2016 State Country Preliminary Squad Announced Tue, April 5, 2016 - 1:42 PM

 

The West Australian Country Football League is excited to announce a preliminary 53 man State Squad for the upcoming season.

The New Holland State Country program kicked off in January with a pre-season camp and has since held a pre-season match against the Claremont Football Club in which the side looked extremely professional. The remainder of the program will see the squad tackle the WAAFL Under 23’s on Friday 20 May, with a quick back up against the WA State 18’s on the 27 May at Fremantle Oval.

Undoubtedly the highlight of the program is the opportunity to face South Australia in a curtain raiser at Adelaide Oval (pictured) on Sunday 31 July and WA will be keen to overturn some recent defeats at the hands of the Croweaters.

Country Coach Craig Walker and his selection team have compiled an exciting squad highlighted by a number of former WAFL stars who are this year returning to country footy including former Peel Thunder captain Brendon Jones (pictured), ex Falcon Marc Crisp and former Tiger Matt Orzel.

African born, former South Fremantle utility, Paul Mugambwa (pictured) has kicked his country season off in style with an impressive performance for the Centrals in the Peel Football League and could be another valuable addition to the squad. 

Walker believed being announced in the squad was fantastic recognition for strong performances in the 2015 season and was pleased to see a number of high quality players from around the state putting their hand up to be involved in this year’s program. 

“The coaching and selectors groups have been really active this year and are keen to take the best possible side to Adelaide.  The opportunity to play on Adelaide Oval will be a once in a lifetime experience for the majority of the group.  The Leagues, Clubs and players have got behind the program so far this year which is a good sign.  We are confident that this year, if a player is keen to attend and in the best 22 country players in the state, they’ll be captured in the program.”

The squad is only preliminary with changes expected as selectors take a keen eye to this year’s regular season matches as well as Landmark Carnival and other interleague fixtures.  With all of the states 25 Country Leagues kicking of in the coming weeks, there will no doubt be more good players uncovered when fixtures are underway.

The initial 53 man squad consists of:

 

     

Ky

Anderson

PFL

Pinjarra

Chris

Andrew

SWFL

South Bunbury

Ty

Armitage

HBL

HBL

Luke

Bairstow

OFA

Lake Grace/ Pingrup

Josh

Bowe

SWFL

Halls Head

Mitchell

Brookes

AFA

Kellerberrin/Tammin

Jayden

Brooks

OFA

Jerramungup

Matt

Cavendon

SWFL

Carey Park

Jordan

Comeagain

GNFL

Mullewa

Marc

Crisp

EDFL

Kulin/ Kondinin

Brody

Culpitt

PFL

Halls Head

Mark

Deaves

UGSFL

Narrogin Hawks

Rohan

Farris

GNFL

Towns

Matt

Ferguson

GNFL

Chapman Valley

Brennan

Gillam

PFL

Pinjarra

Matthew

Giumelli

UGSFL

Boddington

James

Grabsky

EDFL

Kulin/ Kondinin

Mitch

Green

PFL

Pinjarra

Curtis

Gugliemana

SWFL

Donnybrook

Matthew

Harbeck

LSW

Imperials

Tom

Harper

PFL

Pinjarra

Lewis

Harvey

CMCFL

Cervantes

Brad

Holmes

PFL

South Mandurah

Alex

James

EDFL

Hyden/Karlgarin

Brendon

Jones

PFL

South Mandurah

Daniel

Leach

GNFL

Brigades

Jordan

McAllistar

EDFA

Ravensthorpe Tigers

Dylan

McCutcheon

NPFL

Dampier

Daniel

McGinlay

SWFL

Busselton

Brad

McNeill

MFL

Dalwallinu

Jon

Meadmore

SWFL

South Bunbury

Paul

Mugambwa

PFL

Centrals

Josh

Munns

CWFL

Beacon

Will

Oelsnik

SWFL

Eaton Boomers

Matt

Orzel

GSFL

North Albany

Simon

Parry

SWFL

Donnybrook

Tim

Renton

NPFL

Wickham

Michael

Russell

SWFL

Eaton

Kim

Schofield

GNFL

Railways

Matt

Scott

GFL

Boulder City

Caleb

Shadbolt

CWFL

Mukinbudin

Troy

Skilton

AFA

Cunderdin

Blake

Smith

CWFL

Mukinbuddin

James

Smith

AFA

Federals

Shaun

Smith

AFA

Federals

Johnson

Taylor

EDFL

Bruce Rock

Leith

Teakle

GNFL

Brigades

Kurt

Tropiano

SWFL

Bunbury

James

Venturini

AFA

Kellerberrin/Tammin

Teke

Vernon

UGSFL

Williams

Jacob

Williams

PFL

Pinjarra

Dale

Williamson

GNFL

Brigades

Chad

Wrigley

PFL

Waroona

The WACFL would like to congratulate the above players for being acknowledged with selection in the program thus far.  We would also like to thank New Holland for the ongoing support of our country program. For more information, please contact Brent Sheridan at bsheridan@wafc.com.au or 9287 5584 

Brendon Jones Image (Simon Santi / WA News)

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