There will be more than a dozen new players in the purple and yellow of the Goulburn Valley League for the annual Interleague fixture against the Ovens and Murray League on Saturday.
And three of the best players on the ground from last year’s 15-point GVL win are now playing in other leagues.
New GVL coach Dale Osborne has just seven players from last year’s winning team in his squad for the Ash-Wilson Trophy game at Wangaratta’s WJ Findlay Oval.
The GVL played a high-possession game against their opponent, taking 53 more uncontested marks and finishing the match +59 for disposals.
Despite losing both the hit-outs and the clearances, the GVL had seven more inside 50s and had the better of the umpiring – winning that count +10.
Matt Lias, playing with Echuca at the time and now with Murray League club Echuca United, was the highest-ranking point player on the ground. He had 33 disposals, five tackles, six clearances and kicked a goal in his 147-point game.
Harry Mahoney, who has played one game with Mansfield this year and last week kicked three goals for Collingwood’s VFL team, had 125 ranking points and Keelin Betson had 24 disposals and five clearances in his 113-point game.
Also missing are Daniel Johnston (nine goals in five games for Sunbury in the Ballarat League), Riley Mason (17 goals in six games with Collingwood in the VFL this year) and Cooper Willoughby (13 goals in three games for Deniliquin Rams in the Murray League).
The players in this year’s squad who were part of that winning team are Bryce Stevenson, Hugh Byrne, Nathan Beattie, Anthony Depasquale (who kicked three goals and had 17 disposals last year), Jed Woods, Max Clohesy and Coby James.
Depasquale is likely to play for Werribee in the VFL, but at the time of publication was still being considered for selection.
Here is a likely line-up for the GVL:
Backs: Nick Warnock (Ben), Aiden Robinson (Ky), Caiden Phillips (United)
Half-backs: Cohen Paul (Euroa), Bryce Stevenson (Bears), Ben Hicks (Moor)
Centres: Oliver Warburton (Swans), Archie Watt (Ky), Kade Chalcraft (United)
Half-forwards: Ned Byrne (Shep), Hugh Byrne (Ech), Nathan Beattie (Sey)
Forwards: Nathan Wright (Ben), Lewis McShane (Bears), Zac Norris (Ky)
Followers: Ash Holland (Bears), Nic Quigg (Sey), Mitch Trewhella (Roch)
Interchange (from): Jed Woods (Moor), Nathan Rachele (Swans), Jacob Watts (Bears), Jesse Cucinotta (United)
Emergencies: Mark Marriott (Ben), Max Clohesy (Swans), Ben Darrou (Tat), Coby James (Moor), Anthony Depasquale (Kya), Dom Gugliotti (Moor)
