MOTHERS DAY ROUND

YOUNG GUNS | Tasmania’s Under 18 Campaign Begins
The Tasmania Under 18 team will started its 2011 campaign shortly with two games in the
next fortnight against TAC Cup teams the Sandringham Dragons and the Oakleigh Chargers.
Each year Tasmania’s Under 18’s play seven games
in the May to July period. In two of these games
Tasmania plays against TAC cup teams, with the
other five games forming the NAB Under 18 National
Championships.
The TAC cup games are played as part of the TAC
Cup roster alongside other Division 2 states, with the
opposition TAC teams still earning 4 points for a win.
They are a valuable addition to the Under 18 season,
providing the players with further opportunities to
represent the state and display their talents in front of
AFL club recruiting staff.
Today Under 18 players are playing at their TSL
clubs before the beginning of the Under 18 season
next weekend. Tasmania’s first game will be a tough
encounter against Sandringham, who currently sit on
top of the TAC ladder and are undefeated this season.
The five National Championships games are spread
across a six week “carnival” to enable players to time
recover and present in the best possible condition
each game.
Tasmania’s first National Championship game is
against 2010 National Division 1 title holders Victoria
Country at Bellerive Oval. In 2009 Tasmania led the
Victoria Country team by 14 points in the same fixture
before being overrun in the last quarter to lose by 15
points. The 2009 Victoria Country team consisted
of current AFL players such as Dustin Martin and
David Astbury (Richmond), Gary Rohan (Sydney), Ben
Cunnington and Ryan Bastinac (North Melbourne),
Jasper Pittard (Port Adelaide) Trent McKenzie (Gold
Coast), Allen Christenson (Geelong) and Koby Stevens
(West Coast)
Tasmania’s team consisted of eight currently listed
players – Josh Green & Ryan Harwood (Brisbane),
Jesse Crichton (Fremantle), Jeremy Howe (Melbourne),
Daniel Archer (St Kilda), Marcus Davies (Carlton), Luke
Russell & Jacob Gillbee (Gold Coast)
The 2011 roster is as follows:
Tasmania V Sandringham
Bellerive Oval Saturday May 14, 10:20am
Tasmania V Oakleigh
Oakleigh Oval Saturday May 28, 11:00am
Tasmania V Victoria Country
Bellerive Oval Sunday June 5, 11.30am
Tasmania V Western Australia
Subiaco Sunday June 12, 11:15am
Tasmania V New South Wales/ACT
Aurora Stadium Saturday June 25, 12:00pm
Tasmania V Northern Territory
Visy Park Saturday July 2, 11:00am
Tasmania V Queensland
Visy Park Thursday July 7, 11:00am
Please come along and support the team in their
Under 18 games at Bellerive Oval and Aurora
Stadium.
Nick Probert
State Talent Manager
AFL Tasmania
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