BY NATHAN DOLE
Central teams with Rivers to take on Sunraysia
THE Central Murray and Golden Rivers football leagues have teamed up to tackle Sunraysia in this Saturday’s inter-league football action in Mildura.
It will be a big day of footy action at Mildura Sporting Precinct as Sunraysia and Central Rivers will play an under-15 girls match from 11.15am and under-14 boys match from 12.30pm.
The senior footy clash starts at 2.30pm.
Inter-league footy returns to Mildura for the first time in five years.
Sunraysia coach Don Falvo and Central/Rivers coach Marcus Demaria are rapt the clash is on.
In 2019 the Marcus Demaria-coached Central Murray scored a nine-point victory against Gippsland at Cohuna.
Although he’s busy with coaching commitments with Woorinen, Demaria was keen to be involved with the inter-league campaign.
He takes charge of a strong line-up that includes Nyah Nyah West United’s Brandyn Grenfell at full-forward, the versatile Mitch Christensen from Koondrook Barham, and Kerang’s Sean Hunter.
A first-year player with the NNWU Demons, Grenfell was a century goalkicker in the past two years as Marong charged to premiership glory in the Loddon Valley.
Balranald team-mates Drew Lloyd, Ryan Middlebrook, Harrison Soraggi and Jordan Wilkins will join forces with Woorinen stars Arnold Kirby, Henry Thompson, Jye Barry, Lachlan Warburton and Matthew Gardner.
The form of Ultima’s Darcy Farrell in the Kangaroos’ charge to second in the Golden Rivers competition earned selection for the big clash.
Most recent meeting between Central Murray and Sunraysia was six years ago.
The Two Blues beat Sunraysia by 41 points at Swan Hill Recreation Reserve.
Playing Sunryasia on its turf will be a tough prospect for the Central/Rivers squad.
The 69 games of AFL experience that Sam Kerridge racked up in stints with Adelaide and Carlton is a huge plus for Sunryasia.
After a stint as playing coach at White Hills, Kerridge played for Alexandra in the AFL Outer East and then returned to his old hometown of Mildura to play for the Mildura Demons.
A first-year coach at Irymple, Jake Thrum was best afield in Bendigo’s big win against Outer East in Bendigo five years ago.
Irymple is second after 12 rounds in this season’s Sunraysia action.
Thrum was one of the stars in Golden Square’s run to last September’s premiership victory.
Links to Bendigo in the Sunraysia team to play on Saturday include Matt Chisari and Nick Mee.
Both played for Bendigo Pioneers in what was the TAC Cup, now known as Coates Talent League.
Chisari has returned to Merbein Magpies after stints with Boort and South Bendigo.
Mee is one of the most experienced players in the Sunraysia team and still playing a key role as Irymple chases a premiership hat-trick.
Central Murray/Golden Rivers senior team:
Balranald: Drew Lloyd, Ryan Middlebrook, Harrison Soraggi, Jordan Wilkins.
Kerang: Sean Hunter.
Koondrook Barham: Mitch Christensen.
Lake Boga: Nathaniel Holmes-Brown.
Mallee Eagles: Harry Allen.
Nyah Nyah West United: Charlie Boulton, Brandyn Grenfell, Joel Walsh.
Swan Hill: Jarvis Keogh.
Tyntynder: Isaiah Bull, Roy George, Jayden Magro, Elia Ware, Marcus Wattie.
Ultima: Darcy Farrell.
Woorinen: Jye Barry, Matthew Gardner, Arnold Kirby, Henry Thompson, Lachlan Warburton.
Coach: Marcus Demaria, Woorinen.
Sunraysia senior team:
Imperials: Jayden Fox, Ben Galbraith, Regan Scott.
Irymple: Alex Hollingworth, Nick Mee, Jake Thrum.
Merbein: Matt Chisari, Matt Rix, Vincent Rodi, Kyle Stevens, Daniel Tung.
Mildura: Elijah Brown, Sam Kerridge, Mitch Rogerson.
Red Cliffs: Tyson Old, Jack Parker, Peter Tuifao.
Robinvale-Euston: Dion Camera, Ricardo Lipatora, Joe Mezzatesta, Braidyn Turner, James Zappia.
South Mildura: Sam Kalbfell, Jonah Licht.
Under-15 girls
Sunraysia
Pippa Anderson, Morgan Barnes, Livinia Fitzgerald, Zalia Fleri, Ashlee Glare, Juliet Goldsmith, Akelia Harris, Jamie Jonas, Eve Jukes, Eloise Kalms, Chloe Martin, Remie McClelland, Georgia McEwin, Ellie McKiernan, Chloe Morello, Eadie Neagle, Scarlett Quinlivan, Charli Searle, Tayah Shaw, Kylah Sutton, Nerida Taylor, Matilda Wilson, Jaida Wright, Shylah Yates.
Central Rivers
Tyler Arnett, Sunny Barry, Ruby Butler, Charli Conway, Mayla Conway, Janaya Corr, Amalia McDonald, Tayla O’Connell, Prue O’Sullivan, Remi Pickering, Reve O’Toole, Carly Shepherd, Jenna Stewart, Kieley Styles, Sarah Vrolijks, Sophie Watts, Meg Young.
Under-14 boys
Sunryasia
Paddy Connelly, Michael Falvo, Jed Ferguson, Christian Garreffa, Levi Geister, Cameron Johns, Liam Lavery, Chris Liu, Joseph Ludica, Aijay McDonald, Jimmy Milsom, Frankie Mitchell, Riley Moore, Angus Nichols, Thomas O’Callaghan, Matthew Pajongdee, Darcy Plant, Lucas Sinclair, Biagio Tabacco, Billy Vallender, Nat Wade, Elijah Weinert, Kai Wethers, Rhett Wescombe, Alby Woollard.
Central Rivers
Charlie Blake, Samuel Brown, Jaron Cardenas, Rory Davies, Noah Elliott, Oscar Greenwood, Matthew Haines, Clem Harris, Reid Jolliffe, Jarra Kelly, Jimmy Kelly, Oscar Kingwill, Jedd Morris, Callum Muir, Noah Pearson, Nate Pretty, Seth Rowe, Beau Roberts, Kai Roberts, Lenny Ryan, Owen Uebergang, Harper Wilson.
Emergencies: Brodie Hall, Harry Hunter, Mitchell Kelly, Thomas Robertson.