BFNL players dominate GWV Rebels squad

TWENTY-FIVE Ballarat league footballers have been picked in the Greater Western Victoria Rebels under-18 squad for 2026.

They comprise exactly half of the 50-player squad announced by the Coates talent League club.

North Ballarat is best represented among Ballarat club with eight squad members, including Archer Beattie, Xavier Cummins, Tom Faull, Patrick McKenna, Lachlan Petrie, Finn Russell, Lachie Squire and Mitch Ward.

Ballarat and Lake Wendouree each has four representatives and East Point and Redan three apiece.

Eastern block clubs Darley and Bacchus Marsh each have one representative, with Jet D’Arcy (Devils) and Riley Cook (Cobras) included in the squad, which also features a mix of Hampden and Wimmera league players.

The squad is bolstered by a development squad of 12 predominantly Ballarat league players.

The Rebels will be aiming to build on last year’s impressive effort in which they finished the regular season in eighth with an 8-7 win-loss record, but made it through to the third week of finals.

Rebels under-18 squad: Archer Beattie (North Ballarat), Rory Bell (Redan), Hamish Birkett (Lake Wendouree), Lucas Byrne (Ballarat), Max Clancey (Port Fairy), Jake Connolly (Redan), Riley Cook (Bacchus Marsh), Xavier Cummins (North Ballarat), Jet D’Arcy (Darley), Hamish Dobson (Koroit), Ethan Drever (Ballarat), Leo Ellerton (South Warrnambool), Archie Elliott (Horsham), Dan Ewing (Koroit), Oakley Farr (Horsham), Tom Faull (North Ballarat), Toby Hellessey (Warrnambool), Oscar Henderson (Mount Clear), Harley Hicks (Lake Wendouree), Riley Hiscock (East Point), Michael Hughes (North Ballarat), Charlie Jellie (North Warrnambool), Charlie Kenna (Terang-Mortlake), Ruot Lual (East Point), Patrick McKenna (North Ballarat), Levi Munyard (Horsham Saints), Klay Nicholls (Portland), Jackson O’Brien (Lake Wendouree), Tom Ough (Wentworth), Lachlan Petrie (Ballarat), Hugh Prentice (Hamilton), Noah Prevett (Portland), Lachlan Pring (Ballarat), Finn Russell (North Ballarat), Jack Sobey (Hamilton), Lachie Squire (North Ballarat), Lenny Stephens (Camperdown), Jimmy Stevens (South Warrnambool), Archie Taylor (Cobden), Sonni Te Moananui (East Point), Archie Todd (Lake Wendouree), Oliver Turner (Warrnambool), Mitch Ward (North Ballarat), Samuel Wareham (Terang -ortlake), Harrison Welsh (Redan).

Development squad: Archie Fraser (North Ballarat), Ky Geljon (East Point), Artie Harvey (Dartmoor), Thomas Hodge (East Point), Noah James (Mildura), Xavier Johnston (Bacchus Marsh), Tyler Kelly (Ballarat), Liem Tethloach (Ballarat), Billy O’Kelly (Lake Wendouree), Paddy Sell (South Warrnambool), Oliver Tickell (East Point), Tyson Walsh (Lake Wendouree).