The AFL South East Regional Junior Championships provide an important stepping-stone for the elite Under-15 talent in the region to progress through to the 2019 V/Line Cup.
The most talented and best performed boys and girls from the FDJFL, MPJFL and SEJ will come together as one to represent the region at WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country’s premier junior regional championship.
Those selected will compete in two representative games in Shepparton during AFL Grand Final week – Monday 23 to Thursday 26 September – as a lead into selection in the Dandenong Stingrays Under-16 program for boys and girls.
A squad of approximately 60 to 70 players will be selected to train in August 2019 as a lead up to the V/Line Carnival.
Selection is based on talent identification carried out at the regional championships, along with club and school identification and players connected with the Melbourne and St Kilda Next Generation Academies.
A come-and-try trial may also be held for the girls team.
Participants must reside in the Dandenong Stingrays zone and, for the boys program, must be born in 2004. Girls participants will be selected from players born in 2004 and 2005.
The boys program, sponsored by St Kilda Academy, will be coached by Paddy Swayn, Peter Freeman and Leigh Stewart, with Jenny Todd and Shaun Beattie heading up the Melbourne Academy sponsored girls program.
In addition the V/Line Cup also provides an important development pathway for young umpires, with all field umpires at the Championships members of the V/Line Umpire Academy.
For more information and updates go to the relevant Facebook pages; Southern Stingrays V/Line Boys 2019 and Southern Stingrays V/Line Girls 2019.