WITH senior interleague making its much-anticipated return in a fortnight’s time, The Guardian football team look at what that combined Central Murray and Golden Rivers team would look like, should every player be available to pull on the boots this year.
Of course, this won’t be the team that runs out against Sunraysia in two weeks’ time, with injuries and unavailability likely to rule a line through many.
But it does give everyone a good indication of what talent is running around across both the Central Murray and Golden Rivers football netball leagues.
This team has been selected not on positions, or which players are in form, but rather on the team that we think will give our region the best chance of success against Sunraysia.
Joe Halloran has proven himself to be one of the leading defenders in the competition and just edges out Woorinen’s Ben Booth, who hasn’t played since round 2, with Tooleybuc-Manangatang’s Jaicob Kenny the other unlucky omission.
Halloran’s Mallee Eagles teammate Jayden Post will fill the other key defensive position, along with Balranald’s Jaxon Neagle, with both players to also play the role of intercept defenders.
Kerang’s Lachlan Ross gets the nod as the hybrid defender who can play small or tall. Harrison Maher and Jydon Neagle would start across half-back as Taylor Cameron comes off the bench.
Maher and Neagle could move into the midfield rotations along with Jye Barry, Roy George and Jordan Iudica to all be among the next wave of onballers to provide support to Matthew Neagle, Joel Helman and Josh Nitschke.
Kerang’s Sean Hunter and Balranald’s Kobe Lloyd could fill the spots on the wing, both players also adding flexibility with the ability to play either forward or back depending on the team’s needs.
Up forward, we’ve decided to stretch Sunraysia for height, with NNW United’s Brandyn Grenfell to use his size out of the goal square and Tooleybuc-Manangatang’s Josh Williams and Hay’s Declan Watson to provide aerial assistance across half-forward. Drew Lloyd could fill the role of high half-forward and link up through the midfield.
One of the toughest decisions of all was in the ruck, with Connor McDonald having a fantastic season for the Saints and Kerang’s Nick Lang one of the best tap ruckmen in country Victoria – let alone the region.
In the end, Lang gets the nod as starting ruckman, but it was impossible to leave McDonald out. Lang would be set to push forward on occasions where his attacking craft can be most underrated.
We are under no illusions as to whether this team actually runs onto the park or not, but wouldn’t it be great to see if it did?
Good luck to all those who are selected to represent the Central Rivers senior team in a fortnight’s time – do us proud.
THE GUARDIAN’S CENTRAL RIVERS SENIOR INTERLEAGUE TEAM
B Jayden Post (ME) Joe Halloran (ME) Lachlan Ross (Ker)
HB Harrison Maher (T-M) Jaxon Neagle (Bal) Jydon Neagle (Bal)
C Sean Hunter (Ker) Joel Helman (Coh) Kobe Lloyd (Bal)
HF Drew Lloyd (Bal) Josh Williams (T-M) Jye Barry (Woor)
F Roy George (Tyn) Brandyn Grenfell (NNWU) Declan Watson (Hay)
R Nick Lang (Ker) Matthew Neagle (Bal) Josh Nitschke (Ker)
Int Jordan Iudica (NNWU) Connor McDonald (T-M) Taylor Cameron (Woor) Jayden Magro (Tyn)
