Casey Scorpions officials were left miffed on Saturday when Hawthorn coaching staff decided to take over their social club balcony viewing area at Casey Fields during the practice match against Essendon. Apparently the Hawks’ entourage was not happy with the coaching box provided in the stand and made the balcony area their own for the afternoon. The comfort of the coaches did not help the onfield Hawks, who fell in a heap after halftime and went down to the Bombers by nine points.THE MPNFL’s controversial Players Point System (PPS) has dashed hopes of former BRISBANE LION Daryl White playing in the Casey Cardinia League for BERWICK this year.
White will likely play for New South Wales side BALRANALD instead.
Berwick coach Ronnie Burns said that White, a good friend, had contacted him and wanted to play at the Edwin Flack Reserve, but was unable to slot in alongside Burns without the side breaking the PPS limit.
Both players would cost the Wickers six points each due to their time at the top level.
Berwick has tried to have the rule changed to allow betterperformed players to join the league, but to no avail and Burns was bitterly disappointed that an opportunity to showcase another top player and build the league had been missed.
The Wickers’ stance was endorsed by reigning MPNFL Peninsula League premiers CHELSEA last week.
The southern Seagulls submitted an extensive written request for an immediate change to the system that it said promoted mediocrity, with officials adding that the club would be prepared to swap leagues if the issue was not addressed urgently.
ON the plus side for BERWICK, star indigenous players Mark McLean and Chris Kickett have confirmed that they will be back this season.
However McLean’s brother, Gavin, will be missing after injuring his back while playing in Darwin recently.
PAKENHAM held a successful sponsors function on Sunday at which the major naming rights for their senior jumpers was selected from a group who paid $250 to be in the draw.
The gathering heard the views of AFL legend Kevin Sheedy, together with standup comedy from impersonator Andrew Startin, before the sponsorship draw was made.
And the cheers were loud and long when Purves Pakenham Hotel was announced as the winner.
The hotel has given the Lions patronage over many, many years.
NARRE WARREN defender Clay Peresso and DOVETON recruit Kim Aboujaber won a premiership of a different sort on the weekend.
Far from the tough world of the footy field, Peresso and Aboujaber set and spiked their way to the sectionfive beach volleyball title at the Cranbourne Life. Be In It centre.
The nail biting onepoint victory was extra special for Peresso, who was named best on ground or was it best on sand?
CATANI might be the sleeper in the EDFL pack this year.
The 200405 premiers have had 50odd players on the track over the preseason and picked up several handy types without making too much noise about it.
Ageless coach Paul Alger would be quietly happy that NYORA, BUNYIP and CORA LYNN have been spruiked as the main flag chances in 2007 because, as he has proved more than once, the ‘underdog’ tag sits very nicely with the Blues.
NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH has lost talented 21yearold vicecaptain and 2006 runnerup best and fairest Chris Urie.
Urie has moved to Geelong for employment and while he initially was to play for GFL team GROVEDALE, Urie was last week named in GEELONG’S VFL squad.
On the positive side, the EDFL Cats have signed ROC youngsters Nathan Phillips and Daniel Churchill.
THE young BEACONSFIELD unit is likely to pick up another upandcomer with KORUMBURRA youngster Ben Bradley training with the Eagles recently.
Also, teenager Sam Benbow, who has made a remarkable recovery from brain surgery last year, will likely forge a solid senior career at the Perc Allison Reserve if he does not make the grade with GIPPSLAND POWER this season.
GIVEN the success of Footy Shorts, an at times tongueincheek football column, the idea of a sister column called Netball Skirts was raised recently, in a bid to give the girls a chance to have a giggle at the lighter side of their sport.
However, after the reaction of a few KOOWEERUP (dare we mention them) ladies to last week’s snippet concerning their new club rules, maybe we’ll confine the fun to the footballers.
DOVETON is set to regain the services of 2005 premiership player Aaron Henwood.
The talented nephew of senior coach Steve Henwood left the Doves early last season and played the year out at BUNYIP.
The word is he has decided to return to the big league and will be a handy pickup after several bigname departures.
The Doves are also hopeful that work commitments will allow superstar onballer/forward David George to again pull on the boots nearer the start of the season.
ONE highly rated Casey Cardinia League player has departed his club for a different league, but not returned the fourfigure signon fee he accepted to play this year.
Apparently the characterless lad has also turned his phone off so he is uncontactable.
One club official (who you would not want to cross) said on the weekend that he might have to ‘bounce one off his jaw’ to remind him of his obligations when he sees him.
Give it back my boy, give it back!
CLUBS had better get their pennies together, because they will need to buy a lot more balls if the rumour mill is accurate.
Last week a source (who should know) told us that the AFL kickin rule, where defenders do not need to wait for the goals umpire before restarting play after a behind is kicked, will be coming in to VCFL matches across the board this season.
ROC has joined the chorus of clubs in the district to appeal for under18 players.
The Kangaroo youngsters will be coached by 2006 mentor Brad Snooks and are battling to field a side at present.
Snooks can be contacted on 0415 270 730.
FORMER DOVETON goalsneak Paul Blasius has landed at KEYSBOROUGH after transferring from MULGRAVE.
Also, Anthony Brannon from NOBLE PARK has been cleared to the Burra and word is that another big bloke from the Bellarine Peninsula is a chance to pull on the Keysborough strip this season.
FORMER GARFIELD assistant coach Danny O’Brien is taking an extended surfing holiday on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and is unlikely to play football in 2007.
O’Brien is believed to be disenchanted with his slow recovery from both a knee reconstruction and severe cartilage damage that has seen him miss almost two seasons.
The former AFL speedster with GEELONG was badly missed by Garfield last year.
On the plus side for the Stars is return from PAKENHAM of gun midfielder Lincoln Withers.
Withers played with the WARATAHS in the Northern Territory over summer and was no certainty to return to Victoria this season.
However a job with the fire brigade in Darwin fell through and he is now tipped to be a certain starter in the Stars roundone clash at SALE.
Dual league best and fairest Andy Soumilas is also making and steady recovery after missing most of 2006 and is expected to be close to full fitness by the start of the season.
With BULN BULN recruit Brent Eastwell and the improvement of Ben Marsh, the Stars should mix it with the best midfields in the WGLFL this season.
DESPITE missing out on BRISBANE champion Mal Michael, NILMADARNUM has been superactive in its preseason recruiting.
There are big wraps on EAST DEVONPORT pair Jason Anthony, a threetime club best and fairest and Adrian Partridge, who also won the 2005 Daryl Baldock medal for best and fairest in the NTFL.
However the word is another recruit, Justin Oppenlander, formerly with VFL team COBURG and a premiership player with BALRANALD last season, may be the best of the Bombers pickups.
Oppenlander played alongside the club’s new assistant coach and former SPRINGVALE star, Jamie Cann, at Balranald last year.
NILMADARNUM has also picked up Lachlan Fletcher from TAYLORS LAKES brother of ESSENDON champion Dustin.
If his form in last week’s practice match against HEATHMONT is any indication, then the Bombers have snared another top recruit.
In another coup, the Bombers have also picked up young WARRAGUL prospect Kael Bergels.
The supertalented Bergels played with GIPPSLAND POWER early last season and was the best under18 player for the WGLFL in the 2006 VCFL championships, before falling out of favour with both the Gulls and his TAC Cup side after a number of indiscretions.
NilmaDarnum fans will not see Bergels on field until round five, as he has a fourweek suspension from last year to serve.
