Goulburn Murray Cricket’s Country Week squads unveiled

By Josh Huntly

Dec 22, 2022

Line and length: Echuca’s Isla Laffy will be part of a swathe of cricketing stars to represent Goulburn Murray Cricket at Junior Country Week as the league returns to representative action. Photo: Steve Huntley

Nearly 100 of Goulburn Murray Cricket’s brightest junior talents have been named in the league’s eight 2023 Junior Country Week squads for the upcoming representative carnival.

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Held from January 3-6, the carnival will see GMC compete against neighbouring tournaments in the Northern Rivers cricket division, with the squads finalised over the past week.

GMC junior co-ordinator Marcus Maher is confident the even spread of talent from around the league will contribute to a strong 2023 carnival.

“The selection process was good, we’ve been delayed a bit by COVID in the last couple of years, this year was the floods just with the timing of it all,” Maher said.

“We had some great nominations all around the league with most clubs getting a handful of kids in each team.”

GMC will battle the likes of Cricket Shepparton, Bendigo District Cricket Association and Murray Valley Cricket Association, with the competition providing a platform for up-and-coming cricketers to build towards higher honours.

Those opportunities have been expanded for first-time GMC representatives with the league welcoming the return of a second under-13 side.

“We have a 13B team which is pretty exciting, we didn’t have that last year. It gives kids more of an opportunity to represent the league,” Maher said.

The squads boast a mix of senior A-grade, Victorian, and premier cricket representatives, with a strong showing expected in the three qualifying rounds held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, January 3-5.

The under-14 girls side was the sole team to qualify for a Country Week grand final in a COVID-affected campaign for the league, but now Maher can see a new dawn for the sides competing.

“We want the standard to be whenever you play for your competition we want to really win,” Maher said.

“They’ve probably been battling against some of the other regions for the last few years, but there will be some standout performances from some young kids.”

Rob Hogan has been tapped to lead the under-17 squad, while Kirk Teasdale and Daryl Holgate will helm the under-16 and under-15 boys respectively.

Bree Style will be the one to guide the under-17 and 14 girls’ program, while Dylan Cuttriss will mentor the under-13 program.

Mitch Hewes rounds out the coaching staff as the under-14s’ mentor.

The action kicks off on Tuesday, January 3 with clashes scattered throughout the region.

GMC Junior Country Week squads

Under-17 boys: Archer Carlile (Echuca), Lachlan Hogan (Echuca), Sam Fisher (Echuca), Zac Hegarty (Echuca), Oscar Burns (Moama), Noah Turner (BLU), Xavier Wishart (Nondies-Cohuna), Angus Donat (Nondies-Cohuna), Lachlan Caldwell (Tongala), Bailey White (Kyabram FB), Nic Jephson (Kyabram FB), Cohan Hooper (Kyabram FB).

Coach: Rob Hogan.

Under-17 girls: Isla Laffy (Echuca), Jordan Dalziel (Echuca), Marli Hollamby (Echuca), Maisey Byrne (Echuca), Grace Riddell (Echuca), Miranda Crawford (Rochester), Jada Bover (captain, BLU), Maddison Pearse (BLU), Taya Munro (BLU), Allissa Morphett (BLU), Mia Elliot (Kyabram FB), Lara Hooper (Kyabram FB), Jasmine Greiner (Kyabram FB).

Under-16 boys: Liam Edge (Nondies-Cohuna), James Barrett (Leitchville-Gunbower), Jessie Johnstone (Tongala), Hudson Kellett, Hunter Fawcett (Cooma), Liam Stephens (Moama), Luke Stone (Moama), Archie Teasdale (Moama), Rhys Drennan (Moama), Charlie Mundie (BLU), Ethan Howard (Rochester), Oliver Williams (Rochester), Matt Harrington (Rochester).

Coach: Kirk Teasdale.

Under-15 boys: Lucas Holgate (BLU), Oscar Palmer (BLU), Kade Pearse (BLU), Blake Gibson (Leitchville-Gunbower), Broden Wishart (Nondies-Cohuna), Jim Hipwell (Cooma), Bill Hipwell (Cooma), Ky Henson (Echuca), Easton Carlile (Echuca), Mitch Peterson (Echuca) Benny Smith (Tongala), Hamish Stewart (Rochester).

Coach: Daryl Holgate.

Under-14 boys: James Mason (Moama), Charlie Connors (Moama), Geordie Teasdale (Moama), Mac Hooppell (Moama), Cale James (Rochester), Will Harrison (Kyabram FB), Tim Mawley (Kyabram FB), Liam Beasley (Echuca), Jackson Groves (Moama), Seth Chantler (Tongala), Mitch Cornwall (Tongala), Charlie Macintyre (BLU).

Coach: Mitch Hewes.

Under-14 girls: Lexie Cottrell (Kyabram FB), Mia Stockdale (Kyabram FB), Sienna Brennan (Kyabram FB), Ella Hooper (Kyabram FB), Penny Mason (Kyabram FB), Chloe Moyle (captain, Echuca), Olivia Hooper (Echuca), Sophie Good (BLU), Georgia Leonard (Kyabram), Candence Major (Rochester), Hayley Broucek (Rochester), Imogan Kath (Rochester).

Coach: Bree Style

Manager: Hannah Kelly.

Under-13A boys: Ryan Caldwell (Echuca), Ben Henson (Echuca), Jasper Hare (Leitchville-Gunbower), Jhye Clarke (Moama), Finn Murphy (Moama), Blake Johns (Moama), Tadhg O’Neill (Kyabram FB), Charlie Perkin (Kyabram FB), Ethan Greiner (Kyabram FB), Max Stockdale (Kyabram FB), River Townsend (Tongala), Jack Forde (Tongala).

Under-13B boys: Xavier Carmichael (Echuca), Henry Bell (Echuca), Taj Maddox (Echuca), Lachie Jeffries (Echuca), Asher Rasmussen (Rochester), Judd Cuttriss (Rochester), Harry Rasmussen (Rochester), Landyn Maher (Moama), Nate Murphy (Moama), Anthony Evans (Kyabram CC), Seb Greely (Kyabram CC), Jonty Sefton (Kyabram FB), Jack Mundie (BLU).

Coach: Dylan Cuttriss.

By Josh Huntly