By Brett Stubbs
THE 2005 Devils have set a club record for VFL representation, with five players selected for Saturday's game against the SANFL at Melbourne's TEAC Oval.
Usual representatives, captain Ben Beams and wingman Ben Atkin, have been joined by full-back Mathew Jovanovic, goalkicking on-baller Ian Callinan and experienced midfielder Ken Hall when the squad was cut from 38 to 25 yesterday.
And it could have been six, with forward Justin Plapp unlucky to miss the game with a slight hamstring strain.
Even with one win from six games, the Devils' five representatives is the highest of any club, ahead of Werribee (four), North Ballarat (three) and Bendigo (three).
Jovanovic, 22, said it was "bloody excellent'' to get five Devils into the team.
"It just goes to show the depth of the club,'' said the 189cm, 92kg key defender.
"It doesn't show how we have been performing this year but it shows there is some talent here to have five in there, and `Plappy' would have made it six if he wasn't injured.''
The game will be watched by AFL scouts because the curtain-raiser is an under-22 representative game, with players requiring interest from three AFL clubs to be selected.
But Jovanovic, who transferred down from Geelong's VFL side prior to last season, said he was fairly pessimistic about his chances of getting drafted.
"I think I am clutching at straws at the moment,'' he said. "It would be great if something was to happen, but I am not really getting my hopes up to be honest.''
The Devils also have three players in the under-22 game in Nathan Grima, Brett Robinson and Markham Johnson.
Devils coach Mathew Armstrong said he was delighted with the selections.
"That is a great sign that we have got eight blokes playing representative footy this weekend,'' Armstrong said. "That is fantastic.
"I am going over and I am petrified that they will get injured.
"But you have to let them play at the highest level.''
The Devils' season resumes on May 27 with a Friday night game against Bendigo at Launceston's Aurora Stadium.
To see the squads for Saturday's Game's, click on the following link:
Last Modified on 18/05/2005 10:05