Four Dragons make Vic Country squad

FOUR local athletes from the Football Integration Development Association (FIDA) Geelong Dragons have received the huge honour of being named as members of the 2022 Vic Country team.

Dragons players, Tyler Vandermeer, Kai Eade, Daniel Curnow, and Ash Dunscombe will head off to the Barossa Valley, South Australia tomorrow to battle it out against the rest of Australia’s best in the round robin National Inclusion Carnival.

The football carnival will take place across seven days from November 5 till November 11 and will be the first state and representative tournament since 2019.

Geelong resident and Vic Country team invitee Tyler Vandermeer said he couldn’t wait for the tournament to begin and hoped he would meet plenty of new people.

“It’s always good to meet new players and clubs and to expand your social circle, the whole thing will be exciting,” Vandermeer said.

“[The Dragons] have been pretty important for me, it’s helped my confidence and I wouldn’t be here without them today.

“It was my first time playing footy throughout this club, it’s been a great experience and to come this far is awesome.”

Leisure Networks in Geelong have played a massive part in setting up the Geelong Dragons, helping to put Geelong on the map in regard to all-abilities sport.

Program co-ordinator Luke Maher said he couldn’t be prouder of the efforts of the four players heading to South Australia.

“The four young men have done some amazing work with the Dragons, three of the boys have been there since the start in 2018 and Ash Dunscombe has come this year and travelled from Morrisons to train and play each Saturday,” Maher said.

“I think we’ve had some Vic Country reps before, but given it’s been quite disjointed throughout COVID, I can’t remember a time we’ve had four representatives which is some sort of record within our region.

“It’s really cool that those four boys have made their way into the Vic Country team.”

Maher mentioned that Geelong having its own local all-abilities AFL competition in 2023 will only enhance the pathway for more athletes to strive for the highest in their career.

“[Next year] it all morphs into this new local competition which will have four starters, Geelong West Giants, Bell Park, St Josephs and Newcomb,” Maher said.

“Lara and the Surf Coast Suns are looking at coming into the competition in 2024.

“It’s pretty awesome, it’s emphasises the work that we have done with the Dragons.

“Not only is it great for the four boys chosen in Vic Country, but it shines a light on what we have done here the last six years.”

A total of eight teams (12-a-side) will play a lightning carnival format over the first two days, then based on results, the top four teams go into Division 1 and the bottom four teams go into Division 2.

Teams play three matches against opponents in their division, before the top two teams play off in the Grand Final.

Victoria’s two teams will be hoping to repeat the state’s success of previous years, with Vic Metro taking home the title in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and Vic Country winning the title in 2014.

For more information, head to aflvic.com.au/inclusion/afl-national-inclusion-carnival