The 2017 AFL Sapphire Coast junior representative squads have been finalised with the Stingray’s once again compiling highly competitive squads for the Shoalhaven Junior Carnival.
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League officials said one of the biggest highlights for the Sapphire Coast is that they have been able to enter two Youth Girls sides after the Southern Power pulled out of the 2017 carnival.
“Being able to get two teams is a great achievement and it just shows the success of the implementation of the women’s competition in 2016 and the talent coming through” Football Operations Coordinator Jarrod Moore said.
“We are shaping up for another successful carnival and, like in previous years, we have had great representation from clubs trying out for each representative team with over 30 trialing for each grade.”
The Sapphire Coast will send five teams to compete with entries in the under 12s, under 14.5s, under 17s and the two girls’ rosters.
Bega will be represented by Darby Hayes in the under 12s line-up.
Meanwhile, Tathra will have solid representation in the ‘southern’ girls outfit. The squad will include Kaylah Faulkner, Tyra-Lee Palmer, Nakayla Rootsey and Sam Crowley. The second girls squad will be the ‘northern’ outfit from Bermagui, Narooma and Moruya/Broulee.
The Shoalhaven carnival is set to take place once again over the first weekend of the school holidays from Friday the 30th June to Sunday the 2nd of July with the Sapphire Stingrays to take on the Shoalhaven, Illawarra and Central West.
Games will go ahead in Nowra across three grounds including the West St Oval, the Nowra Showgrounds as well the Artie Smith Oval in Bomaderry.
The selected teams were put through their paces at a final training run on Monday at Bermagui’s Dickinson Oval where players were also presented with their jumpers in a special ceremony.
Moore said a big congratulations to all the players who will compete over the weekend and wished them well.
“Also thank you to all those who trialed this year, selections were extremely difficult due to the large amount of talent on display in each age group,” he said.
Regular local Sapphire Coast AFL competition will have a wet weather bye round and return on July 8.