THREE Hampden league footballers aiming to impress AFL selectors are striving to retain their spots for Vic Country's final game of the under 18 championships.
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South Warrnambool teammates Jay Rantall and Liam Herbert and Terang Mortlake's Isaac Wareham played their parts in Vic Country's thrilling final-minute 9.9 (63) to 9.8 (62) win against South Australia at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium on Friday.
They have five days to recover before undefeated Vic Country's final match against Western Australia at Marvel Stadium on Wednesday.
Vic Country team manager Phil Partington, who works with the teenagers at NAB League club Greater Western Victoria Rebels, was impressed with their performances in the one-point victory.
"Isaac had some good bits of play we were pleased about and the other boys had 15 or 16 touches for the game and were very clean with the ball," he said.
Wareham and Herbert made their debuts against South Australia.
Partington said the pair handled the pace and ferocious nature of the game.
"Isaac's attack on the footy was really good and the one-on-one contests he won or evened were at important parts of the game," he said.
"Liam adapted really well...he steps up all the time. He's a very balanced young man."
Rantall, who has played all three matches, collected 18 disposals.
Partington said the game see-sawed with no more than 10 points separating the two teams.
Bendigo Pioneers' Brodie Kemp kicked the winner with 20 seconds left.
"We had a set shot for goal, 35 metres out in front," Partington said.
"It was against the wind and Brodie kicked a nice goal.
"We were happy with the win. The boys played their roles well and never gave in and we had a good structure."
Partington said head coach Leigh Brown - the former Fremantle, North Melbourne and Collingwood defender - had developed a strong culture within the Vic Country squad.
"They are a team, not a team of 24 individuals," he said.
"They're a close-knit unit and work hard together."
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