Strathfieldsaye defender James Schischka has been appointed captain of the Bendigo Pioneers for the 2019 NAB League season.
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Schischka will lead the Pioneers into battle for the first time in Saturday's season-opener against the Geelong Falcons in Colac.
The Pioneers will blood four first-gamers against the Falcons - Angus Cole, Will Shaw, Jake Dick-O-Flaherty and Riley Wilson.
Cole is a 198cm ruckman from Mildura, Shaw is the first player Deniliquin to play at NAB League level for the Pioneers, while Dick-O-Flaherty is classy midfielder/forward from Barham-Koondrook.
Wilson, a midfielder from Strathfieldsaye, is the son of Storm premiership coach Darryl Wilson.
Jacob Atley and Riley Clarke are two 19-year-old's, who will play for the Pioneers in round one.
Maryborough's Lachlan Bond (ankle), Balranald's Kobe Lloyd (shoulder) and Sandhurst's Sean O'Farrell (quad) couldn't be considered because of injuries.
Team for Saturday's game:
BENDIGO PIONEERS
B: 14. M. Lias, 34. W. Wallace, 41. Z. Shelton
HB: 1. S. Conforti, 10. B. Vaz, 20. J. Schischka
C: 38. B. Rowles, 8. B. Kemp, 25. W. Shaw
HF: 9. E. Roberts, 22. J. Treacy, 49. C. Vick
F: 35. C. Fisher, 24. M. Johnson, 11. A. Gundry
R: 12. A. Cole, 31. R. Ironside, 4. T. Dow
Int: 52. J. Atley, 59. R. Clarke, 30. J. Dick-O'Flaherty, 17. L. Fitzgerald, 6. J. Rodi, 21. R. Wilson, 19. B. Worme.
Meanwhile, the Bendigo Pioneers' under-18 girls play the Geelong Falcons at Deakin University in Geelong on Sunday.
Coach Shawn McCormick has made five changes to the side which defeated Eastern last week.
BENDIGO PIONEERS
B: 22. G. Barton, 36. K. Douglass, 24. S. Oliver
HB: 25. K. Hazlett, 40. T. Slender, 46. K. Mitchell
C: 3. E. Snell, 28. E. Gretgrix, 1. M. Tupper
HF: 44. J. Jolliffe, 30. H. Stewart, 14. A. Strahan
F: 12. E. Bell, 50. M. Barton, 26. C. Mitchell
R: 37. G. Sladden, 20. D. Villiva, 4. B. Hards
Int: 8. T. Coad, 34. E. Cooper, 38. M. Marks , 7. M. Ward
In: E. Bell, T. Coad, G. Barton, M. Ward, M. Marks
Out: E. Peacock, B. Heiden, T. Miaoudis, D. Kelly-Guthrie, J. Finning
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