-It’s going to be a big day for WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS on Saturday with two of the clubs most loyal servants reaching significant milestones. Champion midfielder Shane Brewster will play his 250th senior game for the Dusties, while hard-working on-baller Will Gibson will make it 250 club games…which do include juniors. Throw in the 350th career game for Luke ‘Tex’ Walker and it’s fair to suggest that the Dusties may run out of crepe paper this weekend!
-CORA LYNN full-forward Nathan Gardiner reached a major milestone on Saturday, kicking his 600th career goal in the tight win against NAR NAR GOON. The high-flying forward has been a star since hitting the Cobradome in 2019, kicking 256 goals in 57 games – with hauls of 84, 50, and 88 in his first three seasons at the club. Gards has currently kicked 34 goals this season from six outings.
-While on milestones, CORA LYNN defender Lachie Peluso is just three games away from being the first player to play 100 games in the WGFNC. The other players in the nervous nineties are Tim Payne (95), Nathan Voss (93), bailey Galante (91) and Nathan Muratore. TOORADIN-DALMORE pair Brad Butler and Cooper Shipp reached 50 games in the WGFNC on Saturday, along with Brad Aldwell from KILCUNDA-BASS. NAR NAR GOON sharp-shooter Troy McDermott kicked a solitary goal against the Cobras to take his tally to 150 goals in his fifth season at the club.
-CORA LYNN recruit Matt Briggs has won his first award at the club winning the coveted Bill’ Doc’ Doherty Medal for his best on ground display against NAR NAR GOON on Saturday. It was a big day for the Cobras, who also claimed the time-honoured Cunningham Cup which has a huge tradition between the two clubs.
-One of the great netball people of the region – Jenny McRae form DALYSTON – was awarded a plaque on Saturday to recognise her 20 years of coaching at the club. The McRae name is synonymous with netball at DALYSTON, with Jenny’s daughters Alana and Hannah two of the star players of the WGFNC. But, from what we’re hearing…mum still has them covered!
-Former ST KILDA star Stephen Milne made an appearance for the KILCUNDA-BASS veterans on Sunday, kicking four goals in a tight three-point loss to PHILLIP ISLAND. The ‘Tip Rat’ has lost none of his class, named second best for the Panthers behind Daniel Hawking. While on ‘Tip Rats’, a little birdie has told us that young TOORADIN-DALMORE livewire Panos Papas may have earned the same moniker on the banks of the Westernport. A Seagull being a tip rat…that makes sense! And, speaking of goal sneaks, COOLINGWOOD legend Peter Daicos was at his brilliant best as guest speaker at WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS on Saturday.
-Well done to TOORADIN-DALMORE netballer Stacey Sawyer on reaching 100 games for the Seagulls on Saturday.
-JOSIAH KYLE was missing from the action for DEVON MEADOWS in the MPFNL on the weekend but for good reason! The former St Kilda listed player was a dancer as part of the dreamtime celebrations at the MCG in Saturday’s game between Richmond and Essendon.
-On DEVON MEADOWS, it was nice to see Daniel Tocknell down at the game on the weekend and in good spirits cheering the Panthers to a win. Tocknell, the reserves captain, was knocked out last week after landing awkwardly from a heavy tackle.
-Congratulations to DANDENONG STINGRAY Harvey Langford. He put forward arguably his best game of what has been a strong season and a shout out to a large contingent of his extended family who not only watched him, but rode every possession and involvement. He certainly did them proud. Worth acknowledging all the parents of junior parents who act as their uber drivers getting them to their sporting games every week, often travelling long distances with their only payment being seeing their sons and daughters enjoyment.
-Shout-out to Bailey Humphrey, a 2022 graduate of the Gippsland Power, who backed up a rising star nomination last week with another excellent showing for Gold Coast against the Brisbane Lions on the weekend. After getting nominated for his game where he got 20 disposals and a goal against West Coast, he went better against stronger opposition, with 26 and one on the weekend. “I reckon Bailey Humphrey could be the best of the lot of them,” David King said, referencing the 2022 AFL national draft. “In four years’ time, we’ll look back and say, ‘Wow, he’s like Christian Petracca this guy’.”
-No further action will be taken after an investigation was concluded into an incident which took place in the Southern Football Netball League last month, which saw a KEYSBOROUGH player taken to hospital in an ambulance.
-A sharp piece of umpiring denied GEMBROOK-COCKATOO veteran Michael Firrito a goal after the quarter time siren on Saturday. Having marked the ball before the buzzer, he was allowed to take a set shot, but ran off his line and did not return to the straight path on goal. The Brookers’ best forward on Saturday, he was reminded of the blunder every time he took a shot on goal for the remainder of the contest as the NARRE WARREN boys called premature “play-on”s in an attempt to distract him.
-We’re not sure if there’s any prior history between GEMBROOK-COCKATOO’s Jay Verhagen and NARRE WARREN’s Tom Miller, but the way the powerful forward was throwing himself into the heat of battle on Saturday, you couldn’t rule it out. Verhagen was penalised three times in the first 10 minutes of the game on Saturday for high tackles on the classy midfielder, with two of them particularly vicious.
-It appears Michael ‘Jock’ Holland still has the magic touch at PAKENHAM, credited with the decision to throw Bailey Stiles forward in the last quarter against UPWEY TECOMA that netted them their first win of the season this week. Their last premiership coach has been working with Ash Green as an assistant coach this season, in an attempt to return the club to it’s powerhouse status of yesteryear.
-GEMBROOK-COCKATOO have taken a strong stance in response to allegations of racial abuse from a spectator directed toward a NARRE WARREN player at Saturday’s home game, saying they are “shocked and disappointed” with the alleged behaviour. “We have launched an internal investigation into these allegations, as racism and abuse will not be tolerated!” the club said on its Facebook page. “We apologise to the Narre Warren Football Club player, his family, team mates and supporters. Our club works hard to, and remains committed to operating at a high standard.”
