For the second week in a row Western Victoria’s best junior footballers put their best foot forward to be noticed by Western Bulldogs Next Generation Academy scouts.

AFL Wimmera-Mallee development manager and boys team manager Jason Muldoon said he saw promising signs despite the difficult conditions.

“They were some pretty tough conditions but sometimes that gives us another view of what they’re capable of,” he said.

“We were pretty happy with the quality and we should have some talls this year which is nice.”

The four boys teams from (South-West, Wimmera-Mallee, Goldfields and Ham,den) will be cut down to a final squad of 50 to compete at the V/Line Cup in Gippsland in September.

The girls trial also ended yesterday, with best 24 players across the Goldfields and Western District teams to be narrowed down into one team.

Both boys and girls final squads will be announced next week.

“The squad skill level is much stronger than last year,” girls team manager Alan Thompson said.

“Their match awareness and skills are much higher and I think that will continue to grow as the girls game grows.”

Nhill’s Drew Schneider was the Wimmera’s Next Generation Academy champion player from the two trial matches, with Horsham’s Harley Pope the runner up.

Horsham Saints’ Balyn Turra won the most disciplined award while Noradjuha-Quantong’s Judah Hobbs won the encouragement award.