After helping Thurgoona to the AFL NEB Female Football League premiership last season, Madden has been appointed coach of the Murray Bushrangers under-18 girls.

Madden spent the past two years as an assistant at the Bushrangers under outgoing coach Sam Ahmet and has made the natural progression to the top job. 

“I love the Bushrangers because of the level it’s at, the commitment across the board is very similar to the boys in terms of the standards we set,” he said.

“I love how keen they are to learn, they do everything we ask and they always want to know more.

“The challenge we face as one of the regional programs is access to the girls.

“Some travel three hours each way to get to training, so we’ve got to make the most of our time.”

The Bushrangers have a 52-player squad, along with 23 futures (under-16s) for the 2019 campaign.

It is represented by 18 clubs from across the Border and North East, Goulburn Murray and southern NSW regions.

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Female talent coordinator Briana Cossar explained the rigorous process in selecting the squad.

“More than 80 young females from across the region have participated in the elite level football training program over the past three months,” she said.

“This has included AFLW testing components and intra-club games throughout the pre-season program to ensure players have both the football and athletic attributes to perform in the elite under-18 competition.”

The Bushrangers take on Northern Knights in round one on March 2.

The squad is: K. Adams (Shepp United), O. Antonello (Montmorency), O. Barber (Lavington), C. Boschetti (Shepp United), T. Brett (Shepp Notre), M. Brown (Mooroopna), M. Campbell (Alpine Lions), E. Chapman (Seymour), O. Cicolini (Finley), R. Davies (Shepp United), L. Dawe (Seymour), H. Doohan (Finley), C. Dorrity (Numurkah), A. Favell (Griffith), A. Fielder (Lavington), M. Foubister (Benalla Saints), G. Gall (Euroa), C. Gogoll (Lavington), M. Gray (Benalla Saints), C. Hargreaves (Thurgoona), G. Hay (Lavington), M. Jones (Finley), S. Lang (Alpine Lions), S. Lange-Richards (Tatura), C. Locke (Seymour), S. Locke (Seymour), C. Mailer (Alpine Lions), S. McCarthy (Alpine Lions), A. McGregor (Shepp Notre), A. McMillan (Thurgoona), E. McPherson (Alpine Lions), E. Mifka (Shepp United), A. Morphett (EWK), E. Nicholson (Murray Felines), Z. Peters (Yarrawonga), A. Pimlott (Shepp Notre), M. Quade (EWK), A. Richardson (Thurgoona), T. Sampson (Yarrawonga), S. Sanders (Lavington), L. Sharp (Finley), K. Skepper (Benalla Saints), A. Smith (Euroa), Z. Spencer (Murray Felines), C. Styan (Wodonga Raiders), I. Symes (Benalla Saints), M. Todhunter (Wodonga Raiders), M. Trethowan (Thurgoona), T. Verhoeven (Shepp Notre), J. Ward (St Kilda City), K. Whitehead (Alpine Lions) and A. Williams (Alpine Lions).