SEABL Media Release

At the completion of this year’s playoff series, a SEABL representative team will embark on a two week tour of China to take on national sides from China and Germany, as well as a US College team.

The side was chosen from a squad of 22 after clubs were asked to nominate players who were 25 and under, and available for the tour.

The squad trained last Sunday at Lyndale secondary College in Dandenong, and a final squad of 11 players was chosen by a selection panel.

The selection panel consisted of Head Coach Bruce Palmer, Assistant Coach Craig Simpson, Frankston D-League men’s coach Heath Miller, Ballarat D-League men’s coach Grant Spencer, and Kilsyth D-League men’s coach Rod Popp.

Craig Simpson was offered the Assistant’s position after the Nunawading Spectres finished the regular SEABL season as minor premiers.

The final squad as named is:

Ryan Barnes (Ballarat)

Dominic Friend (Geelong)

Glenn Potts (Kilsyth)

Shaun Bruce (Ballarat)

Ryan Bathie (Kilsyth)

Sean Carroll (Knox)

Austen Flint (Bendigo)

Tim Lang (Kilsyth)

Alex Vanrenen (Knox)

Jonathon Miller (Canberra)

Auryn McMillan (Kilsyth)

 

Impressively, the squad features two players who have come through the D-League competition in Shaun Bruce and Austen Flint

The team departs on the 29th of August and play 9 matches across the Shichuan, Guizhou and Guangdong provinces, before returning on the 12th of September. The itinerary incorporates games against the under-18 Chinese national team, the under-18 German national team, and an as yet to be announced US College team.

Head Coach Bruce Palmer was impressed with the sides’ talent, and said making the final cut was not an easy decision, “We had to make some really tough choices to get the squad down to only eleven players, so obviously we have a side that has plenty of depth, and should put up a good contest against what we anticipate will be some strong opposition.”

Mr Palmer went on to say that the quality of the side reflected well on the League “To be able to put together a side of this calibre at relatively short notice, and with D-League players also represented, is a testament to the strength of the entire League.”

DOMESTIC CLUBS