YARRAWONGA giant Brandon Symes has been rewarded for some of the best football of his career by being called into the Victoria Country side to play Victoria Metro at Ballarat on Sunday.
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Symes has kicked 36 goals in 11 matches for the Pigeons this season with coach Damian Sexton having the luxury of leaving him forward with Lachie Howe dominating the ruck.
Wangaratta’s Dylan Van Berlo, Wodonga Raider Jydon Neagle, Lavington’s Nick Meredith and Pigeon Harry Wheeler were also named in a 29-man squad which will be cut to 22 in the next 48 hours.
“It’s good to be in there,” Symes, 27, said.
“The year has been going alright.
“I much prefer playing in the forward line these days as it’s not as much running.
“You have to limit it a bit as you get older.
“My body is feeling pretty good.”
It is the first time Symes has made the Victoria Country side since 2014.
Symes will be reunited with former Yarrawonga premiership teammate Kayne Pettifer who has kicked 79 majors in 12 matches for Goulburn Valley powerhouse Kyabram this season.
“I’m pretty happy to see ‘Petsy’ in there,” Symes said.
Former St Kilda backman Danny Frawley will coach the side with Seymour star Jason Cole named as captain.
Xavier Moloney (Swan Hill), Pettifer and Bob McCallum (Drouin) are vice-captains.
Former Corowa-Rutherglen and Turvey Park player Mick Mattingly is also in the squad after starring for Kyabram this season.
Eleven leagues are represented in the Victoria Country outfit
Sexton will coach the Victoria Country under-19 side with Wangaratta’s Brad Melville and Joe Richards, Corowa-Rutherglen’s Jack Schilg, Wodonga Raider Connor Newham and Yarrawonga’s Matt Casey in the team.
The under-19s start at 11.30am and will be followed by the senior game at 2pm.
The senior Victoria Country team is: A. Baird (Golden Square), X. Moloney (Swan Hill), T. Ruggles (Leopold), A. Collins (Sandhurst), S. Stroobants (Rochester), J. Cole (Seymour), D. Hinkley (Birchip-Watchem), L. Veale (Colac), J. Geary (Golden Square), K. Pettifer (Kyabram), B. Symes (Yarrawonga), J. Blood (St Mary’s), A. Jarvis (Ocean Grove), J. Neagle (Wodonga Raiders), D. Van Berlo (Wangaratta), N. Meredith (Lavington), Z. Zdybel (Colac), B. Credlin (Frankston YCW), R. Monaghan (Colac), L. Wallace (Frankston YCW), M. Mattingly (Kyabram), B. McCallum (Drouin), C. Ongarello (Frankston YCW), S. Fox (Frankston Bombers), T. Stevenson (Bell Park), H. Wheeler (Yarrawonga), J. Briggs (Cora Lynn), J. Korewha (Koroit), L. Bramble (Sunbury Lions).
