One for the footy card collection: Narre Warren’s Steven Kidd shows the style that has seen him chalk up 200 games with the Magpies.LOYAL Narre Warren folk were lining up to shout club stalwart Steven Kidd a beer after he played his 200th game in the blackandwhite colours on Saturday.
The Magpies assistant coach has been a champion defender for more than 10 years and has earned the accolades of all at the closeknit club.
However one socalled mate said buying ‘Skiddsy’ a beer was more the norm than a special event.
“Fair dinkum, he’s got the longest pockets and the shortest arms when it comes to shouting a round,” said our spy.
“He’s got to be the tightest bloke in the league.”
Gee, they are a tough mob at Fox Road.
BEACONSFIELD is looking for a supplier of magnetic coaches’ boards after the senior item suffered from what was described as an ‘angermanagement issue’ on Saturday.
Apparently the board was kicked and stomped out of shape on the boundary line by one of the Eagles frustrated coaching staff during the game against DEVON MEADOWS.
Our informant laid the blame at the feet of easygoing Beaconsfield chairman of selectors Craig Jolliffe. However. further investigation suggests that an excitable bloke with number 43 on his back may actually be the one with the redhot temper.
ONE GARFIELD agitator, who is firmly on the EDFL side of the fence, made contact last week and asked why it had not been mentioned that Stars coach Ben Soumilas had told the club that he would step aside in 2007 to travel overseas.
When asked what the significance of that was, our spy (who did not want to be identified) suggested (and named) another four senior players that he said were only playing out of loyalty to Soumilas and would also leave for greener pastures when he went.
Footy Shorts has also received three anonymous letters concerning Garfield’s push to join the Ellinbank competition.
Letters must contain senders’ names and contact details before they can be published.
HOLIDAYS should be banned during football season, according to most coaches.
While CRANBOURNE is about to lose its goalsneak Damian Whitnall to Europe, ROC coach Hayden Stanton was expecting his gun recruit Ben Waite to be on the park against PAKENHAM on the weekend after a sabbatical to Asia.
When there was no appearance by half time in the reserves, Stanton was forced to bring in an emergency and later found out that Waite was still in Thailand.
AND if it’s not holidays, it’s thrillseeking.
PAKENHAM coach Jock Holland was a victim of that this week after key forward Daniel Fry rang him and said he had fallen off a motorbike and hurt his shoulder.
Fry missed Saturday’s great win over ROC and Holland said afterwards that the players should not be doing things like riding trail bikes or going snowskiing especially at this time of year.
“Just don’t tell me I don’t want to know about it,” he said shaking his head.
CORA LYNN ruckman Ty Esler suffered another setback last week when after a bout of stomach pains and a trip to the doctor revealed he had appendicitis.
Esler was making good progress with his rehabilitation after breaking his pelvis and is still on track to get back on field well before the finals.
YOU’VE got to love country football.
During the last quarter between BERWICK and HAMPTON PARK, with the Redbacks well in control, a blonde lass with a toddler in tow approached the fence near the coaches box and called out to Hampton Park coach Jason Chapple: “Come over here and have a chat you big sook.”
Chapple looked around bemused and replied: “I can’t, I’m coaching. It’s not over yet.”
The girl would not be put off.
“You’re seven goals up dopey it’s in the bag. Now come over here and have a talk to us,” she demanded to startled looks from Redback officials.
Nobody except Chapple knew the lass and when he was questioned as to her identity, he pointed to Berwick’s George Gorozidis as he slotted through his second goal in a minute: “That b……’s wife!” he answered.
Chapple became friends with Dianne Gorozidis when he and George played together at BONBEACH in 2003.
MICK Dillon played his 250th game for CORA LYNN when he lined up for the Cobras reserves in its victory over ELLINBANK on Saturday.
It is believed that the victory in the twos, its 12th in succession, is a record in the 100year history of the club.
Dillon started his career in the fourths in 1973 and has the distinction of playing in the senior 1978 grandfinal loss to DROUIN and its 1986 victory over PAKENHAM, in which he was awarded best afield honours.
In an interesting sidelight to the 1978 grand final, Drouin fielded all five Ablett brothers, Len, Graeme, Geoff, Kevin and Gary.
That’s a pretty good story to tell the grandkids!
ROC’s Hayden Stanton is always good for a quote or two and Saturday’s threequartertime huddle was no exception.
After enigmatic forward Jarrod Goodes thrilled the crowd at PAKENHAM in the third term with an attempted over the head, soccerstyle scissorkick at goal but missed, Stanton berated him at the break with: “Goodesy what are you doing? You’re not Ronaldinho mate!”
THE reasons for MAFFRA’s efforts to lure SALE CITY’s Daniel Stubbe to the fold were evident during Sunday’s blockbuster against SALE.
The 18yearold, currently playing with the Eagles on permit, has nice size, moves well and took many handy grabs at both ends of the field, including a big hanger 28 minutes into the last quarter that he coolly slotted through for a goal to put his team in front.
It was only Stubbe’s second game for Maffra.
ADAM Tyson will relinquish the presidency at NILMADARNUM at he end of the season.
Tyson says he is not jumping away from the nosediving Bombers, but needs more time to fulfil his Longwarryward council duties.
While there has been little joy for his club this season, Tyson is quite proud that it still field’s full teams across all grades and provides the opportunity for local youngsters to play football.
Tyson believes the Bombers still have a viable future and will look towards recruiting a few highprofile players next season.
BEACONSFIELD will hold a past players and officials reunion luncheon on Saturday, 22 July before the home game against KEYSBOROUGH.
The day will feature a reunion of the 1996 reserves and under15 premiership sides and the guest speaker will be club legend Troy Cashman.
Officials are having difficulty rounding up under 15s from that year and anyone with information can contact Laurie Canning on 9754 6729.
DON Webb’s 11 goals for MORWELL against LEONGATHA on the weekend was a club record.
Webb would have set an even bigger mark if he had kicked better than his one goal six behinds in the last quarter.
As it was, Webb beat Rodney Taylor’s memorable 10goal haul for Morwell in the 1997 grand final against Leongatha.
In that match, Taylor was not awarded best on ground with that honour going to Parrot Kristian Macri who, two months later, went on to be picked up by FOOTSCRAY in the AFL National draft.
MAFFRA will renew acquaintances with NEW ZEALAND, hosting the Kiwis in a game on Sunday, 23 July.
The New Zealanders will use the match as practice, en route to the VCFL National Championships in Queensland on 2831 July, where it will play in division two.
Maffra’s friendship with the Kiwis stems from its trip to the shaky isles when it represented the VCFL last season.
The Eagles will hold a big family day with junior games prior to the senior match, an Auskick clinic, luncheon and aftermatch barbecue.
For further details on the day contact 5147 2479.
RUMOURS are circulating that a leading EDFL team, in contention to play in this season’s grand final is likely to bolster its line up with the arrival of a highprofile newcomer who just made the 30 June transfer window.
KOOWEERUP coach Peter Bastinac put his priorities into junior football on the weekend, successfully coaching the DDJFL to an eightpoint victory over the DVFL in the under15 division of the Sherrin Metropolitan Junior football championships.
Bastinac stood aside and handed over the senior Demon coaching role to his chairman of selectors, John Stanley.
While Bastinac had cause to celebrate, the Demons could not get across the line for Stanley.
