Lots of clubs on Pioneers list

MORE than 60 clubs are represented on the Latrobe University Bendigo Pioneers Football Club’s under 18 and under 16 boys and girls pre-season squads.

The club’s build-up for the 2024 Coates Talent League starts on 19 November in Swan Hill.

Bases for the pre-season hit outs will be at Bendigo, Echuca and Moama, Swan Hill, and Mildura.

Eight of the nine Bendigo FNL clubs are represented across the boys squad of 192, or girls of 103 contenders.

Gisborne falls into the Calder Cannons’ zone.

Highest number of representatives from a Bendigo club on the Pioneers list is Sandhurst on 30.

Also high in the order were Golden Square with 19, Strathfieldsaye 14 and Castlemaine with 13.

Contenders for the under 18s squad include Golden Square’s Bailey Warfe, Colbinabbin ruckman Jasper McArdle, Charlton forward Nick Thompson, Leitchville Gunbower’s Noah Hore, and Marong’s Jonty Davis.

The under 18 girls squad includes Castlemaine premiership player Ainsley Taft, and Magpies’ clubmates Chloe Butcher, Chelsea Cole and Chloe Drew.

Also vying for selection will be Eaglehawk’s Sienna Hobbs, Golden Square’s Gemma McPhee, Sandhurst’s Neve Pinner, and Tahlia Kendall and Lucia Painter from White Hills.

Well-known names in the under 16 girls squad include Demeo, Garlick, Lowther and Nihill.

Although it has crossed to the Riddell DFNL, Kyneton has some players in the Pioneers program.

The Heathcote DFNL’s rising stars from Colbinabbin, Heathcote, Huntly, Leitchville Gunbower, Lockington Bamawm United, North Bendigo, and White Hills are also in contention to make the final squads.

Loddon Valley clubs represented on the Pioneers lists are Maiden Gully YCW Eagles and Marong Panthers.

A huge zone for the Pioneers stretches from as far afield as Red Cliffs, Carisbrook, Echuca, Wentworth, Balranald, Carisbrook, Gol Gol, Nullawil, Sea Lake, St Arnaud and many other pockets across central and northern Victoria.

The club has also unearthed prospects from Deniliquin, Ultima, Donald, Woorinen, Kerang, Ouyen, St Arnaud, Koondrook Barham, Rochester, Lake Boga, St Arnaud, and Wentworth.

Tongala, home to Harley Reid who is widely tipped to be number one pick in this year’s AFL National Draft will have James Coulson and Jessie Johnstone vying to make the under 18s squad.