The Goulburn Valley League announced on Monday night the 26 players to make up the senior squad for the interleague match against the Ovens and Murray League on May 25.
The GVL will host the clash this year at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton, having last year travelled to Albury for the fixture.
With the Murray Bombers the two-time reigning GVL premiers, it is unsurprising that coaches Sam Reid (Echuca) and Mark Lambourn have chosen seven Echuca players for the squad, the most of any team.
In total, 10 of the league’s 12 clubs have representation within the side, with only Shepparton United and Rochester snubbed in the final squad.
The omission of Tigers talent is particularly notable given their remarkable recent victory over Echuca — but as Lambourn would explain, this was not a deliberate act.
Echuca’s Jack Evans starred as the GVL’s best player in the loss, with the young gun booting a game-high four goals, including a go-ahead goal on the run from 50 metres out to hand his side the lead after being down by 35 points early in the contest.
Finishing the day with 4.1 from 16 disposals, six contested possessions, three tackles and seven inside 50s, Evans was instrumental in the GVL resurgence.
Mooroopna and Mansfield each had four players selected for the squad, rewarding their respective sides’ impressive bouts of form early on in 2024.
Lambourn said it was tough to pick a balanced squad, with a glut of talented midfielders in the GVL this year.
“If we wanted to pick the best 20 footballers, they’re probably all midfielders and we don’t need the 20 best midfielders, we need the best or most in-form backmen, wingmen, so it’s a real balancing act,” he said.
“It’s no good having a midfielder lining up in a back pocket when they aren’t there normally; we want to pick a team that balances out right across the board.”
With some chatter about the absence of some players, Lambourn said a number of additional stars were looked at, and welcomed any conversation surrounding who lines up in the interleague format.
Goulburn Valley League Senior Interleague Squad
Coaches — Sam Reid and Mark Lambourn
Mark Marriott (Benalla), Hugh Byrne, Jack Evans, Matthew Lias, Jack McHale, Riley Smith, Liam Tenace, Cam Valentine (Echuca), Max Gleeson, Jett Trotter (Euroa), Anthony Depasquale, Kaine Herbert (Kyabram), Ben Christopher, Jayden Howes, Dirk Koenen, Harry Mahoney (Mansfield), Isaac Dowling, Coby James, Daniel Johnston, Jed Woods (Mooroopna), Tom Maloney, Riley Mason (Seymour), Joel Brett, Bryce Stephenson (Shepparton), Max Clohesy (Shepp Swans), Brad Ryan (Tatura)
“The beauty of interleague is that people get talking about it; if that causes conversation or talk and gets people talking about interleague, that’s a good thing,” he said.
“(Rochester’s) Mitch Cricelli declined with some injury problems, so there are probably as many players who’ve said they’re unavailable or looking for a break.
“The guys in the squad are in good form, and there’s quite a lot of youth in the team.”
With a number potentially playing VFL, Lambourn said that the side that takes to the field will be the best possible team he and Reid can assemble on the day.
Lambourn, who very nearly coached the side to victory last year, said he expects the O&M side to face the same predicament in a number of topliners being unavailable.
“I’ve got no doubt the O&M would be on the same boat as we are; at the end of the day we’ll both field the best possible team out there,” he said.
“What the guys gave out there last year we couldn’t ask for any more, we’ll have some meetings along the way and the guys will inform us of how they want to play and we’ll adapt.
“May the best team win.”
The senior netball side is set to be announced in the coming days.