ONE that slipped through to the keeper after the last Casey Cardinia League home and away round, was the report of the entire TOORADIN bench for dissent during the round 18 clash with ROC. Not only that, but the same umpire also reported senior Seagull player Troy Allen five times for a combination of striking and abusive language offences. Allen could have accepted a total of 11 weeks set penalties but the club asked to defend the charges and the upshot of the saga will be played out at the tribunal this week. The reports have potentially ruined the league’s boast that it has been the best behaved of the three MPNFL competitions this year. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for all the statistics on who has been reported, by whom and the penalties imposed, Should make for interesting reading.
ONE name that has been bandied around as a possible Casey Cardinia League recruit in 2010 is former BEACONSFIELD young gun James Magner. Magner has made a name for himself as a solid, hard-running midfielder with VFL club FRANKSTON but is believed to be considering a change of scenery at the end of the year, with the future of the Dolphins uncertain next year. Magner has already been linked with his old club but an inside source said that his name is one of several on the shopping list of Peninsula League cellar-dwellers PINES. A Pythons source also whispered that ex-Eagle, and current MULGRAVE assistant coach Ben Collins was a candidate for the vacant coaching position with the club.
PLENTY of disquiet among Casey Cardinia League clubs surrounding the finals scheduling over the Saturday-Sunday games which had their clubs involved on both days at different venues. The gripe centred on the fact that the volunteers and support staff of the four clubs involved had to work on both days, a fact that they thought was unfair given a rejig of the fixture would see all or most sides from each club play on the same day. Would not have been the same gate receipts if that had happened however would there?
WHAT happened to the two-storey coaches’ box at BERWICK? Could have sworn it was there during the home-and-away season but come finals time it’s gone again. Did the wind blow it down or was there an issue with OH&S?
MERCURIAL CATANI forward Luke James thrilled the crowd at Neerim on Sunday with a big ‘hanger’ in the first quarter that was without any doubt the best mark seen this year. James soared onto the shoulder of WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS bean pole Ben Hobgen grabbed the ball and tumble-turned forward while still holding on to it. James coolly went back and slotted home the goal, going on to star with eight majors and display his full bag of tricks. The mark won big kudos from club legend Ron Banbury after the match. “It was probably the best mark I have seen in West Gippsland and I can recall back to 1976,” he said. “I can recall Peter Keily took a few big grabs in the ’80s but Luke’s grab was right up there with the best. He was as high as the roof!”
LIFESTYLES of the rich and famous are certainly in vogue at BEACONSFIELD. Premiership defender and serial mirror hog Craig ‘Socko’ Jackson recently announced his engagement, and promptly followed that up with a further declaration that his bucks turn would be held in Las Vegas!!! Apparently he is fair dinkum and there are several Eagles keen on making the trip too. The tricky part is working out how to break it to their better halves.
WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS is set to reappoint Wade McGill as senior coach for 2010. McGill said he would be delighted to oversee the Dusties for another year and is keen to keep building on the improvement shown this season. Disappointed with his team’s loss to CATANI on Saturday, which brought an end to their season, McGill was more content to draw upon the positives to emerge during the year. “To get the club up and off the bottom of the ladder was a stepping stone. Our support base is good and off-field the club has a strong network of helpers,” he said. “On field we blooded seven or eight boys 18 years of age or younger. That should hold us in good stead and will be vital to go forward.” After two finals appearances this season McGill hinted he hoped to lure a few more quality players to Western Park over summer and give the flag a real shake next season.
IT WAS champagne all round for PAKENHAM folk at Sunday’s post-qualifying final celebrations, but it wasn’t just the win over CRANBOURNE that had the Lions cheering. It came to light that reserves star Sam ‘Whippet’ Paynter amassed the highest SuperCoach score for the weekend just gone and won $1000 for the effort. He scored 2664 points to come out on top of 350,069 other players. His team, The Axe Parker, included Gary Ablett, Adam Goodes, Chris Judd, Brent Harvey and Jonathan Brown.
MPNFL directors, in particular chairman Tony Vagg, cut up rough at last week’s suggestion by a couple of Casey Cardinia League clubs that they had not seen enough of the chiefs during the year. “They’re kidding aren’t they? I’ve been to every one and there is a list each of where the directors have been this year,” he said plonking a list of clubs on the table during Saturday’s elimination final between NARRE WARREN and BERWICK. Possibly our club executives might have underestimated the directors’ work-rate in this case.
A WORD of warning to any and all who frequent BERWICK during the finals over the next two weeks – you criticise anything to do with the club and you will incur the wrath of the Wicker WAMs (wives and mothers). According to these lovely ladies Berwick has the best hamburgers, the best canteen, the coldest beer, the friendliest people, the best facilities, the best under-18 side (which is apparently an absolute certainty to win the flag), the most knowledgeable and least aggressive supporters (yeah right), the best and sexiest netballers and the most loyal organisers in the whole league. Phew, hope we got all that right …
ACCORDING to NILMA DARNUM coach Brad Sinclair, the joy of watching the excitement on the faces of their long-standing club members in the rooms on Saturday evening after the Bombers won through to their first grand final since 1978, made all the effort rewarding. “It’s just great to give the guys who have been involved with the club for such a long time a big thrill. It is going to be a big occasion (grand final day) for those who have stuck with the club in the likes of the Price, Rabl, Tyson and Mahoney families,” he said.
“Our vice-president Neil Hughes has been with the club for 47 years and hasn’t seen a premiership so we owe him one. In fact the coach of the 1978 team Max Knercsh is still with the club. We will do our best for these guys on Saturday week.”
For the record NILMA DARNUM won their last flag in 1959.
MAGNIFICENT comment from the NARRE WARREN crowd as the weary but smiling elimination final winners embraced when the final siren sounded on Saturday. In acknowledgment of the Magpies’ push for another grand final berth one supporter quipped, “The only thing better than a threesome is a foursome – bring it on baby!”
DROUIN has re-appointed Ben Soumilas as senior coach for the 2010 season. President Peter Jupp announced the move after Sunday’s loss to LEONGATHA, saying that the former GARFIELD legend was a genuine leader who had generated a real culture change at the club. While disappointed to lose to the Parrots, Jupp said that the main aim was to make the finals and that was achieved. He added that it was done without the services of popular clubman and former inter-league utility Jordan Edwards, former assistant coach Todd Cook and star recruit Dean McFarlane, who all had long-term injuries. Unfortunately for McFarlane, his football future is now in serious doubt because, not only did he have a full knee reconstruction over winter, he also required his hamstring to be re-attached.
LONGWARRY ruck rover Tye Holland won the Crows’ 2009 best-and-fairest by a narrow margin from midfield mates, Matt Campbell and Beau Ridgeway, who tied for second place. It was Holland’s third senior club best-and-fairest award. Now 22, Holland made his debut as a 15-year-old but has yet to chalk up his 100th senior game due to four seasons with GIPPSLAND POWER. The Crows’ under-18 award was won by Josh Bourke who pipped 2009 league best-and-fairest winner Dylan Holland, the younger brother of Tye.
