Midfield, forward line the strengths of BFNL inter-league training squad

The BFNL and coach Ashley Connick released a training squad of 61 players on Thursday, with all 10 clubs represented.

As expected, Sandhurst and Gisborne have the most representatives in the squad, with 12 and 11 players respectively. Eaglehawk has eight representatives and Strathfieldsaye has seven.

The biggest challenge for Connick and his selectors appears to be narrowing down the inside midfield group for the final 22 to play the Victorian Amateur Football Association at Elsternwick Park on July 6.

"When it comes to inter-league I think most leagues tend to be midfielder heavy,'' Connick said.

"Every team in our competition has one very good inside midfielder, if not two, so it's going to be a challenge (to pick the final 22), but a good challenge.

"We've tried to pick as talented a squad as we could and a lot will depend on availability.

"We'll have to pick a balanced team. We haven't done much work yet on what they (the VAFA) will be like, but we assume they're going to be good."

Connick said the buy-in for the inter-league program from BFNL clubs had been encouraging.

"I've touched base with every coach and they're rapt with the opportunity some players have got in the squad,'' he said.

"They're all aware that the league bye helps (with availability).

"I'm sure there's some older guys, or guys that have an injury history, that if they're fit and firing the clubs will be happy for them to play, but that will be a watch.

"We didn't put (Golden Square's) Jon Coe in the squad based on chats with (coach) Brad Eaton, who had spoken to Jon, because the week off at that stage will help Jon.

"We haven't left him out of the squad because we didn't think he was worthy of being in the squad. Gisborne's Liam Spear and Sam Graham are going to be overseas at that time, so we didn't pick them in the squad.

"Clayton Holmes is one that's really valuable to Eaglehawk, but he's had some shoulder concerns. Bryce Curnow is in a similar boat with us (Sandhurst). We'll wait and see how things progress."

Should everyone be available, the BFNL will have a plethora of options inside forward 50.

While the league's goalkicking honour roll in the past seven or eight years has been dominated by smaller forwards in Lachlan Sharp, Kaiden Antonowicz, Joel Brett and Ben Weightman, it's a strong group of marking forwards that will cause the VAFA defence plenty of headaches this year.

"Michael Hartley will be important as the genuine key forward and we can look at Jayden Burke forward as well,'' Connick said.

"We're really well off with that hard match-up sized forward. (Pat) McKenna, (Ferg) Greene, (Brock) Harvey that are really dangerous because they can get you in a few ways.

"We can't fit them all in, but how we mix and match them will be interesting.

"Then in the midfield Ricky Monti can kick goals, Bailey Henderson can certainly kick goals - those mids that can play forward will be very valuable."

While the BFNL has played 23 or sometimes even 24 players in previous inter-league campaigns, the rules for the VAFA match have been set for a final team of 22, no 6-6-6 rule at centre bounces and the "stand" rule will not be enforced.

A final team of 22 makes the selection of talls even more difficult for Connick.

"With only four players on the bench it's really hard to play two full-time ruckmen, so how we manage that will be important."

A group of nine players out of the squad 61 were included in the training group as part of the league's Futures Squad.

Each club was asked to nominate one promising young player for the Future squad.

The players nominated were: Castlemaine - Archie Rixon, Eaglehawk - Jack O'Shannessy, Gisborne - Harry Luxmoore, Golden Square - Macey Eaton, Kangaroo Flat - Toby Roberts, Maryborough - Aidyn Medlyn, Sandhurst - Lachlan Wright, South Bendigo - Will Marks, Strathfieldsaye - Malik Gordon.

Training details for the squad are yet to be finalised, but the first session is expected to be in early June.

BFNL training squad:

CASTLEMAINE

Michael Hartley

Bailey Henderson

Kalan Huntly

Archie Rixon

John Watson

EAGLEHAWK

Billy Evans

Jonty Neaves

Ben Thompson

Brayden Frost

Jack O'Shannessy

Charlie Langford

Joel Mullen

Clayton Holmes

GISBORNE

Brad Bernacki

Harry Luxmoore

Jack Scanlon

Flynn Lakey

Jack Reaper

Braidon Blake

Pat McKenna

Jed Denahy

Jackson Cardillo

Zac Denahy

Zac Vescovi

GOLDEN SQUARE

Jack Stewart

Ricky Monti

Jayden Burke

Macey Eaton

Jordan Rosengren

Tom Strauch

KANGAROO FLAT

Luke Ellings

Ethan Roberts

Jack Lefroy

Toby Roberts

MARYBOROUGH

Coby Perry

Kya Lanfranchi

Aidan Medlyn

SANDHURST

Lachlan Tardrew

Fergus Greene

Noah Walsh

Lachlan Wright

Jake McLean

James Coghlan

Isaac Ruff

Cobi Maxted

Liam Ireland

Bryce Curnow

Cooper Smith

Nick Stagg

SOUTH BENDIGO

Brock Harvey

Brody Haddow

Anthony Zimmerman

Isaiah Miller

Will Marks

STRATHFIELDSAYE

James Schischka

Matt Harvey

Lachlan Gill

Cooper Jones

Daniel Clohesy

Malik Gordon

Lachie Ratcliffe