Gisborne’s Rye Penny will be among those aiming to push their AFL mid-season draft claims against the state’s best under-18 boys footballers as part of the 2023 Young Guns series.
The two-game series will pit the Young Guns team against Victoria Metro and Victoria Country under-18 teams.
The first of those games between the Young Guns and Victoria Metro was set to be played on Sunday, after deadline, with the second game between the Young Guns and Victoria Country set down for this Sunday.
The Young Guns team has been selected by AFL recruiters, with the team made up of players eligible for selection in the AFL mid-season rookie draft on May 31.
The team features prospects who compete in the Coates Talent League Boys as overage players and in the Victorian Football League.
Penny, who is playing for the Calder Cannons this season, has been named in the Young Guns team. Penny was named in the Vic Metro squad for trail matches against Victoria Country last month.
Bundoora’s Jedd Longmire and Western Jets’ Jovan Petric have also been named in the team.
Victoria Metro and Victoria Country will use the Young Guns series as a trial ahead of selecting their final squads to compete at the national championships.
Calder Cannons assistant coach Matt O’Connor will again coach the Young Guns, with Ali Hamad (Western Jets), Jon Mole (Dandenong Stingrays) and Luke Williams (Calder Cannons) also part of the coaching panel.
Victoria Metro will be coached by Sandringham Dragons boys head coach Rob Harding. Western Jets coach Trent Dennis-Lane, Northern Knights coach Anthony Rocca and Calder Cannons’ Andrew Sturgess are assistant coaches.
Among those named in the metro squad are Calder Cannons’ Isaac Kako, Mahmoud Taha, Ryan Eyre and Jordan Croft.
Western Jets’ Lucca Grego and Jake Smith, along with Northern Knights Zak Johnson and Christian Mardini have also been named in the metro squad.
