BY NATHAN DOLE
Leagues vie to be best on Mercy Junortoun ovals
MANY of the best players from the Central Victoria, Goulburn Murray, and North East Border senior women’s and under-18 girls footy leagues will compete at Junortoun this Sunday.
The annual inter-league challenge will be played at the Mercy Sports Precinct for the first time.
A big day of action starts at 10am with games to be played on Howard and O’Keefe ovals.
Under the inter-league format teams will play two matches each and the top two advance to the grand final.
Six of the nine clubs in the CVFL senior competition are represented in Sunday’s match.
Premiers of the past two seasons, Castlemaine will have Lily den Houting and Eloise Gretgrix in action.
Highest tally of players to represent the CVFL is six from Golden Square, while Bendigo Thunder and Eaglehawk had four selected.
A league newcomer, Sandhurst’s quartet to play includes Lily Campbell and Piper Dunlop.
North Bendigo has three players who earned a berth in the 26-player squad.
The squad representing the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy competition will again be coached by Hawthorn premiership player Rick Ladson.
It’s a busy time for Ladson as he is also coaching Bridgewater in the Loddon Valley FNL senior competition.
A wingman in Hawthorn’s grand final victory in 2008, Ladson later returned to Golden Square where he was a premiership player and coach.
On Sunday he teams up with Bulldogs’ premiership team-mate Simon Rosa who will be assistant coach for the CVFL senior women’s team.
Six clubs are represented in the under-18 girls team coached by Andrew Reid.
Players to watch include Castlemaine’s Chloe Butcher, Eaglehawk’s Neve Nisbet, Golden Square’s Ava Barker and Gemma McPhee, and Sandhurst’s Hannah Cochrane.
The CVFL also has Strathfieldsaye Storm’s Alysha Boyd and Maddie Dunn teaming up with White Hills stars Eve Cail and Jorja Morrison.
The Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s squad:
Bendigo Thunder: Britney Mueck, Lucy El Hage, Greta Murphy, Shae Murphy.
Castlemaine: Eloise Gretgrix, Lily Den Houting.
Eaglehawk: Emily Field, Eliza Long, Molly Metcalf, Lexie Moss.
Golden Square: Isabella Ayre, Courtney Hingston, Paynton Jolliffe, Gemma Roberts, Liz Watkins, Victoria Winstanley.
North Bendigo: Kira Gibbons, Quetta Holloway-Jinks, Maddie Jelbart.
Sandhurst: Lily Campbell, Piper Dunlop, Madi Sexton, Maddy White.
Emergencies are Jaime Sawers from Bendigo Thunder, Castlemaine’s Bronte Ashworth, and Eaglehawk’s Molly Pianta.
Coach: Rick Ladson.
Assistant coach: Simon Rosa.
CVFL under-18 squad:
Castlemaine: Tegan Barry, Amelia Britt, Chloe Butcher, Chelsea Cole, Lori Whaley.
Eaglehawk: Neve Nisbet.
Golden Square: Ava Barker, Bella Eddy, Mackenzie Bickley, Ella Gourley, Lily Mansfield, Gemma McPhee.
Sandhurst: Hannah Cochrane.
Strathfieldsaye: Alysha Boyd, Maddie Dunn, Gemma Fox, Scarlett Ward.
White Hills: Jayda Alford, Eve Cail, Mia Clark, Chelsea Edwards, Jorja Morrison.
Emergencies are Eaglehawk’s Taylor Collier, Castlemaine’s Kate Batchelor, and Kiara Field from White Hills.
Coach: Andrew Reid.
Assistant coach: Jordan Cochrane.
Manager: Paul Whitford.
Schedule for Sunday’s matches at Mercy Junortoun Sports Precinct on McIvor Road, Junortoun:
Seniors on Howard Oval:
10am: Central Victoria v North East Border.
10.55am: Central Victoria v Goulburn Murray.
11.50am: North East Border v Goulburn Murray.
Under-18s on O’Keefe Oval:
10am: Central Victoria v North East Border.
10.55: North East Border v Goulburn Murray.
11.50: Central Victoria v Goulburn Murray.
Both grand finals will be played on Howard Oval.
The under-18s decider starts at 1pm and will be followed by the senior clash at 2.10pm.