Seven Bendigo Pioneers players – Jye Caldwell, Bailey Henderson, Angus Schumacher, Kane Farrell, Paddy Dow, Brent Daniels and Lochie O’Brien – have been selected in the Victoria Country squad, while Pioneers captain Laine Fitzgerald and highly-rated key forward Jarrod Brander are in the Allies squad.

Vic Country and the Allies will play in two trial matches at IKON Park in Carlton on Sunday.

The two games are key trials for next month’s national under-18 championships.

“We’re proud of the boys that have made the squads,’’ Pioneers coach Rick Coburn said.

“To be honest, there’s a couple of others that were unlucky not to make the cut as well.

“It’s a good sign for us that we have nine players selected to go to this level. It’s a great reward for all the boys because they’ve put in a lot of hard work.”

The nine players selected cover the wide expanses of the Pioneers squad.

Caldwell (Golden Square), Henderson and Schumacher (Strathfieldsaye) and Farrell (Castlemaine) are from the Bendigo Football Netball League.

Fitzgerald (Balranald), Dow (Swan Hill) and Daniels (Nyah Nyah West United) are from the Central Murray, while O’Brien (South Mildura) and Brander (Wentworth) are from Sunraysia.

Golden Square’s Caldwell is the only bottom-age player from the Pioneers to make the Vic Country squad of 40.

“It’s a big effort from Jye to make the squad as a bottom-age player,’’ Coburn said.

“He’s playing some outstanding footy for Geelong Grammar and for the AFL Academy. In the one Pioneers game he played this year against Ballarat he was very good on the wing. He has great hands, is very clean and can play multiple positions.”

Strathfieldsaye duo Schumacher and Henderson have been two of the big improvers on the Pioneers’ list this year.

“Angus is vice-captain of the Pioneers and has made a great start to the year. He’s really versatile and he can play across half-back or through the midfield,’’ Coburn said.

“Bailey Henderson started the season as a key forward, but we moved him up the ground to a wing to further his development and he’s had some outstanding games on the wing for us. He’s very athletic and he’s getting better every week.”

The remainder of the Pioneers list will be released to play with their local clubs this weekend.

“We only have one or two players out of the list of 65 that have injuries and won’t play this weekend,’’ Coburn said.

“We have several players playing in school footy on Wednesday and, if they get through those games fine, they’ll be right to play with their local clubs.

“We encourage the players to get back to their local clubs as much as possible.”