Casey hosts qualifiers

By Marc McGowan
CASEY Fields hosted back-to-back Division Two qualifying matches yesterday (Wednesday) to kick off this year’s AFL under-18 Championships.
For the first time, Division Two sides will duke it out for the right to compete in Division One.
Only two teams will join Victoria Metro, Victoria Country, Western Australia and South Australia in the elite grade.
The Cranbourne East ground is hosting four of the six Division Two qualifying games and three of the 15 Division One fixtures.
The latter matches will form a triple-header on 5 July, with all Division One squads on display, giving local fans the chance to watch potential number-one draft pick Nicholas Naitanui in action.
The games follow two AFL Challenge fixtures at Casey Fields in the last two years and last July’s Victoria Metro-Victoria Country clash at the venue.