HIGHLY-touted AFL draft prospect Jye Caldwell is a welcome inclusion into the Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers’ team for their TAC Cup match against the Western Jets at the QEO on Sunday.
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Midfielder Caldwell was a co-captain of the Victoria Country under-18 team this year, but has spent much of the second half of the season recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during the National Championships.
Caldwell was due to play for the Pioneers last week, but a concussion playing in a school game for Geelong Grammar ruled him out.
“And he was still a bit underdone with his hamstring conditioning, so it was a lot safer to hold him back and he did the running for us over in Ballarat,” Pioneers coach Rick Coburn said on Friday.
“To have him back in the midfield this week is obviously going to be a great inclusion.”
Caldwell is the sole Bendigo Pioneer player invited to October’s AFL Draft Combine.
“He’s one of the really top players in his age group and we’re obviously hoping he does well later in the year,” Coburn said.
Sunday’s match will be the Pioneers’ final game of the home and away season before they play in the TAC Cup’s new wildcard weekend the following week.
The clash between the Pioneers (2-13) and Western Jets (8-7) starts at 1pm.
BENDIGO PIONEERS v. WESTERN JETS
Bendigo Pioneers
B: 41. B. Vaz, 24. N. McHugh, 2. J. Williams
HB: 16. J. Atley, 18. B. Henderson, 49. O. Perez
C: 3. L. Marciano, 8. B. Kemp, 25. F. Perez
HF: 50. N. Kay, 20. J. Schischka, 51. B. Waasdorp
F: 55. C. Fisher, 36. A. Gundry, 43. H. Lawrence
R: 54. M. Christensen, 4. J. Caldwell, 5. N. Wheeler
Int: 15. L. Caccaviello, 1. M. Goodwin, 21. D. Loveridge, 33. J. McHale, 28. C. Vick, 31. B. Worme
23P: 47. S. Conforti
In: L. Caccaviello, J. Caldwell, N. Kay, D. Loveridge, C. Vick, B. Worme
Out: R. Ironside, D. Clohesy, J. Treacy, S. O'Farrell
Western Jets
B: 48. A. Britten, 37. H. Murphy, 25. S. Johnson
HB: 15. M. Hearne, 38. B. Khamis, 6. L. Rocci
C: 17. D. Andrews , 33. X. O'Halloran, 20. D. Cassar
HF: 24. J. Honey, 31. E. Jeka, 12. C. Thar
F: 10. S. Kyriazis, 45. A. Clarke, 49. D. Pantalleresco
R: 47. D. Walters, 39. S. Radovanovic, 36. J. Rice
Int: 32. N. Ellis, 1. L. Failli, 22. O. Manton, 28. J. Papachatzakis, 30. L. Pettigrove, 2. T. Rudic, 7. J. Watkins
23P: 26. C. Raak
In: L. Pettigrove, X. O'Halloran, N. Ellis, C. Raak, L. Failli, A. Britten
Out: E. Ford, J. Kellett, W. Smyth
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