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The initial Peter Jackson VFL state squad has been revealed.
42 players have been announced for the side that will host the WAFL on May 27 at North Port Oval.
All 14 VFL teams are represented in the initial squad, featuring VFL listed players that have performed well in the opening rounds of the season.
Standalone clubs Williamstown (nine players) and undefeated Port Melbourne (seven) lead the way for representatives, followed by Essendon (four) and Coburg (three).
Casey Demons senior coach Justin Plapp has been appointed to coach the team in 2017, following in the footsteps of the likes of VFL premiership coaches Andy Collins (Williamstown), Damian Carroll (Box Hill Hawks), Gary Ayres (Port Melbourne) and Gerard FitzGerald (North Ballarat) as state coach.
Plapp will be joined on the state coaching panel by Demons midfield coach Danny Ryan, North Ballarat midfield coach and former Richmond star Nick Daffy, Werribee back line coach Ben Patrick and Box Hill Hawks back line coach Ricky Petterd. Former Casey player and co-host of Channel 7’s VFL coverage Nigel Carmody was appointed as chairman of selectors.
It will be a fresh-faced squad representing the VFL in 2017, with just 12 players from the VFL team that faced the SANFL in 2016 named in the initial squad. The squad will be reduced to a training list of 30 at the conclusion of Round 5, with players outside of this squad still able to be named should form warrant selection in the coming weeks.
“When I look at the initial squad, I see a lot of younger, hungry players with a good mix of seasoned VFL players,” coach Plapp said.
“For us at the moment it is getting the balance right, and gaining an understanding of how we might set up against an opposition we don’t know a great deal about.
“A lot of selections have been based on players being able to play roles, but also getting the balance of some bigger bodies, plus players that can play multiple positions.
“I see an exciting group of players that are in some really good form at VFL level, who now have a great opportunity ahead of them.
“We are obviously going off only a few weeks form, so I am pretty sure there will be other players that jump up in the next week or two, and if we need to make adjustments we will.”
In a change from previous years, a development squad has also been named - outside of the squad of 42 - featuring a host of up-and-coming talent from VFL ranks. These players will be invited to train with the squad, to help aid their development as part of the state team program.
“For those younger players, it’s an opportunity from a development point of view, but if form warrants, they could potentially push for selection inside the final 23 as well,” Plapp said.
“It is a great initiative, and a chance for these player to keep growing their game.
The state game will be broadcast live on Channel 7 from 2pm Saturday May 27, live from North Port Oval.
The VFL squad features:
2 - J.J. Liston Trophy winners
7 - 2016 VFL club best and fairest winners
9 - Club captains
11 - 2016 VFL Team of the Year selections
15 - Former AFL players
FULL SQUAD
David Mirra Box Hill Hawks
Sam Switkowski Box Hill Hawks
Angus Scott Casey Demons
Tom Goodwin Coburg Lions
Nick Mellington Coburg Lions
Liam Hunt Coburg Lions
Jordan Kelly Collingwood
Michael Chippendale Collingwood
Nick O’Brien Essendon
James Ferry Essendon
Nick Hind Essendon
Alex Boyse Essendon
Lauchlan Dalgleish Footscray
Nick Jamieson Footscray
Tom Atkins Geelong
Sam McLachlan Geelong
Nick Rippon North Ballarat
Andrew Hooper North Ballarat
Tom Wilson Northern Blues
Cam O’Shea Northern Blues
Tom O’Sullivan Port Melbourne
Eli Templeton Port Melbourne
Jordan Lisle Port Melbourne
Brody Mihocek Port Melbourne
Brodie Murdoch Port Melbourne
Toby Pinwill Port Melbourne
Robin Nahas Port Melbourne
Jacob Ballard Richmond
Sam Darley Richmond
Elliot Le Grice Sandringham
Tom Curren Sandringham
Matt Hanson Werribee Tigers
Michael Sodomaco Werribee Tigers
Michael Gibbons Williamstown
Brett Bewley Williamstown
Josh Newman Williamstown
Ayce Cordy Williamstown
Leigh Masters Williamstown
Ben Cavarra Williamstown
Sam Dunell Williamstown
Adam Marcon Williamstown
Nick Meese Williamstown
Talented Developing Players:
Nick Evans Box Hill
Bailey Fritsch Casey Demons
Ben Allan Coburg Lions
Lachlan Tardrew Collingwood
Nash Holmes Essendon
Andrew Tashevski-Beckwith Footscray
Dan Capiron Geelong
Brenton Payne North Ballarat
Marcus Stavrou Northern Blues
Mack Rivett Port Melbourne
Kade Answerth Sandringham
Joe Maishman Werribee Tigers
Billy Meyers Williamstown
Listen to an interview with VFL coach Justin Plapp below, after he was announced as coach:
