Well, make sure to head down to Deakin Reserve on May 25 for the Goulburn Valley League under-18 interleague football match against the Ovens and Murray League.
The game is sure to be a mix of bone-crunching tackles and a bit of razzle-dazzle as the junior interleague sides fight it out to see who can claim the title as arguably the best junior regional football league in the state.
GVL’s under-18 side will be keen to bounce back from last year’s performance after O&M defeated GVL by 59 points, with the GVL boys also eager to break a two-game losing streak against their northern rivals.
In his second year as GVL under-18s coach, Ramadan Yze believes he has the squad to challenge an O&M side that the Shepparton United legend believes will be filled with talent.
“We are looking pretty good at the minute, to be honest,” he said.
“We have a squad of about 40-odd at the moment and we have another training run this Wednesday night in Seymour and then we will start making our cuts after that, but there are some quality players around.
“There are a few that played last year for me, so it is always nice to see some familiar faces at training and there is also a few new ones, so that’s good that there is a good blend of bottom-age and top-age.
“O&M are a fairly strong outfit, but I go into every game trying to win.”
2024 GVFL Under-18 Interleague squad
Sam Begley (Benalla), Jett Bruton (Shepp Swans), Mac Calleja (Mooroopna), Lachlan Carver (Kyabram), Xavier Chandler (Mooroopna), Jake Cirillo (Shepp Swans), Will Creevy (Euroa), Makai Cronin (Echuca), Oscar Dixon (Kyabram), Jensen Dowling (Shepparton), Rory Duffy (Shepp Swans), Paddy Dunstan (Mansfield), Will Emanuelli (Mooroopna), Oscar Emanuelli (Mooroopna), Solomon Fleming (Echuca), Harrison Foster (Rochester), Ned Frostick (Shepparton), Flynn Grumley (Shepp Swans), Ryan Hill (Euroa), Max Hooper (Shepparton), Kade James (Mooroopna), Kye Jeffery (Shepp United), Nic Jephson (Kyabram), Darby Jones (Echuca), Oscar Lambourn (Shepparton), Zayden Leocatta (Shepparton), Jaxson McMinn (Echuca), Tyler Norman (Kyabram), Riley Northcott (Mansfield), Sam O'Brien (Shepparton), Luke Oellermann (Echuca), Jack Osborne (Mooroopna), Rhys Osborne (Mooroopna), Caiden Phillips (Shepp Swans), Josh Porter (Seymour), Nate Rasmussen (Rochester), Jordy Rasmussen (Rochester), Caden Ratcliffe (Mooroopna), Ben Reardon (Mansfield), Harper Simpson (Shepp Swans), Adam Storer (Mansfield), Mitch Walters (Euroa), Tobie Woodfine (Rochester), Deacon Woods (Shepp United)
The initial squad of 44 footballers will be cut down to a team of 22, with three to four players also named as emergencies.
Yze believes the interleague match presents a perfect platform for young footballers with dreams of higher honours to impress scouts and onlookers.
“A lot of the kids at the minute are playing senior footy, so that is a great honour on their behalf already,” he said.
“What I am looking for is for them to showcase their skills to everyone else and hopefully improve their footy and there’s the Coates Talent League they could make or strive for and who knows from there.
“Hopefully, we can put on a good show.”
After the O&M under-18 side defeated the GVL under-18s by close to 10 goals last year, Yze said his side planned to seek revenge on May 25.
“This year will be redemption, I hope,” he said.
“They got us last year and like I said, they were a solid outfit as we were with them for about a half and then in the second half, they overran us.
“If they are anything like last year, they will be a very well-drilled side who love to run and create from the backline.
“Some of them have got bigger bodies, so it is going to be a challenge, no doubt, but I am looking forward to it and I think I have got the squad to put it up to them this year.
“That’s the main focus, to put the GV one step ahead of O&M really, in the under-18s.”
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