Hannah Loughnan performed well for the North East Bushrangers in the recent V/Line Cup where the girls team won the overall regional Victoria title.
The Murray Bushrangers have released their female pre-season and boys under-16 squad with the next generation of football stars outlined to contest next year's NAB League and Futures program.
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Three Yarrawonga boys (Zac Forge, Xavier Mitchell, Ryder Stevens) and ten local girls (Ava and Hannah Loughnan, Jaszmine and Latoya Holdsworth, Maddie Ibrahim, Paige Duffy, Georgia Thomas, Trinny Preer, Mackenzie Clark and Grace Richmond) were chosen.
The players were picked from recent trials held in Wangaratta and performances at the 2022 V-Line under-15 carnival conducted in Shepparton. Girls were also chosen on previous NAB League experience.
In the boys, 32 of the players picked hailed from 14 different clubs across the North East Border and Southern NSW region.
Boys assistant coach Simon Grumley said he's pleased with this year's talent pool.
Local boys Zac Forge, Xavier Mitchell and Ryder Stevens were picked in the Bushrangers pre-season under-16 squad.
"We've picked a good squad, there's a lot of talent through there and we'll just see how it pans out in the next couple of months on where they really sit," he said.
"We're pretty confident we've got a good group which is great.”
The 61-strong group of boys will train together in the lead up to Christmas before returning at the end of January for further sessions and a trial game, where a squad of 25 will be finalised.
Months on the training track will then culminate with two games aligning with the opening rounds of the NAB League around late March.
Maddie Ibrahim in action against the Sydney Swans in the Joss Super 24 Series held in September.
The girls pre-season squad will also be reduced and players will be earmarked for futures and the Under 19 NAB League team.
The girls will hit the training track on November 13.
Assistant coach Claire Cartwright said there is a good, diverse mix of ages and backgrounds in the squad.
"There is a lot more interest now in this pathway which leads to the AFLW.
"With the squad we've selected, we our have future program players as well as our under-19 squad," Cartwright said.
With the very recent success stories of newly recruited Bushrangers Keeley Skepper and Zarlie Goldsworthy making headways in the AFLW, the attraction factor is high at the moment.
"The pathway looks to develop our younger talent and give them a taste of what an elite program looks like as well as what the expectations are."
This year's female NAB League season will align with the boy's campaign, and the Bushrangers seem poised to deliver more local talents to the door of AFLW clubs next year.
The league's governing body is proposing a four week break at the start of the season to allow players to return to local clubs, as well as a four-week stint near the end of local seasons so players can return for finals.
