38-player squad announced by Hampden for interleague
Hampden has unveiled its squad for next month’s clash against Ballarat, which will be coached by an AFL legend. Check out the team here.
Country Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Country Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A former AFL player and a Hampden league best and fairest winner headlines the interleague squad looking to gain revenge on Ballarat this year in the annual contest.
A 38-person squad has been named for the clash on July 6 at Reid Oval with Hampden looking to overcome a 16-point loss to Ballarat in last year’s match at Mars Stadium.
The 2023 contest was the first interleague match since the Covid pandemic with both teams selecting an under-23 squad.
The same format applies to this clash.
Hampden will be led once again by AFL legend Jonathan Brown with Adam Dowie, former AFL player Nathan Vardy, Brad Thomas and Brody Mahoney joining.
All four assistants are well credentialed to join Brown with all either coaching in the Hampden league now or part of former premiership teams in the competition.
The squad sees each team represented with South Warrnambool, last year’s premiers, having the most players with eight selected.
This includes former AFL player Jay Rantall who has returned after playing for Collingwood.
Rantall, a former Greater Western Victorian Rebel, played five games for the Pies in 2020 and 2021.
He is joined in the squad by 2021 Hampden best and fairest Jett Bermingham, who has been selected from North Warrnambool.
The squad will now train over the next few weeks before being trimmed to 23 for the clash.
The full squad is below.
Oscar Pollock (Port Fairy), Ollie Myers (Port Fairy), Luke Smith (Cobden), Ben Berry (Cobden), Ben McGlade (Cobden), Jack Black (Koroit), Paddy O’Sullivan (Koroit), Clem Nagorcka (Koroit), Connor Byrne (Koroit), Mac Petersen (Koroit), Thomas Baulch (Koroit), Ethan Knight (Hamilton), Vincent Huf (Hamilton), Hamish Cook (Hamilton), Will Povey (Hamilton), Jett Bermingham (North Warrnambool), Jackson Grundy (North Warrnambool), Fletcher Timms (Warrnambool), Amon Radley (Warrnambool), Harry Ryan (Warrnambool), Reggie Mast (Warrnambool), Sid Brayshaw (Camperdown), Hamish Sinnott (Camperdown), Zach Sinnott (Camperdown), Bailey Osborne (South Warrnambool), Isaac Thomas (South Warrnambool), Riley Thomas (South Warrnambool), Archie Stevens (South Warrnambool), Will White (South Warrnambool), Jay Rantall (South Warrnambool), Max Irving (South Warrnambool), Myles McCluggage (South Warrnambool), Xavier Vickers (Terang Mortlake), Kane Johnstone (Terang Mortlake), Darcy Hobbs (Terang Mortlake), Ryley Hutchins (Terang Mortlake), Toby Jennings (Portland), Will Hunter (Portland)
What has been key in Boort’s bid to end finals drought
A team in the state’s north west, despite a recent setback, is on track to break a finals drought stretching back to last decade. We go inside how the club’s rise.
Ex-AFL names fire: 10 lessons from country footy
There were several droughts ended across country footy at the weekend while there were other standout talking points across Victoria. Here are 10 talking points from the weekend’s action.