NORTH Central and Central Highlands head into their inter-league battle at Learmonth on Saturday both on the back of a hat-trick of close losses.
Neither team has won an inter-league game since 2015, having come up short in tight matches in their three hit-outs since, with the biggest of their six combined losses just 14 points:
2018:
North Central - lost to Southern by 9;
Central Highlands - lost to Riddell District by 3.
2017:
North Central - lost to Geelong District by 4;
Central Highlands - lost to Southern by 4.
2016:
North Central - lost to Central Murray by 14;
Central Highlands - lost to Geelong District by 4.
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Having both lost three in a row, North Central and Central Highlands have slid to the 21 v 22 game in this weekend's AFL Victoria Community Championships.
"We've been on the wrong end of some tight results the past three years, so we're due for a bit of a change of luck," North Central coach Ricky Allan said on Friday.
"We were five goals down after about 10 minutes last year, so we've got a really big focus on starting well on Saturday."
Allan first represented the North Central inter-league side in 2007 and has previously captained the team, with this his first stint as coach.
"I'm happy with the team... we've got 22 players who are ready and want to play and that's the main thing," Allan said.
"The midfield is probably going to be our strength with Trent Donnan, Sam Simmons and Bryce Delmenico as our starting on-ballers, and we've got a fair bit of depth who can go through there as well."
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The side is being captained by reigning Feeny medallist and star ruckman Lochlan Sirett, while veteran forward Sam Barnes, the competition's leading goalkicker, will be the key focal point in attack along with Billy McInnes.
Central Highlands is being co-coached by Rohan Brown, formerly of Donald.
Saturday's game starts at 2.15pm.
NORTH CENTRAL v CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
NORTH CENTRAL
B: J. Jones, K. Donnan, B. Adcock
HB: J. Werts, K. Wilson, D. Hinkley
C: R. Hogan, B. Delmenico, G. Turner
HF: M. Elliott, B. McInnes, T. Finlay
F: R. Allan, S. Barnes, J. Hargreaves
R: L. Sirrett, T. Donnan, S. Simmons
INTER: H. Durward, F. House, C. Lowry, W. Donnan, S. Pye
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
B: M. Gunnell, B. Howard, M. Jenkins
HB: D. Robertson, J. Robertson, J. Rodgers
C: S. Dunstan, D. Wehrung, T. Wason
HF: H. McKimmie, L. Baker, A. Wettenhall
F: T. Zelencich, L. Murray, L. Rigby
R: J. O'Brien, L. Barnes, T. Nash
INTER: Z. May, L. Cox, T. Collins, J. Dunne, Z. Tisdale
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