Vic Country’s Danny Frawley wants VFL players released for clash

NEW Victoria Country coach Danny Frawley has put the pressure on two VFL teams to not prevent two players taking the field against VAFA on Saturday.

Ready, coach: Danny Frawley (left) is preparing for his first game as new Vic Country coach. Picture: Michael Klein

NEW Victoria Country coach Danny Frawley has put the pressure on two VFL teams to not prevent two players taking the field against VAFA on Saturday.

Vic Country selectors were negotiating VFL availabilities and injuries at the start of the week as it prepares for its biennial clash for the Brian Molony Cup.

Question marks hang over St Mary’s player Sam Dobson and Yarrawonga’s Lachlan Howe, who are in line to take key roles in the forward line and ruck if available.

Dobson, whose brother Ben is also in the 26-man squad, kicked six goals for Geelong VFL on Saturday, his fourth appearance for the season, but attended Vic Country training on Sunday. Howe lined up for his second game this season for Collingwood on Sunday. Both were named in their sides’ best players, while Geelong hosts Collingwood on Saturday at Simonds Stadium.

“I hope Collingwood and Geelong don’t stand in these guys’ way,” Frawley said.

“They’ll understand, they’ll be picking their teams for the following week but the guys ­really want to play so it will be interesting to see how that unfolds.”

Sunday’s training session resulted in a hamstring injury to former AFL player Andy Collins, ruling the Sandhurst player and former Bridgewater premiership playing coach out of contention.

He joined Wandin’s Scott Dwyer as the latest in a string of casualties. Dwyer was ruled out after injuring his shoulder on Saturday in the last quarter against Monbulk in AFL Yarra Ranges Senior Football Division 1.

Dwyer had slotted six goals before he went down.

Meanwhile Brayden O’Hara did not make the trip south for Sunday’s training with Albury teammate Elliott Powell as he hoped to recover from back spasms in time to play this weekend.

In saying Dwyer was “shattered”, Frawley said he was “surprised by the willingness of the guys to play”.

“It’s been really good to see how keen the guys are to put on the Victorian Country jumper,” he said.

“It’s good for country footballers to play at this level and I’m sure a lot of people want to get down to Frankston, it will be a pretty good game.

“The Amateurs are celebrating 125 years this year, so they will be keen to put their best foot forward also.”

The squad will have a final training session tonight at Collingwood’s Holden Centre ­before an address from former Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw.

Bendigo’s Jack Geary and Geelong’s Rob Condy, Jason Davenport and Matt McMahon were in line for the captaincy, Frawley said, to be announced tonight. Geary and Condy were skipper and vice-captain last year. “We’re going to be pretty hard at it, competitive and a pretty good tackling side. We’re looking forward to seeing what the Amateurs have to offer,” Frawley said.

VIC COUNTRY v VAFA

Saturday, July 8, Frankston Park

Under-19: 11.30am

Seniors: 2pm

Rob Condy and Shaun Mannagh

VIC COUNTRY

COACH: Danny Frawley

SQUAD: Jarrah Maksymow (Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat), Brian Graham (Darley, Ballarat), Matt Thornton (Sandhurst, Bendigo), Tim Martin (Sandhurst, Bendigo), Jack Geary (Golden Square, Bendigo), Rob Condy (Newtown & Chilwell, Geelong), Jayden Symes (Geelong West Giants, Geelong), Sam Dobson (St Mary’s, Geelong), Ben Dobson (St Mary’s, Geelong), Jason Davenport (North Shore, Geelong), Matthew McMahon (Newtown & Chilwell, Geelong), Chris Moreland (Geelong West Giants, Geelong), Steven Stroobants (Rochester, Goulburn Valley), Nathan Marrone (Rochester, Goulburn Valley), Chris Ryan (Tatura, Goulburn Valley), Beau Cosson (Dromana, Nepean), Matt Dussin (Myrtleford, Ovens & Murray), Jonathon Spina (Lavington, Ovens & Murray), Lachlan Howe (Yarrawonga, Ovens & Murray), Michael Newton (Wangaratta, Ovens & Murray), Michael Bordignon (Wangaratta, Ovens & Murray), Jack Di Mizio (Wodonga Raiders, Ovens & Murray), Elliott Powell (Albury, Ovens & Murray), Brayden O’Hara (Albury, Ovens & Murray), Scott MacLeod (Frankston YCW, Peninsula), Scott Dwyer (Wandin, AFL Yarra Ranges)

VIC COUNTRY UNDER-19

COACH: Damian Sexton

B: Jackson McMahon (Traralgon, Gippsland), Nick Carlon (Edithvale-Aspendale, Peninsula), Jake Moorhead (Strathfieldsaye, Bendigo)

HB: Mitch Diamond (Newtown & Chilwell, Geelong), Ned Nihill (Nathalia, Murray), Jack Blood (St Mary’s, Geelong)

C: Jake Page (Albury, Ovens & Murray), Sean Downie (Rosebud, Nepean) (VC), Matthew LaFontaine (Frankston YCW, Peninsula)

HF: Brayden Coburn (Yarrawonga, Ovens & Murray), Daniel Hughes (Frankston YCW, Peninsula), Robert Turnbull (Mt Eliza, Peninsula)

F: Jackson McLachlan (St Joseph’s, Geelong), Will Robinson (Corowa-Rutherglen, Ovens & Murray), Luke Smith (Shepparton, Goulburn Valley)

Foll: Zachary Norris (Kyabram, Goulburn Valley), Brad Melville (Wangaratta, Ovens & Murray) (VC), Shaun Mannagh (North Albury, Ovens & Murray) ©

Int: Luke Paynter (Frankston YCW, Peninsula), Daniel Sharrock (Wangaratta, Ovens & Murray), Jake Kelly (Karingal, Peninsula), Hamish Coulton (Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat)