BFNL Under 19’s squad reduced to 39 players

Five weeks after an initial squad of 54 players was announced, Under 19’s Interleague Head Coach, Jason Stevens has announced a reduced 39-player training squad that will be in contention to represent the BFNL against the VAFA on July 13 at the QEO.

Excitingly, as part of this announcement, Stevens has also confirmed the squad’s four-man leadership group, with James Gray (Gisborne), Jack McMahon (Golden Square), Jack O’Shannessy (Eaglehawk), and Aaron Nevins (Kangaroo Flat) set to lead the squad throughout the campaign.

“I’m excited to share that James Gray, Jack McMahon, Jack O’Shannessy and Aaron Nevins will lead our squad for this campaign. These guys are not only talented senior players in our league, but they’ve also shown a genuine commitment to driving this program forward. They’ll set the tone with their professionalism, competitiveness, and investment.”

BFNL Under 19’s Interleague 39 Player Training Squad:

Sandhurst leads the way with 8 representatives while Strathfieldsaye (6), Kangaroo Flat (5) and Golden Square (5) are well represented.

South Bendigo, Eaglehawk and Gisborne all have 4 players in the squad while Castlemaine have 3.

When speaking to the selection process, Stevens said “It’s been a challenging but rewarding process for our coaching group to assess talent across senior, reserves, and Under 18 football this season. We’re really pleased to announce a well-balanced squad that features strong representation from across all BFNL clubs.”

Reflecting on the depth of talent within the initial 54-player squad, Stevens added, “Some outstanding players from our original 54-man squad have unfortunately missed out on this 39-man announcement. A number of them have been performing at senior level, and their omission is no reflection on their talent. Ultimately, we needed to build a squad that suits the way we want to play - and that meant making some tough positional calls.”

 “We’ve worked closely with the Bendigo Pioneers to ensure we’ve only included players in our squad who meet eligibility requirements. We’ll keep the dialogue open with the Pioneers as we get closer to game time to confirm the availability of eligible players.”

 Stevens is thankful for the openness of Club coaches saying “We’re grateful to club coaches and our trusted contacts around the league who supported us throughout the selection process. Their insights were critical in shaping the final 40.”

With the first training session just 9 days away, Stevens is excited to get stuck in, “We can’t wait to get to work with this group. Our aim is to create an environment where players enjoy this opportunity and are supported to thrive. We know we’ll face a strong opponent stacked with Coates Talent League and VFL experience, but we’ll pick a side that’s built for the QEO, one that will compete really hard and will proudly represent the BFNL.”

The program kicks off with its first training session at Camp Reserve in Castlemaine on Wednesday 18 June before hitting the track on 25 June at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.

The training squad will be narrowed to a 23-player team plus 2 emergencies during the week of the match where the final team will complete two training sessions on 9 & 11 July at the QEO.