The time has come for the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association to prove themselves against an opposing league, as junior representative cricket commences this weekend.

On Sunday, 16 November, at grounds in Benalla and Wangaratta from 10.30am, WDCA junior rep sides will host Cricket Shepparton for the annual Shepparton Challenge.

Junior representative sides were picked after trials were held last weekend.

The Shepparton Challenge kicks off a bumper representative season for the juniors, which will pit them against teams from Murray Valley, Northern Rivers, and North East Region Six catchment areas over the summer.

Junior representative coordinator Wayne Cooper said the stage was set for a bumper start to the representative calendar.

"We're looking forward to it, it's the biggest Shepparton Challenge we've ever had, with the All Girls game," he said.

"We've got 10 matches this weekend across Wangaratta and Benalla, and we expect WDCA to have a good day."

Match venues for the Shepparton Challenge are: Under 12 Blue @ Arundel Street - Road, Benalla; Under 12 Gold @ Arundel Street - Lake, Benalla; Under 13 Blue @ North Wangaratta; Under 14 Blue @ Barr Reserve 2, Wangaratta; Under 14 Gold @ Barr Reserve 1, Wangaratta; All Girls @ Wareena Park, Wangaratta; Under 15 @ Benalla Showgrounds; Under 16 @ Benalla Gardens Oval; Under 17 @ Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta.

2025/26 junior representative teams

Under 12 Blue

Thenuk Alwis (Ovens Valley United), Hugo Bott (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Hunter Harris (Ovens Valley United), Rylan Harris (Ovens Valley United), Dristan Kopaz (Beechworth Wanderers), Isaac McLarty (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Tyler Mullavey (Rutherglen), George Pfahlert (Beechworth Wanderers), Beau Sanderson (Ovens Valley United), Benjamin Sealey (Greta), Lachlan Wilson (Rutherglen), Taylor Hurley (Rutherglen) (emergency).

Under 12 Gold

Lachie Osborne (c) (Benalla Bushrangers), Ted Clancey (vc) (Benalla Bushrangers), Jack McKenzie (vc) (Benalla Bushrangers), Luke Conway (Benalla Bushrangers), Jake Gray (City Colts), Jaxson Hetherill (Benalla Bushrangers), Tom Lambert (Benalla Bushrangers), Max Patterson (Wangaratta Magpies), Oliver Ross (Benalla Bushrangers), Baxter Rourke (Rovers United Bruck), Toby Smith (Benalla Bushrangers).

Under 13 Blue

Charlie Brown (Beechworth Wanderers), Lochie Brown (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Cooper Carroll (Ovens Valley United), Judd Carroll (Ovens Valley United), Murphy Doyle (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Alex Hodgson (Greta), Nixen Martin (Delatite), Ethan Millis (Greta), Jensen Morris (Greta), Finn O'Brien (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Eamon Pickering (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Benji Wollington (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Noah Hayesman (Delatite) (emergency).

Under 13 Gold – Murray Valley, Junior Country Week only.

Tyson Brown (Greta), Judd Campbell (City Colts), Dylan Dickson (Wangaratta Magpies), Louis Horne (Benalla Bushrangers), Flynn McCoy (City Colts), Max O'Keefe (City Colts), Xavier Overberg (Wangaratta Magpies), Bentley Parker (Benalla Bushrangers), Hudson Pickering (Benalla Bushrangers), Jack Spring (City Colts), Alex Tekesic (City Colts), Vihas Wasala (City Colts).

Under 14 Blue

Angus Fraser (Greta), Bodi Jackson (Greta), Thomas Sealey (Greta), Mitch McMasters (Ovens Valley United), Louis Sanderson (Ovens Valley United), Byron Dodd (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Finn Mitchell (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Taj Parker (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Jordan Knight (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Jobe Warner (Beechworth Wanderers), Charles Herbert (Ovens Valley United).

Under 14 Gold

Thomas Snell (Benalla Bushrangers), Alex Lambert (Benalla Bushrangers), Oliver Smith (Benalla Bushrangers), Noah Anderson (Benalla Bushrangers), Tyson Williams (Benalla Bushrangers), Riley Sessions (City Colts), Liam Solimo (City Colts), Max O'Keeffe (City Colts), Patrick Hunter (City Colts), Sam Newton (City Colts), Elijah Harris (City Colts), Ollie Fisher (Rovers United Bruck), Harry Edwards (Wangaratta Magpies), Samual Patterson (Wangaratta Magpies).

All Girls

Annabelle Brett (City Colts), Maisy Crawford (Rovers United Bruck), Phoebe Creswell (Rovers United Bruck), Josie De Fazio (Benalla Bushrangers), Emily Edwards (Beechworth Wanderers), Krystal Fitzpatrick (Beechworth Wanderers), Marlee Hartwig (Rovers United Bruck), Bridie Kay (Wangaratta Magpies), Stephanie Parsons (Rovers United Bruck), Ava Penney (Wangaratta Magpies), Kirsty Plevnik (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Ella Tucker (City Colts).

Under 15

Luca Solimo (c) (City Colts), Harrisson Skelton (vc) (Benalla Bushrangers), Koby Ackroyd (Rovers United Bruck), Noah Cooney (Benalla Bushrangers), Taylor Thompson (Beechworth Wanderers), Gus Marek (City Colts) (Murray Valley Challenge only), Cooper Martin (Delatite), Baxter McLoed (Rovers United Bruck), Charlie O'Brien (Rovers United Bruck), Luke O'Brien (Rovers United Bruck), Tom Osborne (Benalla Bushrangers), Jimmy Pell (wk) (City Colts), Mitchell Smith (Yarrawonga Mulwala).

Under 16

Noah White (Ovens Valley United), Gus Marek (City Colts), Xavier De Fazio (Benalla Bushrangers), Hugh Spring (City Colts), Liam Colvin (Beechworth Wanderers), Riley McCarthy (Benalla Bushrangers), Zach Akers (City Colts), Andrew Fraser (Greta), Tom Taylor (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Bill Stephens (Yarrawonga Mulwala), Harris Bruneau (Ovens Valley United).

Under 17

Will Prebble (c) (Beechworth Wanderers), Mitch Feldtman (vc) (City Colts), Alistair Brett (City Colts), Ryan Parsons (Rovers United Bruck), Ben McMasters (Ovens Valley United), Max Marek (City Colts), Thanish Gadela (City Colts), Mitch Cooney (Benalla Bushrangers), Isaac Moore (City Colts), Liam McManus (Ovens Valley United), Max O'Laughln (Delatite).