WHILE many eyes will be on the National Under 18s Championships this weekend, anyone keen to head to the country for some TAC Cup action can witness a standalone game between the Murray Bushrangers and Oakleigh Chargers. With no school football on, Oakleigh receives the bulk of its non-Vic Metro representatives back into the side, meaning they will give the Bushrangers a real challenge on the weekend.

In terms of team selection, Murray have lost five of their most consistent players to National Championships duties, with Hudson Garoni, Laitham Vandermeer and Zane Barzen all out to play for Vic Country, while Jacob Koschitzke will represent the Allies against his Bushrangers teammates. Kai Davies is the other omission to the team, while Mark Marriott and Will Chandler are among six inclusions to the team.

Oakleigh have made wholesale changes with 13 players coming into the side for an extended interchange, but they lose a number of players to Vic Metro duties. Isaac Quaynor, Riley Collier-Dawkins and Noah Answerth all depart the Chargers outfit, but with Matt Rowell, Zac Hart, Jack Ross and Bailey Wraith among the inclusions, there are some positives at the selection table with quality heading out of the team.

The result of this game is simple in terms of ladder position – if Murray wins, they move into third ahead of the Western Jets, whereas if Oakleigh triumphs, they take Murray’s place inside the top four. As the only game on this weekend for the TAC Cup, expect there to be plenty of interested onlookers keeping an eye on the match.

Murray still has its starting midfield in this game , with Ely Smith, Dylan Clarke and Kyle Clarke in the centre, while Bailey Frauenfelder, Jye Chalcraft and Mathew Walker provide good support up forward. Jordon Butts has been thrown forward in the absence of Garoni, while Ajak Dang will be asked to take a key position down back to cover Butts. Jake Bradshaw and Jimmy Boyer will provide run off half-back, while Ben Kelly and Marriott are the tall timber for the Bushrangers.

For the Chargers, Matt Rowell and Dylan Williams lead a number of talented players for next year’s draft, while Xavier O’Neill, Jack Ross and Lachlan Bugeja will be key ball winners in the midfield. Atu Bosenavulagi and Daniel Scala provide the crumbs up forward, while Wraith and Matt Warren will hold down the key position posts in defence. Bailey Griffiths, Trent Bianco and Hart are among others who could influence the game with strong performances.

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS v. OAKLEIGH CHARGERS

Round 8 – Saturday, June 9, 1pm Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta

Murray Bushrangers

B: 34. T. Boyd, 22. A. Dang, 15. R. Quinn
HB: 19. J. Boyer, 16. N. Murray, 20. J. Bradshaw
C: 13. B.  Frauenfelder, 28. K.  Clarke, 55. R.  Paradzayi
HF: 6. W. Chandler, 2. J. Butts, 9. M. Walker
F: 14. J. Chalcraft, 3. B. Kelly, 10. P. Warner
R: 23. M. Marriott, 38. D. Clarke, 5. E. Smith
Int: 11. E. Adams, 17. N. Amery, 26. R. Bice, 48. R. Goodley 23P: 52. J. Sanford

In: R. Quinn, R. Goodley, J. Sanford, W. Chandler, R. Paradzayi, M. Marriott
Out: H. Garoni,  L. Ash,  K. Davies,  L. Vandermeer,  Z. Barzen,  J. Koschitzke

Oakleigh Chargers

B: 36. C. Beasley, 33. M. Warren, 35. X. Fry
HB: 15. K. Schreiber, 30. B. Wraith, 16. L. Westwood
C: 31. W.  Golds, 2. L.  Bugeja, 11. M.  Rowell
HF: 26. J. Gasper, 7. J. Robertson, 22. D. Williams
F: 13. A. Bosenavulagi, 6. M. Day, 25. D. Scala
R: 79. B. Griffiths31, 5. X. O’Neill, 32. J. Ross
Int: 17. T. Bianco, 43. P. Bohan, 38. Z. Hart, 24. S. Harte, 34. C. Leon, 19. D. Romero, 21. H. Shugg
23P: 29. F. Elliot

In: L. Westwood, P. Bohan, B. Wraith, H. Shugg, D. Romero, W. Golds, C. Leon, M. Warren, J. Ross, C. Beasley, K. Schreiber, M. Rowell, Z. Hart
Out: I. Quaynor, U. Chol, M. Fewings, S. Elliott, S. Fernandez, R. Collier-Dawkins, N. Answerth , H. Leonard, J. May, K. Viccars