NOTonly is Hampton Park looking for a new coach after the recent resignation of Jason Caples, but it could also be looking for a new midfield if word from PEARCEDALE is true.
Rising star Jack Besley and top-line on-baller Linden Fredericks are both set to depart the Booth Reserve and join former Redbacks’ coach Jason Chapple at the Panthers. A Pearcedale source said that Besley had already signed and was training with the club, while Fredericks was also an almost certain recruit.
Added to that double Redback blow is confirmation last week that David ‘Max’ Biagi has signed on the dotted line to play under his ex-SPRINGVALE SCORPIONS teammate Steve Harrison with Peninsula League club CHELSEA.
The Redbacks have been taking it quietly to date, but may need to start tapping a few shoulders if all three clearances proceed.
KOOWEERUP sources have confirmed that recruits are on the way to the Demons camp with new coach Paul Williams securing the signatures of classy DEVON MEADOWS on-baller Daniel Mullens together with Jason Griffiths from TOORADIN.
Mullens has been among the Panthers most consistent performers for several seasons and will provide a boost to the Kooweerup midfield, as well as adding some experience.
Officials are confident that the pair is the first of a number of Casey Cardinia League players expected to swap competitions in the coming weeks and don a red-and-blue jumper in the EDFL.
NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH could not have been in better hands last Friday when AFL legend Kevin Sheedy supervised training.
On a sweltering night, the former RICHMOND defender and triple ESSENDON premiership coach took the reins for the night from newly appointed Cats coach Dean Hendrikse.
His presence was due to former club secretary Gina Harris, who won a competition for Sheedy’s services on a commercial radio station last year.
“Sheedy took players through a series of drills, concentrating on the finer points of the game, he focused on skill in confined spaces, goalkicking, explosive speed work and ended with an exercise on group loose-ball backing-up exercises,” said Hendrikse. Sheedy stayed around after training and ‘was awesome’ according to Hendrikse.
After talking to Sheedy on the night, club officials said they hoped to have the master coach attend the club again during the season, whether it be attending a game, taking another training session or being part of a sports night.
Sheedy indicated that he was keen to visit the club again.
RUMOURS abound that a former district star, currently playing in the Northern Territory over summer, is being heavily courted by a regular EDFL finalist.
High on the club’s ‘most wanted’ list is prolific goal sneak Luke James, who had a season in the EDFL with POOWONG and another in the Casey Cardinia League with DEVON MEADOWS before returning the Southern Football League two years ago.
The left-foot forward-midfielder is a genuine star and made the 2006 Casey Cardinia League Team of the Year when with the Panthers.
His services would be a real acquisition should he return to the EDFL in 2009. Stay tuned.
PAKENHAM Netball Club has been front and centre with new senior coach Simon O’Shanassy recruiting several new faces led by former DOVETON star Jodie Bird. However the Lions need more junior players in 2009.
The club has launched a campaign to attract more players, in particular under-13 and under-17 girls as season preparations get under way in earnest.
Any girls interested can contact club secretary Jackie Christie on 0408 395 388.
NILMA-DARNUM president Andrew Patterson has hit back at speculation that many of the high-profile recruits picked up by the Bombers over summer have walked out or will not front for the start of the season.
“The rumours are false as far as I know and I am confident all the new players will come,” he said last weekend.
“All have attended training five or six times and the clearance forms will start to be lodged this week. This rumour seems to have done the rounds for the last 10 weeks.”
Patterson said the Bombers had picked up 18 new players and would field a new look team in 2009.
The most notable additions include Brenton and Kain Martin, David Ivey, Phil Harris, Chris Aurisch and Nick Fowler, all from 2008 WGLFL premiers SALE.
GARFIELD pair Harley Lacunes and Daniel Vella are also expected to move down the highway this season.
THE MPNFL under-18 Colts competition is growing at a rapid rate, so much so that there will be two divisions this season.
It is expected that at least eight sides will compete in each division with the Casey Cardinia district division (yet to be officially named) boasting teams from DOVETON, ST JOHN’S, NARRE WARREN, ROC, BEACONSFIELD, BERWICK, PAKENHAM and CRANBOURNE.
The news that ROC is among those sides is excellent, given the fact that the Kangaroos have struggled on field in recent years.
It appears that a new era of success built on juniors might be close at hand.
NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH is delighted to have regained the services of star utility Chris Urie on a full-time basis for 2009.
Urie won the club’s best-and-fairest award in 2007, despite playing only eight games and was lured to VFL team GEELONG in 2008, where he played almost every game in the senior side as a supplementary list player. Despite being a regular in the best players, he surprisingly did not make the final cut this season and has now opted to remain loyal to his EDFL side in 2009. Urie starred for the Victorian District league team in the National Country Football League championships last season and fielded offers from far and wide.
Meanwhile, new Cats’ coach Dean Hendrikse, a dual EDFL best-and-fairest winner and former NILMA-DARNUM, BULN BULN and TRAFALGAR coach replaces Damian Rhind who has moved to WARRAGUL in the WGLFL.
The Cats have been well organised over summer with practice matches against amateur team ST MARY’S on 23 March and THORPDALE on 28 March already scheduled.
The latter opponent is coached by former MORWELL four time best-and-fairest winner and dual premiership player Danny Millar.
A LARGE portion of the gravel surrounds at each side of the social rooms at the Toomuc Reserve will be bitumened as improvements to the PAKENHAM facilities are undertaken.
There are plans for several upgrades at the site this year and the next step is obviously an application to host a Casey Cardinia League grand final. After last year’s debacle at BERWICK, why wouldn’t the MPNFL seriously consider it too?
Just as long as the Pakenham police are in charge of crowd control and not the Narre Warren police, whose record at the Edwin Flack Reserve over the past two years is less than impressive.
