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NorthPort
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2017 VFA/VFL State Squad Announced.
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From over at the official VFL website
Full article - Click here

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: