Goulburn Valley: Echuca premiership quartet make VFL lists

Major stars from Victoria’s country footy leagues figure prominently in the final lists for VFL clubs across the state.

Victorian Country major league stars figure prominently in the final player lists submitted by Melbourne-based Victorian Football League clubs.

Goulburn Valley league premiers Echuca has players on the primary lists at Carlton, Footscray and Geelong with Angus Byrne named captain of the Cats’ VFL line-up.

Echuca’s Angus Byrne will captain the Geelong VFL team this year. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Logan Prout has joined Carlton and Sam Willoughby has been recruited by Footscray.

The trio played in Echuca’s premiership team last season along with Riley Smith, who has also been named on Footscray’s development list.

Gisborne star Brad Bernacki is back for another season at Essendon along with two other Bendigo league stars, Strathfieldsaye duo Callum McCarty and Jake Moorhead.

Moorhead won the Bendigo league’s Michelsen Medal last year.

Strathfieldsaye's Jake Moorhead will play for Essendon in the VFL this season. Picture: SSA Imaging

Dual Geelong league Mathieson Medal winner Harry Benson has been recruited by the Cats VFL side this year.

Former Ovens and Murray league players dominate leadership positions at Werribee with Albury’s Nick Coughlan named captain and North Albury’s Dom Brew and Lavington’s Shaun Mannagh chosen as vice-captains.

Albury rising star Riley Bice has been named on GWS’ primary list.

PRIMARY LIST PLAYERS

BOX HILL

Patrick Naish (Wangaratta), Callum Porter (Officer)

CARLTON

Zavier Maher (Shepparton United), Luke Parks (Warrnambool), Archie Stevens (South Warrnambool), Logan Prout (Echuca)

CASEY

Riley Baldi (Moe), Heath Briggs (Cora Lynn), Charlie Muley (Berwick)

COBURG

Daniel Johnston (Mooroopna)

COLLINGWOOD

Sam Glover (North Ballarat), Lachlan Tardew (Sandhurst), Tom Wilson (Myrtleford), Jake Long (Bacchus Marsh), Josh Eyre (Warragul)

Gisborne’s Brad Bernacki is playing for Essendon VFL again this season. Picture: Aaron Cook

ESSENDON

Brad Bernacki (Gisborne), Will Golds (Kyabram), Will Madden (Redan), Callum McCarty, Jake Moorhead (Strathfieldsaye), Harry Minton-Connell (Sunbury)

FOOTSCRAY

Josh Chatfield (North Ballarat), Caleb Poulter (Wandin/Wonthaggi), Jay Rantall (South Warrnambool), Ned Harris (Newtown & Chilwell), Sam Willoughby (Echuca)

FRANKSTON

Has built its list with players predominantly from southeast suburban and Mornington Peninsula region players.

GEELONG

Brayden Ham (St Mary’s), Tynan Smith (Torquay), Daniel Capiron (St Joseph’s), Darby Schilder (Modewarre), Matty Lloyd (Newtown & Chilwell), Bailey Van De Heuvel (Ballarat Swans), Jye Chalcraft (Shepparton United), Harry Benson (St Mary’s), Mitch Chafer (Grovedale), Benjamin Worme (Bell Park), Tom Feely (Leopold), Will Christie (Wangaratta Rovers), Ben Lloyd (Bell Park), Lewis Antonac (St Joseph’s), Angus Byrne (Echuca)

NORTH MELBOURNE

Jarrod Lienert (Bairnsdale)

NORTHERN BULLANTS

Liam Mackie (Mooroopna)

PORT MELBOURNE

Cody Hennes (Sale), Zach Walter (Newtown & Chilwell), Jackson Weidemann (North Albury)

Cam Olden playing for Leongatha in last year’s Gippsland league grand final. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

RICHMOND

Brad Melville (Wangaratta), Cam Olden (Leongatha)

SANDRINGHAM

Phil Moi Moi (Geelong West)

Shaun Mannagh celebrates with Luke Garland in Lavington’s 2019 grand final win. Mannagh will be vice-captain of Werribee this year. Picture: Mark Jesser, The Border MailMust credit)

WERRIBEE

Bailey Henderson (Castlemaine), Michael Sodomaco (St Joseph’s), Tom Gribble (Newtown & Chilwell), Nick Coughlan (Albury), Shaun Mannagh (Lavington), Jack Henderson (St Mary’s), Louis Pinnuck (Seymour), Matthew Hanson (Myrtleford), Keegan Gray (Bell Park), Nathan Cooper (Wangaratta Rovers), Sam Azzi, Dom Brew (North Albury), Jay Dahlhaus, Jesse Clark (Sebastopol), Jack Riding (North Ballarat), Charlie Ham (Torquay), David Handley (Geelong West)

WILLIAMSTOWN

Marty Hore (Echuca), Tom Downie (Benalla), Finbar O’Dwyer (Yarrawonga), Jake Greiser (Melton), Joel Ottavi (Bunninyong), Darby Henderson (Echuca), Robert Paradzayi (South Barwon), Yilber Zijai (Kilcunda Bass)