Fifty- eight of the league’s best players have been named in the initial Senior Interleague squad as the WRFL prepares to take on the Eastern Football League in this year’s AFL Vic Metro Championships.
Led by 2014 representative coach Brett Jacobs, the squad consists of a host of quality players hailing from 11 individual clubs.
With an average age of 24, WRFL Football Operations Manager Dave Newton says the initial squad has the versatility and skills to match it with the best.
“We had an average age of 27 last year, so combining a few younger names with the talent of our more experienced players will no doubt be of great benefit to Brett and the rest of the coaching panel when selecting the final squad.”
A number of new faces will have the opportunity to pull on the representative jumper for the first time, with only 25 per cent of the 2014 representative team set to return.
Of the 58-man squad are Barry Priest Medallists’ Matthew Dean (Werribee Districts), Tim Jenkins (St.Albans) and Russell Douglas (Sunshine), while 2014 Alan Smith medallist Chris Muratore (Parkside) has also been named.
Leadership will be in high supply with eight 2014 captains named in the initial group, while former AFL players Wayde Skipper (Hoppers Crossing) and Jayden Post’s (Altona) elite football experience will be an advantage to the group.
Two-time premiership captain Chris Stewart is one of nine Deer Park players which have been selected in the preliminary squad, while 2014 VFL Premiership player Michael Fogarty will join seven Spotswood teammates to make up the list.
With 2014 Senior Interleague captain Jason Cloke moving on from the WRFL this season, the race for captaincy will also be hotly contended.
“There is certainly a host of very talented players who are all extremely qualified to lead the interleague squad this year, which will make the selectors’ job that much harder,” Newton said.
“We have already engaged with the leaders from 2014 and expressed our intent to involve them significantly in our 2015 planning.”
Senior interleague training is set to commence in mid-February ahead of the March 28 clash at VISY PARK.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 58-MAN SQUAD
Last Modified on 30/01/2015 13:36