GFL NAMES STRONG SQUAD FOR MCG -
GFL interleague coach Jeremy Dyer hopes the incentive of playing on the hallowed turf of the MCG will be enough to inspire the region’s top footballers to suit up for representative football.
AFL Barwon has unveiled a 50man squad for the one-versus-two clash against Mornington Peninsula on May 13, with a host of new faces to train on Monday.
The GFL is bidding for a fifthstraight title, having retained the No. 1 mantle with a 24-point win over the Eastern Football League last season.
No. 2 ranked Mornington Peninsula will step up to the plate on the ’ G in a curtain raiser to the Round 8 clash between Geelong and Essendon.
“For a one-versus-two clash, whether the GFL is involved or not, you need that carrot of playing at the MCG,” Dyer said.
“I believe you need a decent ground, like the MCG or Etihad, to get the best players involved so you’re showcasing the best players and the whole spectacle of first-versus-second in the country championships.
“It gives the game the credibility it deserves.”
Grovedale has the most representatives with seven, with grand finalist St Mary’s having six.
Dyer said he was pleased with the squad, but said it would look different when players declared.
“It looks good now with all those names on the list but it will depend what it looks like in a week’s time,” he said.
“Hopefully this year will be a little different, given there’s a bigger incentive to play and I hope that will get more interested in making themselves available, but we’ll see.
“We got the squad out there a little bit earlier with a shorter leadin and we’ve got in touch with the clubs to see if the guys are available to make things easier.
“We want to cut it down as quick as we can so we can get a side out.”
Star St Joseph’s defender Daniel Lovick is one notable omission, with Dyer granting the veteran’s wish to step aside.
“‘Lovie’ is getting to the stage of his career where he wants to move on, to a certain degree,” he said.
“He wants to look after his body and it was his decision not to play.
“He certainly doesn’t owe me, the GFL or AFL Barwon anything in regards to his involvement. We’ve put it to him to be involved in a role as an assistant, but he’s weighing up whether he’d like to do that.”
The squad has VFL-listed talent, but with the Cats meeting Essendon at Windy Hill, Dyer could be left with just a few to pick from.
“It’s one of those things where you don’t know what you’re going to get with the VFL each year and we understand that,” he said.
“We’re not going to hold them to ransom. It’s pretty much a suck-it-and-see scenario, and we’ve picked a young side this year, but we’ll just have to wait and see who is available.”