-Former ST KILDA star and NARRE WARREN premiership coach Austinn ‘Aussie’ Jones put his hand up recently to coach the BUNYIP Under 16s. On Tuesday last week, Aussie challenged his team to a run up Mount Cannibal, which from the very beginning sounds like a bad idea. Well, that’s how it panned out with Jones finishing last of the field of starters. Rumour has it he was still feeling the after-effects a few days after his gruelling up-hill climb.
-While on BUNYIP, the Bulldogs are going big with their fundraising draw this year. The Bulldogs are having a $20,000 winner-takes-all draw on Saturday 26 August, starting at 4pm, with live music, food and drinks all included for $200 a ticket. Now that’s going to be a sweet victory if ever there was one!
-Seeing animals on a football field is nothing new. Those of a particular vintage will remember legendary commentator Sandy Roberts uttering these words, “There’s a pig at full-forward” after a patron let a pig onto the SCG emblazoned with the number 4 of then SYDNEY superstar Tony Lockett. Well it wasn’t as famous at the Cowes Rec Reserve on Saturday, but the two geese that occupied the outer forward flank for the majority of the first half certainly got plenty of air-time. We’ve heard of ducks and drakes going on…but this is ridiculous!
-It’s great that coaches in the WGFNC have finally got their way and have four players on the interchange bench this season. The previous model of only having 21 players run out on game day had run its race, with several teams over the years having no players on the interchange bench if they got a little unlucky with injuries. It was only a matter of time before a huge game or big final was going to be ruined by the 21-player system…so well done to all involved at the WGFNC for making a change for the better.
-While on team lists in the WGFNC, isn’t it great to see the Player Points for each individual player – and overall team points – now being displayed on the leagues’ management system PlayHQ. Not having the points visible played a big part in the Player Points System (PPS) debacle last season that saw all 71 clubs under the AFL GIPPSLAND banner found in breach of the PPS in one way or another. The only problem now is the extra pressure it puts on players such as Josh Eyre (WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS), Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds (TOORADIN-DALMORE) and Tate Short (INVERLOCH-KONGWAK) – all five-point players – who can’t slip under the radar anymore!
-A special shout-out goes to all the football and netball coaches that took time out from their Easter break to provide answers to our questions for the season previews you see in this week’s paper. Special acknowledgments in the WGFNC go to CORA LYNN coach Shaun Sparks, who was on holiday in Hawaii, WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS mentor Harmit Singh (on assignment for Collingwood in Brisbane), and BUNYIP coach Lachlan Petch – attending a wedding – for making a special effort. We hope good karma comes to all coaches that made that extra effort this season.
-Just back to player points for a second, it was interesting to see how many one-point players each of the six clubs that have played in the WGFNC have used in their first game this season. For the record, PHILLIP ISLAND leads the way with 18 one-pointers/locals, with WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS, TOORADIN-DALMORE and CORA LYNN with 15, and INVERLOCH-KONGWAK and NAR NAR GOON having a total of 14 one-point players. The Phillip Island number just stood out impressively as high…that’s why we’d thought we’d investigate!
-Anyone looking for a game of football at a fantastic club should contact KORUMBURRA-BENA, with the Giants on the lookout for reserves players for this year. You and your car load of mates will be warmly welcomed by your new teammates at training – which is at 6pm every Tuesday and Thursday night. Those interested should get on the blower and contact reserves coach Jasper Macri on 0497 810 680.
-We were deeply saddened here at Footy Shorts to learn of the passing of PHILLIP ISLAND volunteer Donnie Macklin who, along with Artie Murdoch, were remembered at the Cowes Recreation Reserve on Saturday. We sat down with Donnie last season for our Volunteer of the Week column and you couldn’t possibly meet a nicer guy. Donnie was heavily involved with the Bulldogs under-18 pups and did a lot of behind the scenes work at the club. To Phillip Island, and the Macklin and Murdoch families, we send our condolences. All Phillip Island teams wore double arm bands on Saturday to honour these two champions.
-We missed this one last week, but congratulations go out to TOORADIN-DALMORE defender Ebony Dolan for playing her 100th senior netball game for the Seagulls against CORA LYNN. Dolan is a favourite here at the Gazette, due to the ferocity and intensity that she takes into every game. You wouldn’t get a bigger competitor, and Dolan is a huge part of why the Seagulls have been so successful over the last five years.
-Congratulations to CASEY DEMONS VFLW pairing Cara McCrossan and Shelby Knoll, who were both drafted in the 2023 AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft last week. Small forward McCrosscan was taken at pick six by the Gold Coast Suns, and Knoll went to Richmond at pick 24.
-Kudos to the DANDENONG STINGRAYS and GIPPSLAND POWER who put their rivalry aside to unite and support the Good Friday appeal. Both teams raised funds ahead of and during their Good Friday clash at Morwell.
-How’s this for a short last quarter? The final stanza of the CRANBOURNE v Cheltenham game at Livingston Reserve on Friday didn’t even break the 22-minute barrier. The 21.54 final quarter was a result of just two behinds being scored for the whole quarter – one on the siren – and much of the ball being in general play.
-The Good Friday game also provided the opportunity for CRANBOURNE to unfurl its flag. There were 14 premiership Eagles lining up in the first match of 2023, a grand final rematch.
-CONGRATULATIONS to former GIPPSLAND POWER player Bailey Humphrey who made his debut on the weekend. Unfortunately, his Gold Coast Suns didn’t get the result they were after, but the pick six in the 2022 AFL draft still got 11 disposals and had two shots on goal.
