Fantastic five: Rebels select talented under 16 players

Terang Mortlake's Holly Jones and Lilly Dixon were among five Western Victoria Female Football League players picked in the 23-player squad for two matches against other regions in March.

South Warrnambool's Shelby Mahony, who hails from Camperdown, Portland's Airlie Aldridge and Cavendish's Matilda Brook have made the squad while Terang Mortlake's Molly Kavenagh was named an emergency.

GWV Rebels coach Sally Riley said Jones and Dixon were "two little surprise packets".

"They are like two peas in a pod, always together," she told The Standard.

"I really liked what they brought (in the trial games). Lilly brought a bit of dash off half-back which stood out and Holly is very creative and always found herself in the right spots.

"She was quite a good linking player."

Riley said it was pleasing to see south-west Victorian female football's progression.

Making the Rebels' under 16 team is the first step in the AFLW draft pathway for the budding players.

"At the trial games we played them at every single position, so it was great we could identify those things in a match," she said of the squad.

"With the under 16s it's always a bit of a surprise and a step up from local leagues, so I am hoping because they have the two games they can gel and build that cohesion early."