By Nick Creely
The preparations for Saturday’s massive Interleague clash with AFL Yarra Ranges are almost finalised, with the South East FNL reducing its squad down to 27 players.
The final squad – likely to be named later this week – will be dependent on the VFL players in the squad and whether they will be selected for state level football on the weekend.
South East coach Rhys Nisbet is thrilled with the squad he has assembled, and can’t wait to get out there and test the side’s mettle.
“We can’t wait – we’ve had a really good response from the players and coaches this year, and we were conscience of picking the best side we could, and we got that, so it’s great,” he said.
“We’re really keen to get out there and show our stuff.”
In what looks like a high quality group of players, the most notable name on the list is that of Cranbourne champion Marc Holt, who got through his first game back unscathed on the weekend. Superstars Madi Andrews, Ash Smith, Brad Scalzo and Trent Cody all appear to be locks to line up on Saturday, as they look to bounce back from last year’s 18-point defeat to Hampden.
But the most interesting and fascinating part of what is set to be a blockbuster clash is the fact that both competitions are likely to be one in 2019 as talks of divisional football ramps up, something not lost on Nisbet.
“We’ve thought about it a little bit, it’s something playing on our minds – we’re trying to stay focused on what we’re doing and what we’re about and hopefully we can get the right result,” he said.
The clash between the two competitions will begin at 10.50am at Holm Park in Beaconsfield, following the under-19s from 9am, and is the curtain raiser for the VFL clash between Richmond and Sandringham.
The South East FNL senior squad:
Dillan Bass (Cranbourne)
Ash Smith (Berwwick)
Daniel Johnson (Beaconsfield)
Tim Gunn (Berwick)
Gach Nyuon (Doveton)
Trent Shinners (Narre Warren)
Marc Holt (Cranbourne)
Matt Clarke (Officer)
Jesse Davies (Narre Warren)
Tom Miller (Narre Warren)
Jake Bowd (Beaconsfield)
Michael Collins (Narre Warren)
JJ Peni (Pakenham)
Lucas Jellyman-Turner (Berwick)
Anthony Vella (Cranbourne)
Trent Cody (Narre Warren)
Luke Sheppard (Berwick)
Ryan Jones (Cranbourne)
Tom Brennan (Berwick)
Michael Riseley (Berwick)
Jesse Longmuir (Officer)
Madi Andrews (Berwick)
Mitch Cox (Narre Warren)
Sean Dwyer (Beaconsfield)
Luke Bee-Hugo (Cranbourne)
Mitch Cotter (Doveton)
Brad Scalzo (Narre Warren)
