AFL football has produced countless stories of players being drafted from obscure places- from talented youngsters playing in remote country outposts to mature-age recruits who just needed a lucky break.

Since the advent of the TAC Cup and the AFL National Draft, fewer players slip through the cracks, but the VFL’s annual North Vs South Under-23 Representative match gives promising players another chance to launch an AFL career.

This year’s match will be played as a curtain raiser to the Victoria vs. Western Australian state representative game at TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, commencing at 10.30am.

North Squad

Bendigo Bombers  Simon Plummer

Calder Cannons Peter Robertson

Coburg Tigers Ryan Anderson Myles Sewell Nick Lynch Jason Morgan

Geelong Drew Barnes Shane Mumford

Murray Bushrangers James Saker

North Ballarat Lachlan George Justin Hardy

Northern Bullants Paul Colbert Adam Iacobucci

Werribee Sam Wormald Jak Kennedy-Hunt Andrew Ericksen Michael Rockefeller

Western Jets Steven Morris

Williamstown Cameron Lockwood Scott Meyer Patrick Rose Liam Picken * Dean Limbach *

South Squad

Box Hill Hawks Kris Shore Evan Johnson

Casey Scorpions Matthew Rosier Stefan Garrubba Kyle Mathews

Frankston Paul Rebeschini Mathew Burns Trent Shinners Dale Whelan

Gippsland Power Luke Webber

Port Melbourne Dean Kelly Julian Rowe Robin Nahas * Tom Langford Adrian Bonaddio

Sandringham Rennie Gilchrist Stefan Martin Tomi Johnston

Sandringham Dragons John Shaw Dean Scheetz

Tasmania Sam Carins Brodie Moles Sam Whish-Wilson

* Subject to selection in the VFL State Team

TAC Cup 19 Year Old Players

AFL Victoria have determined that TAC Cup 19 year old players should be available for selection in the Under 23 match to assist their assessment by AFL club recruiters. The Under 23 selectors have selected 3 such players in each of the North and South teams. AFL Victoria talent program staff, David Code and Leon Harris, provided recommendations regarding the TAC Cup 19 year old players to the Under 23 match selectors for consideration.

From Herald Sun

MELBOURNE has imposed a one-game suspension on Byron Pickett after he failed to attend the club's match against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

Pickett was an emergency for the game against the Bulldogs, but has admitted to Melbourne he drank alcohol the night before the game.

He has been ruled out of selection for both Melbourne and its VFL affiliate Sandringham this weekend, and has been told he will not be considered for senior selection for the next four weeks.

"The football department, in consultation with the senior leadership group, have requested Byron to consider his future during this week," Melbourne said in a statement.

"If Byron decides to continue his future with the Melbourne Football Club, he will be required to play with Sandringham Football Club for at least four weeks, and will not be considered for AFL selection in that time period.

From Bendigo Advertiser

METRICON Bendigo Bombers skipper Simon Rosa has been selected in a 39-man Victorian Football League squad to play Western Australia on May 26.

The Victorian Football League today announced an initial 39 man squad for the upcoming Representative Match vs. Western Australia on Saturday 26th May, 2007 at TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne.

Bendigo Bombers (2) Jason Cloke * Simon Rosa *

Box Hill Hawks (4) Matthew Ball * Sam Gibson * Kristan Height * Nick Smith *

Coburg Tigers (2) Alistair Neville * Travis Ronaldson *

Frankston (2) Justin Berry # Ashley Eames *

Geelong (4) James Byrne ^ Jason Davenport * Todd Grima * Phil Read *

North Ballarat (1) Tristan Cartledge *

Northern Bullants (2) Justin Crow # Josh Houlihan *

Port Melbourne (7) John Baird * Tim Hazell * Luke Livingston * Robin Nahas * Chris Obst ^ David Robbins ^ David Spriggs *

Sandringham (6) Andrew Biddlecombe * Rod Crowe # Ezra Poyas * Nick Sautner ^ Peter Summers * Shane Valenti *

Tasmania (1) Ken Hall #

Werribee (3) Robert Castello * Dominic Gleeson * James Podsiadly #

Williamstown (5) Steven Greene * Brett Johnson * Dean Limbach * Liam Picken * Andrew Williams *

* - Player has not represented Victoria before (30)
# - Player represented Victoria in the last State Game against South Australia in 2005 (5)
^ - Player has previously represented Victoria (4)

From The West Australian
Reported by Ross Lewis

WA selectors will consider more additions to the squad preparing for the May 26 interstate clash with the VFL due to doubts over the fitness of Daniel Bandy.
  
The former Fremantle and Western Bulldogs ruckman missed Claremont’s 22.15 (147) to 10.14 (74) win over Swan Districts at Claremont Oval on Saturday due to a hamstring complaint.
  
But WA coach Ashley Prescott, also at the helm of the Tigers, indicated Bandy might be worth the risk of playing for the Black Swans even if the 31-year-old was again unfit to play against East Fremantle on Saturday.
  
But there was brighter news for former Fremantle squad member Michael Warren, who also missed the triumph over Swans.