Newly-appointed Farrer League captain, Brayden Ambler, says he'll be honoured to lead the representative team in Saturday's showdown with the Hume League.
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Ambler, an assistant coach and co-captain at Charles Sturt University, was named skipper of a new-look Farrer side at Thursday night's team announcement and final training.
He's one of 14 new faces in the squad, with only eight players from last year's mauling by Riverina to line up at Osborne on Saturday.
"It's a pretty big honour I think. I was not expecting it at all," Ambler, 22, said.
"I'm co-captain at the Bushpigs this year and it's a pretty big thing for me. I'm not one of the best talkers in the world but I'll just try to do my role."
Farrer League coach Brad Aiken said Ambler's excellent early season form was just one of the factors.
"He's been to every single training session, he communicates with everyone, he's up and about, and his leadership skills are excellent, " Aiken said.
"Brayden's been playing senior footy since he was about 16 or 17. He's in really good form this year but it's also his leadership on the ground for CSU that made him an obvious selection."
Ambler has been named on a half-back-flank in a young Farrer League side, notable for its reliance on youth after injuries and unavailability cut a swathe through the initial squad of selected players.
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North Wagga's Kane Flack is in the side a week after making his senior debut while two other 17-year-olds Jack Cullen and Jack Driscoll will share the ruck duties and Marrar teenager, Adam Whyte, is at full-back but was another injury concern with tight hamstrings.
But the youth is supported by some class and experience in East Wagga-Kooringal gun Chris Gordon and Northern Jets coach Mitch Haddrill in the midfield while Jets forward Matt Wallis is at centre-half-forward and Coleambally recruit Curtis Steele the other key forward.
"It's pretty daunting having so many quality players and you've got the C next to your name. But if I do my job I'm happy. I know everyone else is going to do their job," Ambler said.
EWK's Brocke Argus is vice-captain and Ambler said there are plenty of natural leaders in the side.
"I won a couple of flags with Gordo (at Collingullie) and he coached me in juniors," he said.
"I won't have to do much. I might have a little pep-up speech but it won't be much."
Aiken has made a mantra out of insisting that he only wants players who are prepared to fully commit and said he's pleased with the versatility and potential in the side.
"When I look at it, it's a pretty bloody good side, to be honest, and it's blokes who want to be there and want to be a part of it," he said.
"We're not going to be overly tall but we'll be pretty quick to move the footy. We've got plenty of speed, we've got blokes who can take a mark, and we've got options."
Temora is the only club not represented in the squad.
Farrer League leaders EWK have four players in (Argus, Gordon, Nic Curran, Harry Fitzsimmons) along with Marrar (Whyte, Jackson Moye, Brad Moye, Zach Walgers) and CSU (Ambler, Lachie Moore, Joe Stapleton, Lou Miller). Coleambally (Steele, Cullen, Tom Groves) and the Northern Jets have three players (Mitch Haddrill, Jack Fisher, Matt Wallis), The Rock-Yerong Creek two (Jim Carroll and Jack Driscoll) and Barellan (Shaun Bourchier) and North Wagga (Flack) one each.
Farrer League Team:
B: N Curran, A Whyte, S Bourchier
HB: K Flack, J Stapleton, B Ambler
C: B Argus, M Haddrill, B Moye
HF: J Carroll, M Wallis, J Fisher
F: J Moye, C Steele, L Moore
Foll: J Cullen, C Gordon, T Groves
Int: L Miller, H Fitzsimmons, Z Walgers, J Driscoll
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