By JARROD POTTER
SOUTH East Juniors continue to dominate the Victoria Metro Youth Girls’ ranks with 11 from the local league picked to represent the state.
Up-and-coming women’s football stars including Beaconsfield’s SEJ Youth Girls’ premiership stars Lauren Hojnacki, Taylah Clayton, Georgia Fisher and Tyla Hanks.
Officer’s Taylah O’Hagan is also in the 27-player squad set to take on the rest of Australia early next month for a chance at regaining Vic Metro’s national title.
Vic Metro coach Wayne Siekman, who is also a Dandenong Stingrays TAC Cup assistant coach, said the 25-point loss grand final to Western Australia last year has motivated the girls and even with a new-look squad, the team was ready to step up and seize the championship back.
“After the disappointment of last year’s grand-final loss to WA, the girls have been training really hard and are the most committed group I have ever worked with (both male and female football) in my 15-year coaching career,” Siekman said.
“We have 12 girls out of the 27 that will represent Vic Metro for the first time and it is always exciting for them and the team.
“We have picked a side that will be able to run all day and use the big ground to our strength.”
Vic Metro Youth Girls will have a five-person leadership group with Brittany Bonnici, Lauren Hojnacki, Katherine Smith, Georgia Gourlay and Jordyn Allen to share the captaincy duties.
The championships begin 4 May in Mundurah, Western Australia.
VIC METRO YOUTH GIRLS – SOUTH EAST JUNIORS PLAYERS
LYNDHURST: Emily Rose Browning.
BEACONSFIELD: Taylah Clayton, Georgia Fisher, Tyla Hanks, Lauren Hojnacki.
CRANBOURNE: Georgia Gourlay, Courtney Jones, Kayla Ripari.
ENDEAVOUR HILLS: Logan O’Connell-Webb.
OFFICER: Taylah O’Hagan.
PARKMORE: Teagan Sheldon.
