SANDRINGHAM Dragons have topped the nominees for the NAB League Boys Team of the Year, with four players receiving nods for their outstanding seasons. Top three sides Oakleigh and Gippsland each had three nominees along with 2018 premiers Dandenong, while 2019 minor premiers Eastern had two players make the team.

Of the 24 players selected, only two – Northern’s Sam Philp and Western’s Lucas Rocci – did not feature in the mid-year National Championships, with Philp receiving a National Combine invite on the back of his form. The squad features the likes of Vic Country MVP Sam De Koning at full back, as well as Country’s co-captains Caleb Serong and Lachlan Ash, while Vic Metro captain Noah Anderson slots in on the wing and their MVP Fischer McAsey comes in at centre half-back, where he earned All Australian selection. Mitch O’Neill is the sole Tasmanian representative, with the Devils competitive in their first full NAB League season.

De Koning and McAsey make up the spine of an exciting backline, with elite kicks Ash and Hayden Young familiarly poised on either flank, while the versatile Darcy Cassar fills a pocket alongside Brodie Newman. Jay Rantall is sandwiched by two Oakleigh stars in Anderson and Trent Bianco in the centre, with All Australian Charlie Comben rucking to Matt Rowell and Serong as followers. Up forward, swingmen Brodie Kemp and Josh Worrell fill key position spots in a dynamic six, with national carnival leading goalkicker Cody Weightman named in the forward pocket. Jack Mahony, Sam Flanders, and Mitch Mellis also feature having rotated through the midfield and forward half all year.

The team is headed by Coach of the Year, Eastern Ranges’ Darren Bewick.

Nominees per team:

BP = 1 – B. KEMP
CC = 1 – B. NEWMAN
DS = 3 – H. YOUNG, C. WEIGHTMAN, S. DE KONING
ER = 2 – M. MELLIS, L. STAPLETON
GF = 1 – J. CLARK
GP = 3 – S. FLANDERS, C. COMBEN, C. SERONG
GWV = 1 – J. RANTALL
MB = 1 – L. ASH
NK = 1 – S. PHILP
OC = 3 – N. ANDERSON, T. BIANCO, M. ROWELL
SD = 4 – J. WORRELL, J. MAHONY, F. MCASEY, R. BYRNES
TD = 1 – M. O’NEILL
WJ = 2 – D. CASSAR, L. ROCCI