VICS LOOK GOOD

Ask VFL state coach Gerard Fitzgerald about who'll be playing against WA in West Perth next Saturday and he'll say he doesn't quite know. Such is the form of the squad that there are sure to be some very unlucky players come selection on Thursday. Only this week the selectors added the VFL's own Inspector Gadget, North Ballarat fullback Shaune Moloney to the squad. Moloney is playing great football, but should he get the nod over Geelong's Matt Egan, who Cats coach Ron Watt says is a real chance to be drafted. It's no easier at centre half back where Ben Schwarze and Dean Talbot are vying for the key post.

I'll stick my head out and say Egan and Schwarze should be picked. Time will tell. And how do I justify leaving the VFL's prolific goal kicker and 1999-2003 Frosty Miller Medal winner Nick Sautner out of the side? My view is that you can only pick three of the Nathan Saunders, David Mitchell, Brent Tuckey, Saunders quartet.

And when it comes to balance Sautner has to miss out. On the question of midfielders it gets no easier. Frankston pair, Justin Berry (Frankston) and Chris Fortnam are in brilliant form, Rookie Marc Dragicevic (Coburg) is getting 25 possessions a match and Julian Field and Jim Plunkett (North Ballarat) are died in the wool VFL players and would give their eye teeth to be in the side. Ask around and it's hard to go past a centre line of Shannon Byrnes (Geelong Rookie), James Byrne (VFL Geelong) and the dashing Tasmanian Ben Atkin.

And why did I leave out Will co captain Brad Lloyd? Lloyd has been a great player and some would say he should be captain. However the weight of numbers suggests Brad can't get the nod against players such as Lawrence, Byrne, Atkin, Dragicevic and Field. After much consideration I settled on the following line-up.

Marc Greg (Nth Ball)	Matt Egan (Geelong)	Chris Obst (PORT)
Sam Cranage (WILL)	Ben Schwarze (Port)	Michael Ablett (Franks)
Shannon Byrnes (Rookie Geel)	James Byrne (Geel)	Ben Atkin (Tas)
Djaren Whyman (NB)	Brent Tuckey (NB)	Ben Beams (Tas)
David Mitchell (Werr)	Nathan Saunders (Nth Ball)	Justin Berry (Frank)
Nick Stone (Rookie/SP)	Stephen Lawrence(Port)	Chris Fortnam (Frank)

I/C Dean Talbot (Cob) - Trent Bartlett (Tas)
Julian Field (Nth Ball) - Andy Lovett (Rookie/BB)