | 198 | 91 | Dandenong Stingrays | Crip Point |
| 30 | Jordan | Johnston | 9/09/1999 | 184 | 76 | GWV Rebels | North Ballarat |
| 31 | Sam | Fletcher | 27/01/2000 | 188 | 77 | Dandenong Stingrays | Red Hill |
| 32 | Cassidy | Parish | 4/05/1999 | 190 | 84 | Geelong Falcons | Winchelseas |
| 33 | Changkuoth | Jiath | 13/06/1999 | 185 | 74 | Gipplsand Power | Morwell / Xavier College |
| 34 | Thomas | Boyd | 29/01/1999 | 191 | 75 | Murray Bushrangers | Picola United |
| 35 | Tom | McCartin | 30/12/1999 | 192 | 86 | Geelong Falcons | St Josephs |
| 36 | Cody | Henness | 7/02/1999 | 193 | 88 | Gippsland Power | Sale |
| 37 | Joshua | Jaska | 26/02/1998 | 193 | 76 | Geelong Falcons | Anglesea |
| 38 | Lloyd | Meek | 22/04/1998 | 202 | 104 | GWV Rebels | SMW Rovers |
| 39 | Hudson | Garoni | 14/01/2000 | 193 | 92 | Murray Bushrangers | Wodonga Bulldogs |
| 40 | Julian | Patterson | 14/05/1998 | 203 | 81 | Gipplsand Power | Leongatha |
| 41 | Aaron | Darling | 24/01/1999 | 178 | 83 | Dandenong Stingrays | Crib Point |
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How surprised are u with no oscar brownless ?
1 recruiter told me that he has chance to be top 30 pick in 2018
Is he in afl academy squad ?
na mate, not in the acadamy, and if i am brutally honest, struggles to get a kick in any game he plays. Take away the last name and hes just another one of them geelong rejects
Oscar isn’t in the academy, he’s had a quiet start to the season at school and TAC Cup level. Did some ok things in the trial game a few months back but wasn’t considered for the final squad. Top 30 for next year would be a stretch at this stage.
How much do u think lions and blues regret not taking Oliver. Weirering gojng to be a very good player and josh might become a good player. If Oliver reaches his potential has chance to be an incredibley special !
How schocked are u with Oliver progression ??
Don’t think Blues or Lions would regret it. Weitering is going to be a star and Schache has struggled up forward in a team that has struggled to get the ball down there. Oliver is going to be a star – I said at the time of the draft he’ll be one of the three best players from that draft class.