West Australian Country Football League State coach Rod Williams has his squad under no illusions about what he wants to achieve at this year’s Landmark Australian Country Football Carnival.
Williams will lead the WA side for the first time at the Carnival to be played in Shepparton, Victoria from July 24-27 and he expects no less than a title win from his team.
“I am expecting a big challenge,” Williams said.
“We have been in the competition 20 years and haven’t come away with a title. I’ve made the players aware of that – I want to go over there to make history.”
The squad currently has 32 members, with that number to be trimmed to 24 for the National Carnival. Final cuts will be made to the squad after the Landmark Country Football Carnival to be played in Perth from Thursday, July 10.
“There will be a fair bit of pressure on the boys to perform well at the Landmark carnival, but the side will pick itself if everyone is up and running,” he said.
“Hopefully everyone is, however Rowan Astbury pulled a hamstring and is expected to be out for 4-5 weeks.
“We will take about 10 midfielders to ensure a steady rotation as players are generally tired by the end of the Carnival.”
Cameron Knapton, General Manager of the WACFL said “representative football and both the local Landmark Championship and the National Carnival are key events on the football calendar and having the Landmark Championship as the final piece of the selection jigsaw puzzle for the National Carnivals ensures that the best players play and represent their Leagues”.
Each year some players from outside the squad have outstanding Championships and push for inclusion in the final 24 that will travel to Shepparton and with 15 senior teams playing Landmark this year the State Selectors will be monitoring all games closely.
The National Carnival is held every two years. Backing up from their appearance in 2006 on the Gold Coast are experienced pair Ricky Mott and James McRae.
Mott is a former AFL and WAFL ruckman, while McRae is another of the many former WAFL players in the current squad. Other former AFL and WAFL players include Simon Duckworth, Clint Ernst, Rhys McFarland, Matt Kennewell, Rowan Astbury, Nathan Elari, Jesse Gribble, Mark Gilholme, Brett Claudius, Bryan Hardie, Damien Casson and Brad Hardingham.
The WA Squad
| Nathan deBlecourt | AFA | Railways |
| Damian Casson | EDFL | Narembeen |
| James Langley | GFL | Kalgoorlie Railways |
| Wes Miller | GFL | Kalgoorlie |
| Matt Kennewell | GNFL | Railways |
| Dale Baynes | GNFL | Towns |
| Cleve Humphries | GSFL | Royals |
| James McRae | GSFL | Royals |
| Clinton Ernst | LSWFL | Manjimup |
| Daniel McGinlay | NMFL | Coorow/Latham |
| Jesse Gribble | SWFL | Bunbury |
| Jamie Bennell | SWFL | Carey Park |
| Justin Wilson | SWFL | Carey Park |
| Kane Bebington | SWFL | Collie |
| Jarrad Martin | SWFL | Collie |
| Trevor Scott | SWFL | Collie |
| Seth White | SWFL | Collie |
| Chris Sheehan | SWFL | Donnybrook |
| Warren Steele | SWFL | Doonybrook |
| Nathan Elari | SWFL | Harvey/Brunswick/Leschenault |
| Rhys McFarland | SWFL | Harvey/Brunswick/Leschenault |
| Michael Sherry | SWFL | Harvey/Brunswick/Leschenault |
| Brad Hardingham | SWFL | South Bunbury |
| Bryan Hardie | UGSFL | Boddington |
| Adam Pearce | UGSFL | Boddington |
| Ricky Mott | UGSFL | Kuk/Dumb |
| Rowan Astbury | UGSFL | Wickepin |
| Simon Duckworth | UGSFL | Wickepin |
| Mark Gilholme | UGSFL | Williams |
| Gerard Medlen | UGSFL | Williams |
| Brett Claudius | WKFL | Cable Beach |
WA Fixtures for the Landmark Australian Country Football Council National Carnival:
| THURSDAY 24 JULY 2008 WA v SA 10.00am – 11.00 am VIC v WA 12.30pm – 1.30pm Deakin Reserve, Shepparton | FRIDAY 25 JULY 2008 WA v ACT 11.00am NSW v WA 3.00pm Deakin Reserve, Shepparton |