A pair of Dandenong Stingrays are set to make their first appearances at the Under-18s Boys National Championships on Saturday at Ikon Park.
Halfback Jasper Russell and bottom-aged small forward Marcus Prasad will be part of the lineup which will be searching for Vic Country’s first win of 2025, over the Allies.
Russell is promoted from outside the squad, having averaged 22 disposals and five marks from 11 games in 2025.
The 176cm talent’s game is underpinned by his running power – unsurprising given he is the son of long time AFL fitness guru Andrew Russell.
He has made the most of an unfettered run in the Coates League this year after splitting his time between the Stingrays and Haileybury College as a bottom-ager.
Prasad, meanwhile, is noted for his ability to make something out of nothing around goals and pressure, averaging 16 disposals, a goal and five tackles per Coates League appearance in 2025.
It follows an All-Australian winning campaign as an Under-16s Vic Country representative.
Prasad was part of the train-on squad and Vic Country summer hub.
Several locals, however, do make way in a fluid Vic Country lineup.
Halfback Max Lee and Gippsland Power trio Wil Malady, Jobe Scapin and Zach O’Keefe are among the rotations.
AFL Academy pair Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves and Willem Duursma headline the local talent, which also includes Adelaide father-son prospect Mitch Stevens, Melbourne Next Generation prospect Toby Sinnema, Gippsland mid Brodie Atkins, Beaconsfield’s Jay-De Varlet, Berwick tall forward Tairon Ah-Mu and Stingrays defender Darcy Szerszyn
The match starts at 11am, with Vic Country having lost its first two matches against Western Australia and South Australia, by three and 34 points respectively.
