Young Guns go Country in final clash
THE 2023 Young Guns series wraps up on Sunday, as the over-age squad locks horns with Vic Country at Ikon Park. Getting underway at 2pm, the clash not only provides another chance for Victorian based mid-season draft candidates to shine, but also for fringe Vic Country hopefuls to trial for selection.
NEED TO KNOW
Who: Young Guns vs. Vic Country U18
When: Sunday May 14, 2:00pm
Where: IKON Park, Carlton North
How to watch: Click here!
While the Young Guns squad remains the same, Vic Country will look a touch different to what should be expected at the Under 18 National Championships. Six core members will instead turn out for the National Academy on Saturday, while others may choose to play school football instead.
>> SCROLL to see both squads
Among the guns to watch, first round bolter Joel Freijah and his GWV Rebels teammate Luamon Lual offer plenty of class. The latter will likely be joined by Billy Wilson and Angus Hastie in defence. Speedster Harry De Mattia is another to keep an eye on up forward or on either side of midfield.
Some of the top performers from Country’s trials against Metro include Dandenong Stingrays utility Kade De La Rue and nippy GWV mid-forward Lachlan Charleson, along with Gippsland Power ruck-forward Wil Dawson.
The Young Guns took on Vic Metro last week in the series opener, going down by 20 points atop the rain-sodden Trevor Barker Beach Oval. Players like Ryan Maric and Clay Tucker have been billed as the top mid-season draft prospects, so will be keen to help turn that result around in an unchanged lineup.
>> Scouting Notes: Young Guns vs. Vic Metro
SQUADS
| YOUNG GUNS | ||||||
| # | NAME | SURNAME | DOB | HT | STATE LEAGUE CLUB | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| 1 | Beau | Tedcastle | 20-03-04 | 177 | Richmond (VFL) | St Mary’s |
| 2 | Mitch | Szybkowski | 09-01-04 | 185 | Frankston (VFL) | Beaconsfield |
| 3 | Joziah | Nannup | 01-11-04 | 183 | Dandenong Stingrays | Doveton |
| 4 | Tom | Bower | 20-08-04 | 180 | Oakleigh Chargers | Glen Waverley Rovers |
| 5 | Paddy | Cross | 14-02-03 | 182 | Casey Demons (VFL) | Nar Nar Goon |
| 6 | Michael | Kiraly | 09-01-04 | 186 | Bendigo Pioneers | Macleod |
| 8 | Rye | Penny | 01-03-04 | 186 | Calder Cannons | Gisborne |
| 9 | Archie | Sinnott | 28-07-04 | 186 | Geelong Falcons | Newtown & Chilwell |
| 10 | Jedd | Longmire | 14-06-04 | 188 | Collingwood (VFL) / Murray Bushrangers | Bundoora |
| 11 | Nicholas | Newton | 13-05-04 | 187 | Murray Bushrangers | Lavington |
| 12 | Jack | Cleaver | 22-05-04 | 188 | Essendon (VFL) | St Bernards |
| 13 | Ethan | Stanley | 13-11-03 | 188 | Box Hill Hawks (VFL) | Frankston YCW |
| 14 | Luke | Teal | 20-05-04 | 190 | Richmond (VFL) / Oakleigh Chargers | Glen Iris |
| 15 | Tom | Stern | 23-06-04 | 191 | Gippsland Power | Warragul |
| 18 | Ryan | Maric | 06-09-04 | 193 | Gippsland Power | Drouin |
| 20 | Ziggy | Toledo- Glasman | 15-04-04 | 192 | Dandenong Stingrays | Mt Eliza |
| 21 | Mitch | Dodos | 03-11-04 | 196 | Bendigo Pioneers | Kyabram |
| 22 | Hamish | Pierson | 03-11-04 | 195 | Geelong Falcons | Grovedale Tigers |
| 24 | Jovan | Petric | 17-04-04 | 197 | Western Jets | Keilor |
| 25 | Archer | May | 27-08-04 | 199 | Richmond (VFL) / Sandringham Dragons | St Kilda City |
| 26 | Levi | Young | 15-01-04 | 199 | Sandringham Dragons | Beaumaris |
| 28 | William | Elliott | 11-06-04 | 203 | Oakleigh Chargers | Surrey Park |
| 29 | Clay | Tucker | 09-08-04 | 204 | Eastern Ranges | Rowville |
| 30 | Flynn | Riley | 05-04-04 | 206 | Northern Knights | Montmorency |
VICTORIA COUNTRY | ||||||
| # | NAME | SURNAME | DOB | HT | STATE LEAGUE CLUB | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| 1 | Oliver | Poole | 18-03-05 | 183 | Bendigo Pioneers | Echuca United |
| 2 | Lachlan | Charleson | 29-01-05 | 176 | GWV Rebels | East Point |
| 3 | Luamon | Lual | 28-03-05 | 181 | GWV Rebels | South Warrnambool |
| 4 | Billy | Wilson | 16-06-05 | 182 | Dandenong Stingrays | Dromana |
| 6 | Coby | James | 29-05-05 | 176 | Murray Bushrangers | Mooroopna |
| 7 | Joel | Freijah | 14-11-05 | 191 | GWV Rebels | Horsham Saints |
| 8 | Sam | Frangalas | 20-04-05 | 187 | Dandenong Stingrays | Berwick |
| 9 | Angus | Hastie | 19-09-05 | 189 | Geelong Falcons | Geelong West Giants |
| 10 | Patrick | Hughes | 20-03-05 | 182 | Geelong Falcons | Torquay |
| 11 | Thomas | Hanily | 31-05-05 | 179 | Gippsland Power | Leongatha |
| 12 | Oskar | Smartt | 26-10-05 | 179 | Bendigo Pioneers | Leitchville Gunbower |
| 13 | Kade | De La Rue | 19-11-05 | 184 | Dandenong Stingrays | Beaconsfield |
| 14 | Kobe | Shipp | 12-05-05 | 187 | Dandenong Stingrays | Beaconsfield |
| 15 | Oscar | Ryan | 15-05-05 | 187 | Murray Bushrangers | Shepparton United |
| 16 | Harry | Demattia | 11-09-05 | 184 | Dandenong Stingrays | Edithvale Aspendale |
| 17 | Jacob | Grant | 18-07-05 | 191 | Dandenong Stingrays | Endeavour Hills |
| 18 | Ben | Hopkins | 28-07-05 | 188 | Dandenong Stingrays | Langwarrin |
| 21 | Wil | Dawson | 20-12-05 | 200 | Gippsland Power | Leongatha |
| 24 | Thomas | Peirce | 01-11-05 | 195 | Geelong Falcons | South Barwon |
| 25 | Michael | Rudd | 14-05-05 | 192 | Geelong Falcons | St Mary’s |
| 28 | Mac | Scoullar | 20-07-05 | 202 | GWV Rebels | Ballarat |
| 29 | Joe | Pike | 17-05-05 | 203 | Geelong Falcons | Barwon Heads |
| 30 | Lachlan | Smith | 05-10-05 | 202 | Gippsland Power | Warragul |
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