MORE than 80 footballers – some who have played at the sport’s highest level – are in the running to be part of the Central Murray Football Netball League’s team of the past 20 years.
A selection panel will pick a 22-player squad as part of the league’s celebrations to mark the competition’s formation in 1997.
The Mallee Eagles have the highest representation with 15 current and former footballers nominated, whilst Koondrook/Barham has the lowest number with three players in contention.
“Clubs we asked to nominate players that they thought were worthy of being in the best team in the last 20 years,” AFL Central Murray regional operations manager, David Alderuccio said.
Ten of the Cohuna Kangas’ team of the decade 1997-2006 feature in the club’s 12 nominations, with eight of Kerang’s 10 nominees featuring in the club’s four consecutive premiership wins achieved between 2012 and 2015.
Brent Guerra, Shane Guerra, Lucas Mathews make up the Raiders’ three nominations, with Guerra (Cohuna Kangas and Koondrook/Barham), Shaun Charles (Mallee Eagles/Lalbert and Woorinen), Shawn Filo (Cohuna Kangas and Kerang), Wes Lewis (Tyntynder and Woorinen) and Ash Thompson (Nyah-Nyah West United and Tooleybuc/Manangatang) dual nominees.
No Leitchville/Gunbower players were considered – despite the Bombers playing in the competition from 2002 to 2009 – with the league focusing on its current group of 11 teams.
Meanwhile, more than 30 A Grade netballers are in the running to be selected as part of the CMFNL’s netball team of the past 20 years.
Previous A Grade best and fairest winners and runners-up were automatically nominated, with six Kerang players in the running.
The Cohuna Kangas and Koondrook/Barham did not have any players eligible, with five-time A Grade best and fairest winner, Julie Wardle – who played for Lake Boga, Swan Hill and Tooleybuc/Manangatang – the sole nominee to be recognised by more than one club.
The teams will be announced on Friday, April 1.
NOMINATIONS
FOOTBALL
BALRANALD – Jason Dennis, Dane Fitzgerald, Ryan Harris, Eric Kuret, Gavin Lloyd, Garth Russell, Nivk Whiterod.
COHUNA KANGAS – Ash Byrne, Craig Cleave, Peter Doyle, Rick Easton, Shawn Filo, Angus Grigg, Shane Guerra, Gary Learmonth, Andy Stewart, Peter Taylor, Chris Waterson, Nathan Zerafa.
KERANG – Troy Coates, Alwyn Davey, Troy Davis, Shawn Filo, Chris Gibson, Ryan Gillingham, Troy Kelm, Luke Livingston, Jaden McGrath, Jon Murphy, Troy Thamm.
KOONDROOK/BARHAM – Brent Guerra, Shane Guerra, Lucas Mathews.
LAKE BOGA – Robbie Lee, Brock Parsons, Wes Pye, Nathan Quick.
MALLEE EAGLES/LALBERT – Peter Aikman, Greg Allen, Gerard Bibby, Lance Brown, Warren Carlyle, Sean Charles, Alan Davies, Cade Eavans, Marty Kelly, Stuart McGregor, Ash Meehan, Craig O’Meara, Dean O’Meara, Mark O’Meara, Daniel Ward.
NYAH-NYAH WEST UNITED – Jason Cockatoo, Mark Corrie, Matt Curran, Jason Kruegar, Danny O’Bree, Ash Thompson.
SWAN HILL – Cal Beasy, Dean Bennett, Justin Davies, Anthony Foott, Hugh Foott, Xavier Moloney.
TOOLEYBUC/MANANGATANG – Jarrod Arentz, Ryan O’Sullivan, Ash Thompson, Hayden Walters.
TYNTYNDER – Brad Carroll, Adam Kelly, Luke Kelly, Wes Lewis, Marcus Nalder, Luke O’Toole, Shane Palmer, Brad Ryan, Trevor Ryan.
WOORINEN – Glenn Boyd, Aaron Cadd, Sean Charles, Glenn Fitzpatrick, Shannon Goldsmith, Matt Iannucci, Wes Lewis, Dion Rhook, Victor Siciliano, Chris Wall.
NETBALL
KERANG – Rhona Freeman, Sharon Gillingham, Nicole Lomas, Chelsea Mathson, Sherly Pay.
LAKE BOGA – Julie Wardle (Roberts).
MALLEE EAGLES/LALBERT – Jane Aikman (O’Donnell), Sarah Young (O’Meara).
NYAH-NYAH WEST UNITED – Carly-Marie Clark, Louisa Curran, Jenny Kelly.
SWAN HILL – Madeline Nalder (Foott), Jacqui Scott (Blohm), Julie Wardle (Roberts).
TOOLEYBUC/MANANGATANG – Wel Henson (Wait), Zoe O’Sullivan (Livingston), Julie Wardle (Roberts).
TYNTYNDER – Hannah Collins (Bice), Sharon Denham, Jenny Gilbert, Tegan Lawry (Bice), Kerry Satori (Prince), Georgia Styles (Petzke).
WOORINEN – Honi Bergman, Tess Burton, Janelle Hogan, Naomi Lewis, Rachael McLaughlin (Morton), Gabe Mudge, Tayla Stanley, Chelsea Watson (Bird), Ange Young.
NOTE: Balranald, the Cohuna Kangas and Koondrook/Barham had no players eligible for nomination.
