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New South Wales -Coach: Robbie JacksonCaptain: Christen McPherson
The NSW team includes 24 talented players from the Ovens and Murray Football League, Farrer Football League, Riverina Football League, the Murray Football League, AFL Sydney, the Riverina Football League and AFL Canberra. Captaining NSW Country is Riverina’s Christen McPherson, who is playing in his sixth carnival, while Matt Pendergast and Earl Shaw will vice-captain the team. NSW Country coach Robbie Jackson said despite a few players withdrawing, the team will be at near full strength and will be ready to challenge for the trophy. “We’ve been able to replace those that have pulled out with some really good players that are more than capable of playing good footy,” Jackson said. NSW Country enter the carnival boasting a side full of youth and experience, with players representing all areas of the state. “We have a good mixture with age … there are number of younger players around 20 years old and there are also a few older ones,” Jackson said. “There are about eight or nine players coming from the northern part of the state, and about eight or nine from the southern part with a good sprinkle of players in between those areas.” “We feel we’ve got a good blend that has players from all quarters of the state.” Queensland -Coach: Steve DanielCaptains: Luke Matthews / Caleb Brown
Queensland country football is a unique and evolving system that provides opportunities for young men to participate in our great game on various levels. To select the Queensland country team, selection committee members cast the net far and wide. Despite the extensive geographical size of the state, the selection process is thorough. This year's Queensland team will include players from all parts of Queensland including: the tropical Townsville and Cairns, the rural Darling Downs and Rockhampton and as far south as Coolangatta. QLD Teamsheet Victoria Major -Coach: Peter Knights
The Victorian Country Major League State Team is drawn from the 16 Major Leagues that compete in the WorkSafe Victorian Country Football League. These leagues represent the heartland of Australian Football and have been the breeding grounds for champions of our game. Currently, nearly 30% of all players in the AFL hail from VCFL affiliates. Hawthorn legend Peter Knights is at the helm for the Landmark Australian Country Championships in the second year of his tenure with the senior state team.Knights said that he was confident with the squad list compiled by the selectors, “We have been working hard across the regions to identify players in form and with a passion for representative football. We feel that the process has been very thorough with selectors at all recent interleague matches, and where possible, with spotters across the state for club matches.” Experience campaigners are again a part of the mix for the VCFL Senior team with 4-time Ballarat Football League Best & Fairest winner Jarrod Edwards, Koroit and VCFL State veteran Joe McLaren, and All-Australian Adam Hunter making the journey to Canberra. Western Australia -Coach: Rod Williams  Twenty five of the best country football players from across the state will depart for Canberra next week to compete in the Landmark Australian Country Football Championships after being named in the final WA state country squad today. After finishing third at the 2008 carnival, WA State Country coach, Rod Williams expects this year’s team to perform even better.
we’ve selected. We’ve added quite a bit of experience with ex-WAFL players and this year’s squad is fast across the ground but also has a much stronger body shape and size.
players but this year players like Troy Ditchburn, Dominic Foster, David McKinlay, Clinton Rudd and Greg Sanders are going to make a big difference to our competitiveness,” said Mr Williams.“Going to the carnival is reward for these players for the effort they put into their football to be good enough to be selected,” said Mr Williams.
really excited about the opportunity to compete against the best country footballers in the nation,” said Mr Williams. Australian Capital Territory -Coach: Steve MaharCaptain: James Kavanagh
It is a high standard of football played under trying conditions and is no place for the faint hearted. According to Steven Mahar, coach of the ACT the carnival’s new format will make this year’s Carnival even harder. “It’s a big format, especially for players towards the end of a season and it will be quite taxing on them,” said Mr Mahar. The ACT coach should know what he’s talking after representing his state in three previous carnivals as well as working as assistant coach in 2008 and says despite the increased workload for his players he’s confident in his team’s ability to perform well. “It’s just so competitive and given that a lot of the other states have high participation rates in terms of Aussie Rules we’re under no illusion that they’ll put up very competitive teams. We don’t think we’re a shoo in to win but we’re very confident,” said Mr Mahar. The team to represent the ACT has been difficult to select as the competition is so even this year and all players are in great form. However, Steve and his assistants have picked a side that has some experience on each line coupled with young speedsters who can recover quickly between matches. ACT Teamsheet Victoria District -Coach: Ron Thomas Captain: Andy Grant The Victoria Country District State Team is drawn from a very diverse mix of 30 District football leagues across the WorkSafe VCFL. Players in this squad have been selected on current form and their performances in the recent WorkSafe Country Championships, Interleague series and club football. Victoria District League Team South Australia -Coach: Barry PilmoreCaptain: Leigh Kruger
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