THE Melton-Moorabool region continues to contribute a significant chunk of the Western Jets list with more than a dozen players making this year’s TAC Cup squad.
The under-18 outfit made the semi-finals last season and sent Melton’s Adam Kennedy to the AFL after the over-age player was recruited by Greater Western Sydney.
The Jets also had Will Hoskin-Elliott go to GWS with pick four in the AFL national draft and Elliott Kavanagh (Essendon, 18) in a bumper year for top-end talent.
A number of last year’s Jets team from the Melton-Moorabool region have been retained as top-age players after an influx of talent from the region into the under-18s last season at the bottom age.
This year’s Jets list has 13 players hailing from the Melton-Moorabool region, up significantly on just two in 2010.
Bacchus Marsh duo Abraham Kur and Matt Sutherland are both back for a second year in the system, while Darley’s Harley Inglis also returns alongside first-year player and Darley clubmate Brett Bewley.
Manuel Reardon and Sean Blake have made the list from Melton South while Jack Walker and Lachlan Hickey are from Melton.
Rockbank’s Leigh Sobotnicki is back for a second season and this year he’s joined by two other Riddell league footballers, Diggers Rest duo Ben Said (home club Sunbury) and John Corso (Rupertswood).
Players travelling east for club or school football Daniel Castellano (Aberfeldie), Mark Orr (PEGS) and Anthony Piva (St Albans) all call Melton home, while James Sicily (Keilor) is from Kurunjang.
Coach Steve Kretiuk and region manager Shane Sexton remain in their posts from last season.
The Jets start their TAC Cup campaign against Sandringham Dragons on Sunday, March 25 at Princes Park, Carlton at 2.45pm.
WESTERN JETS 2012
Aberfeldie: Daniel Castellano
Airport West: Billy Iles
Albion: Josh Bench
Altona: Jake McKenzie, Luke Matthews, Leslie Butler, Jason Robinson, Daniel O’Leary
Bacchus Marsh: Abraham Kur, Matt Sutherland
Caroline Springs: Jayke Ewer, Matt Huckstepp
Darley: Brett Bewley, Harley Inglis
Doutta Stars: Fabian Brancatisano
Hillside: Liam Johnstone
Hoppers Crossing: Nicholas Jones, Thomas Jehle, Ashlin Brown, Mitchell Appleby
Keilor: Jack Farnfield, Mitchell Ellis, James Sicily, Jake Greiser
Melton: Jack Walker, Lachlan Hickey
Melton South: Manuel Reardon, Sean Blake
North Footscray: Majok Aneet
PEGS: Mark Orr
Rockbank: Leigh Sobotnicki
Rupertswood: John Corso
Spotswood: Charlie Nastasi, Patrick Daley, Harley Walshe, Spencer White
St Albans: Mitchell Bongiovanni, Anthony Piva, Ajdin Elkasovic, Keenan O’Shea
Sunbury: Ben Said
Sunshine Heights: Harley Armstrong-Weston
Taylors Lakes: Nick Franzi, Peter Bell
Werribee: Harrison King
Williamstown: Callum Matheson, Sam Critchley, Lachlan Hunter, David Iaccarino
