CAPTAIN Gennaro Bove and AFL Academy member Toby Conway are among four inclusions for the Geelong Falcons NAB League Boys match-up with Bendigo Pioneers at Ballarat on Saturday.
The Falcons, who scored their first win of the season against GWV Rebels last week, have also welcomed back Noah Gadsby, while Queenscliff’s Max Annandale will play his match of the season after overcoming injury.
Bove, Gadsby and Annandale were unable to play against the Rebels due to the Victorian Government’s restrictions on 19-year-olds playing competitive sport.
Caleb Ezard, Brady Ferguson, Chase Loftus and Xavier Muhor have been omitted.
“They were pretty much just really unlucky,” coach Paul Corrigan said.
“They just got squeezed out with the calibre of player we had coming back as well.”
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Corrigan is keen for the Falcons to build on the consistent performance they produced in handing the Rebels their first loss of the season.
“Just making sure that they bring that level of footy that we played last week,” Corrigan said.
“Just building on our work around the ball, and not fluctating in having good quarters and then dropping away.
“And how we work on our ball movement, especially with the forwards that we’ve got available to us at the moment.”
It’s the second meeting between the Falcons and the ladder-leading Pioneers in 2021, with Bendigo claiming a 14-point win in Round 4.
“They were really impressive the first time around,” Corrigan said.
“They moved the ball really quickly, and they’ve got some good players across the lines in the Hamilton brothers, (Sam) Conforti comes back into their side this week, they’ve got Caleb Ernst up forward.
“It’s another great challenge for our boys.”
Meanwhile, the six Falcons have been named in the Vic Country under-17 squad for the upcoming national championships.
St Joseph’s trio Ted Clohesy, Xavier Muhor and Olivier Northam, Queenscliff pair Will Baker and Jhye Clark, and Colac’s Will Parkhouse will have a chance to impress AFL recruiters a year out from being draft eligible.
Twitter: @tom_king79
NAB LEAGUE BOYS ROUND 8
GEELONG FALCONS vs. BENDIGO PIONEERS
MARS Stadium – Ballarat
Saturday, June 12, 11:30am
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