Interleague: Ovens & Murray and Goulburn Valley to meet again at Wangaratta

Players destined for higher honours will be on show again in an interleague match-up that continues to showcase the best country talent. See the selected teams.

Ovens & Murray will unleash another wave of young talent including two in-form Lavington ball magnets against arch rival Goulburn Valley at Wangaratta on Saturday.

Post-Covid clashes between the two country footy powerhouses for the Ash-Wilson Trophy have helped unearth Sydney Swans rookie Riley Bice and Port Adelaide’s Joe Richards.

The O&M’s latest line-up includes Tom Capellarri, Josh Murphy and Noah Bradshaw, who have played at VFL level this season.

Part of the next crop to be exposed on the interleague stage are Lavington pair Jack Costello and Alex Swinnerton and Wangaratta duo Harrison Hewitt and Xavier Laverty.

Goulburn Valley’s Bryce Stephenson, right, has been picked to play again. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Costello and Swinnerton play under former Sydney and St Kilda player Adam Schneider at Lavington with Costello ranked in the league’s top-10 for disposals, tackles and marks.

GV has also headed down the youth path with Kyabram’s Archie Watt, Shepparton Swans’ Oliver Warburton and Shepparton United pair Caiden Phillips and Kade Chalcraft among more than 10 debutants.

“We feel we’ve got a good mix of youth and experience,” O&M coach Jake Sharp said.

“We started with a list of 40 and by the end of it our list of available players was 34.

“Across a three-week period considering injuries and unavailabilities we had a really good squad to pick from.

“We just wanted to reward blokes who have been playing some really good football at local level.”

Former GV best and fairest Ben Rigoni has also been picked to make his O&M debut after joining North Albury this season.

GV star Hugh Byrne has been ruled out with injury. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

GV suffered a major blow in the lead-up with Echuca key forward Hugh Byrne ruled out with a shoulder injury, leaving the winner of the last three flags without a representative.

In his absence the goalkicking load will fall on Shepparton’s Lewis McShane and Benalla’s Nathan Wright.

McShane has kicked 25 goals this season and Wright booted eight against finals contender Rochester a fortnight ago.

O&M leads GV 2-1 in the last three encounters played the two leagues.

O&M coach Jake Sharp, left. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

THE TEAMS

OVENS & MURRAY

B: Jack Costello (Lavington), Charlie Morrison (Wodonga), Zac Pethybridge (Myrtleford)

HB: Cody Schutt (Corowa-Rutherglen), Ned Pendergast (Yarrawonga), Liam McCarthy (Corowa-Rutherglen)

C: Harrison Hewitt (Wangaratta), Noah Bradshaw (Wodonga), Tom O’Sullivan (Wodonga)

HF: Jaxon East (Myrtleford), Xavier Laverty (Wangaratta), Shaun Driscoll (Lavington)

F: Corey Rich (Wodonga Raiders), Kaelen Bradtke (Corowa-Rutherglen), Alex Swinnerton (Lavington)

FOLL: Will Christie (Wangaratta Rovers), Ben Rigoni (North Albury), Tom Capellarri (Myrtleford)

INTER: Simon Curtis (Myrtleford), Archer Gardiner (North Albury), Josh Murphy (North Albury), Jacob Conlan (Albury)

EMERG: Bowen Calogero (Myrtleford), Alex McCarthy (Wangaratta Rovers), Foster Gardiner (North Albury), Nick Bracher (Wodonga Raiders), Ben Coghill (Yarrawonga)

Coach: Jake Sharp

Myrtleford’s Simon Curtis has been selected to represent O&M. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

GOULBURN VALLEY

B: Nick Warnock (Benalla), Aidan Robinson (Kyabram), Caiden Phillips (Shepparton United)

HB: Cohen Paul (Euroa), Bryce Stephenson (Shepparton), Ben Hicks (Mooroopna)

C: Oliver Warburton (Shepparton Swans), Archie Watt (Kyabram), Kade Chalcraft (Shepparton United)

HF: Ned Byrne (Shepparton), Nathan Wright (Benalla), Nathan Beattie (Seymour)

F: Nathan Rachele (Shepparton Swans), Lewis McShane (Shepparton), Zac Norris (Kyabram)

FOLL: Ash Holland (Shepparton), Nic Quigg (Seymour), Mitchell Trewhella (Rochester)

INTER: Jed Woods (Mooroopna), Jacob Watts (Shepparton), Jesse Cucinotta (Shepparton United), Charlie Barnett (Kyabram)

EMERG: Dom Gugliotti (Mooroopna), Mark Marriott (Benalla)

Coach: Dale Osborne