Two Goulburn Valley League young guns have been recognised for their outstanding football seasons.
Throughout 2024, Murray Bushrangers’ Holly Egan has established herself as an outright junior football star.
The gun defender captained the Bushrangers Girls Under-18s side and averaged 24 disposals and six tackles over 13 games while floating across half-back.
This phenomenal season from Egan has led to the young gun Shepparton United product being invited to the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft Combine.
This will be the first season that the AFLW will use a national draft combine in addition to state combine events.
The national combine will be held from October 4-6.
On the first two days - Friday and Saturday - player-club interviews will be held at the MCG before physical testing at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Sunday.
The physical testing will feature tests on players’ vertical jump, running vertical jump, 20-metre sprint, agility test and a 2km time trial.
47 players have been nominated, based on registered interest from AFLW clubs, to the national combine.
Egan was part of Vic Country’s Under-18 squad that competed at the National Championships in July-August.
The star defender impressed, collecting 20 disposals and four tackles against Queensland, 12 disposals and five tackles against Vic Metro and 14 disposals and two clearances against Western Australia.
Egan will be hoping to join her sister Grace in the AFLW next season, with Grace having already spent six seasons in the league playing for Richmond and Carlton.
Bushrangers coach Emma Mackie said Egan is part of the next generation of football talent that is ready to make an immediate impact in the AFLW.
“The Coates Talent League and talent pathway we have provided, you are now seeing ready-made draftees coming and having an impact,” Mackie said.
“Girls that have come through our program, such as (Zarlie) Goldsworthy for GWS, she has come in and is impacting.
“I think Holly will fit right in, and to be honest, Holly will lift to that (AFLW) standard quite comfortably; that is the type of player she is.
“The better or higher the standard is, the better she is able to perform.”
Throughout the season, Mackie said that Egan has been able to add more strings to her bow that would have impressed recruiters.
“When (Egan) has ball in hand, the decisions she is able to make and she seems to be able to slow the play down in a way that it almost looks in slow motion when Holly has the ball,” she said.
“That is how comfortable and good she is.
“Holly’s intercept marking and her marking as well have come such a long way, she has such strong hands and her confidence is really high in that - that is something clubs will notice.
“One thing she has worked on and improved on this year is that pressure in the backline and her tackling.”
In other news, tall midfielder Riley Onley has been selected for the 2024 Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match.
The game is played as a curtain raiser for the AFL grand final and features the country’s best 46 under-17 football prospects.
At 194cm, Onley is the modern prototype for a damaging contested midfielder.
This season, the Shepparton United product has impressed as an under-ager in the Coates Talent League, averaging 17 disposals.
The young gun also played three games for Vic Country at the National Championships as an under-ager, averaging 15 touches.
Onley’s best game at the championships came against the Allies, with the midfield bull collecting 20 disposals and seven clearances.