NAB League 2019: Fourteen Sandringham Dragons play for Vic Metro at Under 18 trials

The Sandringham Dragons had a strong hand at the Victorian Under 18 trials for the national championships, with 14 players in the Vic Metro squad.

Dragon Josh Le Grice pressure Swan Lachlan Swaney.

Not often does a NAB League Under 18 team make 13 changes to a winning combination.

But not often does an Under 18 team send 14 players to Vic Metro trials.

Given their list of Academy players, the Sandringham Dragons knew they would have a strong hand at the trials at Carlton on Saturday.

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But they were delighted when five other players were called up alongside the Academy crew.

Captain Ryan Byrnes, Finn Maginness, Oscar Lewis, Louis Butler and 2018 best and fairest Corey Watts were recognised for their performances in the first two rounds and joined Dragons teammates Hugo Ralpsmith, Jake Bowey, Fischer McAsey, Jack Mahony, Josh Worrell, Jack Bell, Miles Bergman, Charlie Dean and Andrew Courtney in the two-match series.

Another Dragon, Darcy Chirgwin, would have played for Vic Country but has a broken leg.

With so many players away at the trials, the Dragons had a new look about them for Saturday’s Round 4 match against the Sydney Swans Academy at the Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

Luke Garnaut, Luke Cleary, Michael Lewis, Jesse Castan and Archie Perkins came in for their first games and there were call-ups for Darby Hipwell, Jai Florent, Jeremy Goddard, George Grey, Charles Langford, Tyson Murray, Jehtt Brazionis and Kyle Yorke.

Finn Maginness was called up to the Vic Metro trials.

The Dragons trailed at every change but persisted in the last quarter to cut the Swans’ winning margin to 22 points.

New chums Castan and Perkins were among the best.

“All the changes made for a good test for us and Sydney have got some really good players and some strong bodies,’’ Dragons coach Josh Bourke said this morning.

“Had we defended a little bit better and used the ball better, we were right in the game.

“We conceded two goals in the last couple of minutes of the first quarter and never really looked like pegging them back from there. But when you look at possession but we probably saw enough of the ball. That’s a lesson for us about using the footy a bit better.’’

Perkins started on a wing and played as a midfielder in the second half.

“He didn’t get a bucketload of the ball but he was up for the contest,’’ Bourke said.

He said Castan, tall and athletic, was similarly impressive, as a key defender.

“He’s a real competitor, and that’s certainly what we needed,’’ the coach said.

“He played on Sydney’s best forward from halfway through the second quarter and was really good. Showed good closing speed too.’’

Wingman Nick Burke captained the team for the first time and was judged the Dragons’ best player, ahead of ruckman Riley Bowman.

“His effort was enormous. Just ran all day, competed hard and led from the front,’’ Bourke said.

Yorke kicked three goals as a lead-up forward.

Bourke said the club was chuffed to have such strong representation at the Under 18 trials.

Mahony and Butler was mentioned in the best but Bourke said he’d had feedback but all 14 Dragons acquitted themselves well.

Sandringham Dragons 2.3, 5.5, 7.9, 12.11 (83)

Sydney Swans Academy 5.1, 10.4, 14.6, 16.9 (105)

Dragons goals: K. Yorke 3, A. Hanrahan 2, J. Florent 2, A. Perkins 2, H. Loughnan, L. Garnaut, R. Bowman

Best: N. Burke, R. Bowman, J. Le Grice, J. Castan, A. Perkins, K. Yorke