The Sandringham Dragons have announced their squad for the 2015 TAC Cup and it features eight players from the Hampton Rovers including Nick Pavlou who has been named captain.
Nick is the second Rovers player to captain the U/18 outfit in as many years with AFL draftee Angus Brayshaw captaining the side last year. He was on hand to present Nick and the entire squad with their jumpers at the season launch last week.
With one Brayshaw moving on, another arrives in 2015. While No 3 draft selection Angus prepares for his first season in the AFL with Melbourne, his younger brother Hamish has made the Sandringham Dragons TAC Cup list.
At 183cm and 85kg, he’s also a midfielder and another product of the Hampton Rovers juniors.
Just as Angus did, Hamish represented the South Metro Junior Football League at interleague level.
“As a bottom-ager he’s got a lot of development ahead of him but he’ll be a similar type of player to Angus once he’s up and running, an inside midfielder,’’ Dragons operations manager Craig Wallace said.
Angus and Hamish’s younger brother Andy is also on the Dragons’ books, in the Under 16 program.
In all, the Hampton Rovers have eight players in the squad of 72 named by the Dragons including long-time junior players Nick Pavlou, Lachlan McPherson and Hamish Brayshaw.
Tyler Roos, the son of Melbourne coach Paul, joined the Rovers in 2014 after moving from NSW while Lachlan Hayres has joined the Rovers this year. Hayres was involved with the GWS Academy last year and is boarding with the Roos family. Both are amongst six 19 year-olds in the Dragons squad.
Connor Riley and Ari Sakeson are also new arrivals at the Rovers this year with Riley, the son of Gold Coast Suns assistant Mark, coming from Broadbeach (AFL Queensland) and Sakeson joining from East Brighton.
Nick Pavlou made his Rovers debut in 2006 and has played 99 games for the club including 91 junior games and eight in the VAFA where he made his senior debut for the Rovers in 2013.
Former WAFL player Jeremy Barnard is coaching the Dragons this year following Justin Plapp’s move to Melbourne to work in development and coach its VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions.
Rovers Players in 2015 Sandringham Dragons Squad
1. Tyler Roos (Hampton Rovers)
3. Nicholas Pavlou (Hampton Rovers/Brighton Grammar)
8. Jordan Matera (Hampton Rovers)
22. Lachlan Hayres (Hampton Rovers)
24. Connor Riley (Hampton Rovers/Haileybury)
29. Lachlan McPherson (Hampton Rovers/Haileybury)
36. Ari Sakeson (Hampton Rovers/Brighton Grammar)
38. Hamish Brayshaw (Hampton Rovers/Haileybury)
