THE Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers will field a side with 17 bottom-age players in the first of the TAC Cup’s Future Rounds on Saturday.
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Clubs need to play a minimum of 11 bottom-age players in their teams during the two Futures Rounds.
The Pioneers (1-8) take on the Gippsland Power (6-1-2) at Windy Hill from 2pm.
Saturday’s Pioneers’ team includes three first-gamers in Logan Fitzgerald, 16-year-old Jack Tillig and Zack Shelton.
The Pioneers will be without Zane Keighran, who will play for Vic Country in their Under-18 National Championships match against Vic Metro at the MCG on Sunday.
Among the standouts for the Pioneers this year has been 19-year-old Daniel Keating, who for the fourth game in a row last week was their best player in the loss to the Murray Bushrangers.
“Daniel has been very good this year. He has played predominantly in the ruck, but we’re starting to play him as a key forward and key back also,” Pioneers coach Rick Coburn said.
“He’s a real competitor who doesn’t leave anything in the dressing room… he leaves it all out on the field and we love the way he goes about it.”
The Pioneers and Gippsland have already meet once this season, with the Power winning by 64 points in round three.
GIPPSLAND POWER v. BENDIGO PIONEERS
Gippsland Power
B: 15. R. Sparkes, 14. T. Hourigan, 35. J. van der Pligt
HB: 1. T. Hayes, 40. Z. Hurley, 7. B. Patterson
C: 8. B. Beck, 9. I. Mosquito, 29. B. Motton
HF: 30. T. Baldi, 23. N. Gown, 34. J. Hume
F: 11. A. Hodge, 16. J. Smith, 37. H. Pepper
R: 22. R. Henkel, 12. B. Smith, 6. R. Baldi
Int: 36. M. Bentvelzen , 10. L. Connolly, 42. T. Howard, 31. B. Macfarlane, 19. F. Phillips, 43. Z. Skinner, 33. B. Thorson, 44. M. Toussaint, 45. A. Young
In: T. Howard, B. Thorson, M. Toussaint, Z. Skinner, J. Hume, I. Mosquito
Out: N. Lowden, M. McGarrity
Bendigo Pioneers
B: 2. J. Williams, 31. B. Worme, 21. D. Loveridge
HB: 59. B. Rowles, 32. W. Wallace, 20. J. Schischka
C: 25. F. Perez, 5. N. Wheeler, 49. O. Perez
HF: 16. J. Atley, 41. B. Vaz, 17. R. Ironside
F: 14. T. Dow, 23. D. Keating, 8. B. Kemp
R: 22. M. Johnson, 43. H. Lawrence, 6. J. Rodi
Int: 13. K. Brown, 60. L. Fitzgerald, 29. E. Roberts, 42. Z. Shelton, 28. C. Vick, 58. Tillig
Emg: 34. R. Clarke, 46. L. Tenace
In: R. Ironside, B. Kemp, E. Roberts, R. Clarke, T. Dow, L. Fitzgerald, Z. Shelton
Out: L. Caccaviello, Z. Keighran, J. Grace, P. Moi Moi, J. McHale, N. McHugh, L. Marciano
