NARRE WARREN followers could have been excused for the odd swear word after news last week that 2008 Casey Cardinia League best-and-fairest award winner Brad Scalzo had joined the club’s long list of senior departures.
However Scalzo’s transfer to AFL Queensland had little effect on the Magpies’ superb practice-match form against EFL power NOBLE PARK on Saturday night.
The reigning Casey Cardinia League premiers led from go-to-whoa with the almost unrecognisable side of youngsters absorbing all the pressure (together with quite a few cheap shots) thrown their way.
The Magpies signalled to the big crowd, in no uncertain terms, that they are intending to vigorously defend their position as competition top dogs this year.
GEMBROOK-COCKATOO decided to raise its profile big time this year when it appointed former NARRE WARREN tactician Travis Marsham as coach and then recruited ex-ST KILDA star Aussie Jones along with Casey Cardinia League premiership heroes Ricky and Lee Clark.
That ploy has turned out better than anyone could have predicted with the Brookers averaging 57 at training over the pre-season in contrast to a paltry 14 in 2008.
And the commitment at the recent players’ training camp was said to be better than any that the ex-Magpies had been involved in.
That’s a big call, given that the past three Narre Warren premierships were based on players making a pre-season pledge of commitment to each other and the club.
BEACONSFIELD is believed to be in a battle to sign star SUBIACO midfielder Mark Haynes who is returning to Melbourne after four seasons and more than 100 games including three flags with the WAFL powerhouse.
Haynes, who also played in three premierships with SANDRINGHAM, is being courted by several clubs including COROWA and BALWYN, but Eagles officials are believed to be hopeful that his friendship with another of their star recruits, Lachlan Oakley, might turn him to the Perc Allison Oval.
Haynes transferred to Subiaco in 2004 with Oakley and fellow ex-Zebras, David Robbins and Jake Ryan.
AND while on BEACONSFIELD, three rising stars that will not be part of the club’s push up the ladder in 2009 are Troy McDermott, Nick Smith and Sam Benbow.
Teenagers McDermott and Smith have made it onto the VFL BULLANTS senior list, while Benbow will also give the VFL a try with FRANKSTON.
CORA LYNN has confirmed that spring-heeled premiership forward and former DANDENONG STINGRAY Mitchell Collins has departed to join his older brother Ben, who has been appointed assistant coach at MULGRAVE this season.
The Cobras called off their scheduled practice game against BERWICK on the weekend, preferring to rest for a week before starting their premiership defence against LANG LANG this Saturday.
RONNIE Burns looked set to continue haunting Casey Cardinia League defenders after the former BERWICK coach and star of the popular Marngrook Footy Show on Channel 31, trained at the Robinson Reserve a couple of weeks ago and then had discussions with DOVETON.
However, it is not to be.
Burns was cleared to WOODSIDE AND DISTRICT in the North Gippsland Football League last week.
LAST season’s EDFL minor premiers NAR NAR GOON tuned up for its round-one clash against BUNYIP this weekend with a hard hitout against CRANBOURNE on Saturday.
The Goon started well and held a four-goal lead early in the game before the Eagles lifted and took control to win by around 25 points.
Despite being outplayed from midway through the second term, Goon coach Clint Williams was happy with his team’s effort and its pre-season campaign.
“I’m positive about the year and believe we will be a better side and expect most of our improvement will be from within,” he said.
Youngsters including Shannon Stocco, Brodie Howe and Josh Hodson, who has returned from CASEY SCPRPIONS, have put their hands up over the past few weeks and all are in contention for senior selection.
Key defender Alan McArthur impressed at centre half-back and is a certainty to play his first senior match in 18 months after recovering from a knee reconstruction.
Wingman Matt Stocco has returned to the club from DOVETON and adds more depth to The Goon midfield.
YET another member of the famous Tuck family has achieved a milestone in football.
Loyal BERWICK playmaker Andrew Tuck, cousin of AFL stars Shane and Travis, has been announced as the new Wickers captain for 2009.
He replaces David Van Diemen who remains at the club as a player.
Berwick looked very slick in a weekend practice match win over ROSEBUD, with recruits Jason Heath (full-forward) and Darren Granger (centre) dominating.
However there was no sign of new spearhead Grant Noonan and one spy said that the big bloke was still carrying an injury and had been conspicuous by his absence during pre-season training.
FOOTBALL pre-season is a serious business, but according to a spy at a Casey Cardinia netball club, the boys have got nothing on the girls as far as dedication to the cause is concerned.
At the risk of incurring the wrath of our lovely female sporting counterparts, the word is that one single-minded senior coach recently asked a player who had been in and out of hospital due to illness, to supply a medical certificate because she was forced to miss training!
THE NILMA-DARNUM Football and Netball Club will dedicate its first-round match against BULN BULN this week to the Black Saturday bushfire appeal.
The day will be a Bushfire Fundraiser with all gate takings donated to the Darnum-Ellinbank Fire Brigade, the Nilma North Fire Brigade and the Warragul State Emergency Service.
Triple AFL premiership player Mal Michael will make his debut for the club and, as an added incentive to get along, there will be $1000 on offer for the person who correctly predicts the winning margin of the senior game.
Admission will be $8 for adults, $4 pensioners and children under 18 free.
MOE appears to have picked up three top recruits.
Utility Matt Forys, a former WGLFL and GVFL interleague representative, will return to the league after playing with SHEPPARTON UNITED, while NEWBOROUGH best-and-fairest Daniel Risol and 2008 YALLOURN NORTH best-and-fairest Barry Burnett have also signed on.
Former GIPPSLAND POWER and MORWELL ruckman-forward Andrew Petrou will also don a Lions’ jumper this season.
ON the downside for under-18 hopefuls is the news that there will be no VCFL Eastern Victoria v Western Victoria representative match this season.
The one-off intrastate clash has been a great success over recent years and given some players who have just missed selection on TAC Cup lists, a chance to shine on a bigger stage.
A good example of that is 2008 best-on-ground Stefan Baumgartner from DEVON MEADOWS, who has now been elevated onto the DANDENONG STINGRAYS list.
According to our insider, cost-cutting at the VCFL is to blame with funding for the series stopped this year.
DROUIN went down by three points in a thriller against EFL division-three team BORONIA on the weekend.
Malcolm Dow was at his dazzling best after just returning from playing for the WANDERERS against ST MARY’S in last week’s NTFL grand final in Darwin, while youngsters Pat McGrath, Kallum Kanobie and James Francis all staked a claim for senior selection.
DROUIN’s final practice match will be this Saturday at home against BONBEACH.
LAST season’s EDFL wooden spooners WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS gave a strong hint that it will be a far superior outfit this season by recording an eight-goal victory over LONGWARRY on Saturday.
Captain Matt Willis, ruckman Gerard Bongiorno, mercurial forward Mike Santo, NARRE WARREN recruit Manny Perresso and half-forward Cam Hardy all impressed.
THERE were plenty of positives for KOOWEERUP during Saturday’s close practice-match loss to KORUMBURRA.
When under pressure down back, new BEACONSFIELD recruit James Alexander lent great support to key defender Craig Dyker, while Gavin Marusic shone in the midfield.
Marusic has applied for a clearance to DEVON MEADOWS, however the club holds high hopes he will stay in a Demons’ jumper.
However, it does appear that another youngster in Eric Hawkins will join Devon Meadows, while two other Demon young guns, Jack Carson and Shaun Marusic, have made the GIPPSLAND POWER roster and may be on TAC Cup duties this year.
WARRAGUL will host what is believed to be the only Sunday game in Gippsland this weekend when the Dusties host Neerim-Neerim South at Western Park in Warragul.
The two EDFL clubs are looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd for the season opener.
