Riverina League representative coach Jade Hodge is quietly confident of springing a surprise against AFL Canberra on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hodge and his Riverina League selectors named their final 22 for Saturday's trip to Canberra after training at Narrandera Sportsground on Thursday night.
Hodge is happy with the talent at his disposal and believes Riverina is capable of causing an upset in the nation's capital.
"I'm pretty confident, to be honest," Hodge said.
"It's a really strong side. We've got some good players in the side and it's going to be a pretty good game I think.
"It is hard to gauge without knowing too much about the other side. We'll find out I suppose but I'm pretty confident that it will be a good game."
Wagga Tigers dominated the Riverina League team, making up seven of the 22. Narrandera is the only club without a representative.
Jake Barrett and Joe Redfern withdrew from the squad on Wednesday with Liam Delahunty a late inclusion.
Hodge will issue his players a licence to run and back themselves in.
"I want us to back ourselves, particularly from out of defence" he said.
"We've got good runners and ball users back there so I want us to run and link with the footy. We've got a strong and damaging forward line that if we can get it in quick I think will be hard to stop."
Hodge believes Riverina's strength on Saturday will be their depth.
"Our depth across the board. There are a lot of guys that can play a lot of different roles for us," he said.
"If we need to change on the run then we've got the ability to do that.
"We've got a lot of quality footballers. When you have a look at the Farrer League and how they've had a heap pull out. We haven't had that. We've lost a couple to injury and unavailability but we've still got a strong team with good leaders and a good mix of youth as well."
Hodge is not exactly sure what to expect from AFL Canberra but suspects they will be quick and full of run.
"It's sort of an unknown for me. I don't know a lot about the players individually," he said.
"In the games I've played against Canberra sides, they do like to move the ball really fast and take the game on so defensively we're going to have to be at our best.
"They've got quality players there so I'm sure it will be a good game. I'm lucky that we've been able to pick a reasonable side so we can go there and give it a red hot crack."
Riverina League have rolled the dice by opting to go in with just the one recognised ruckman in Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong's Jacob Olsson.
Hodge said Liam Delahunty may give him some relief during the game, as well as take the ruck responsibilities in the forward half.
Riverina League will take on AFL Canberra at 4pm on Saturday at Football Park in Phillip, Canberra.
Riverina League
B: Ryan Grey, Will Wakeman, Reid Gordon
HB: Dylan Morton, Jacob Conlan, Will Griggs
C: James Kennedy, Brendan Myers, Jesse Manton
HF: Tom Keogh, Liam Delahunty, Will Keogh
F: Nick Ryan, Marc Geppert, John Buchanan
Foll: Jacob Olsson, Jordan Iudica, Nick McCormack
Inter: Josh Ashcroft, Ben Walsh, Lucas Conlan, Ryan Dunn
Emerg: Nathan Richards
READ MORE