Justin Berry will be hoping to re-capture the form that won him All-Australian selection in 2010 when the Australian Country Football Championships take place in Wagga Wagga next month. Picture: www.visualimagephotography.com.au
CRANBOURNE champion Justin Berry headlines a strong contingent of players from our region selected in initial training squads for the upcoming 2012 Australian Country Football Championships.
The championships will take place in Wagga Wagga between Thursday 19 and Sunday 22 July. Victoria will field two of the six teams to compete in the carnival against teams from NSW/ACT, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
Thursday and Friday will see all teams clash in a round-robin format played over two 20-minute halves with the finals taking place on Sunday in a full-match format.
Victoria 1, coached by former Hawthorn legend Peter Knights, is the reigning title holder in the bi-annual event which ends with an All-Australian side being selected. Berry earned All-Australian selection for his performance in the 2010 carnival held in Canberra.
Berry joins five team-mates from the MPNFL Sharks side that took on the Goulburn Valley recently in the Vic1 training squad.
The VCFL’s decision to broaden the interleague landscape this season has paid handsome dividends for a host of locals who have been selected in the Victoria 2 squad.
Four players from Casey Cardinia in Tooradin pair Beau Miller and Matt Wade, Beaconsfield’s Daniel Mislicki and Narre Warren’s Kain Baskaya will join Ellinbank League stars in Nar Nar Goon’s Brett Dore, Cora Lynn’s Brendan Kimber and Dusties’ Shane Brewster as training team-mates.
The MPNFL and Gippsland are also well represented in the VCFL Under 19 squad with Narre Warren’s Adam Giobbi and Berwick’s Chris McKay among those selected. The Under 19 team will play the VAFA at Elsternwick Park on Sunday 15 July.
The VCFL Vic 1 squad will train on Oval 1 at Princes Park, Carlton, on 24 June, 1 July and 15 July with the Vic 2 squad training at Harry Trott Reserve, Albert Park on 24 June, 8 July and 15 July while the Under19 squad will train at the same venue on 24 June, 1 July and 8 July.
