THE Maryborough-Castlemaine District Football League will field a fresh-looking side for its inter-league showdown this weekend.
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Only five players from last year’s 69-point triumph over Picola District South are in the squad of 28 announced on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Geelong District league at Princes Park.
The MCDFL side will also have a new coach in Lexton’s Shane Fisher.
Fisher will be assisted by three other senior coaches in Daniel Parkin (Navarre), Luke Treacy (Carisbrook) and Clayton Scoble (Trentham).
Parkin - who will also captain the side - joins Scott Sellers, James Templeton, Damon Aspland and Matthew Smith as the only returning members of last year’s team.
“The team has a different look about it this year, but it has come together well,” Fisher said on Thursday.
“We’ve created some real unity among the group and we’ll play for each other.
“The level obviously goes up a notch in inter-league footy, but the basics remain the same where we’ve got to be accountable when they have the ball and put on as much scoreboard pressure as we can when we have it.
“We’re expecting Geelong to be a very physically strong and tall side and certainly a challenge, but there’s confidence in the 23 who will represent us.”
Fisher said the selectors had been keen to inject some youth into the squad with the inclusion of players such as Navarre’s Cody Driscoll, Carisbrook’s Cole Roscholler and Newstead’s Ben Krol.
“We really want to give these younger players a taste of inter-league footy so they are keen to play for years to come,” Fisher said.
Geelong District copped a 61-point belting off North Central at home last year.
SQUADS:
MARYBOROUGH-CASTLEMAINE DISTRICT: Nick Wright, D. Aspland, C. Driscoll, J. Driscoll, D. Parkin (c), M. Smith, M. Kennedy, Joel Cross, J. Pitto, M. Brown, C. Roscholler, S. Sellers, D. Barr, A. Driscoll, J. Templeton. T. Stewart, N. Spolding, B. Krol, P. Cummins, M. Bond, J. Fowkes, M. Strickland, N. Reid, J. Bowen, L. Kemp, Z. Tunbridge, A. Pilgrim, W. Short.
GEELONG DISTRICT: T. Fursland, C. Collins, P.J. Disanto, A. Challis, J. MacLeod, M. Smith, T. Sauni, B. McNamara, D. Witney, A. Fantella, C. Addie, D. Holzfeind, B. Miller, L. Parker, J. Butty, B. Fletcher, J. Phillis, T. Parsons, S. Richert, L. Wilson, B. Cations, J. Brauman, B. Bolton, D. Kee, D. Fitzsimmons, J. Pitman, J. Huybens