GVL announces interleague side

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.

Jack Evans and Riley Smith will reprise their roles in the GVL squad for 2024, having been involved in the heart-breaking seven-point loss to O&M last season.

Evans in particular 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, and will no doubt feature heavily again as he looks to help the side reclaim the Ash-Wilson trophy for the first time in over a decade.

Smith was also busy last season in the purple and gold, collecting 10 touches, four inside-50s and a score involvement, and will return for a third consecutive appearance in the GVL senior squad.

The pair will have no shortage of Echuca teammates to turn to on the day, with Hugh Byrne, Matt Lias, Liam Tenace, Jack McHale and Cameron Valentine all receiving the call up to represent the league.

Mooroopna and Mansfield each had four players selected for the squad, while Rochester and Shepparton United are the only two sides to not have a representative.

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, etc 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, specifically from Rochester given their recent form, Lambourn said a number of Tigers were looked at, and welcomed any conversation surrounding the interleague format.

“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, they’re in good form and there’s quite a lot of youth in the team.”

With a number of players opting not to participate for a variety of reasons, as well as players 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.