AS most local footy fans would have heard by now, Darren Sheen has walked out on MPNFL Peninsula League club PINES after only one game, returning to CORA LYNN.
Sheen left the Cobras after last year’s premiership glory and signed on with the Pythons with great fanfare in the local media as their marquee recruit and high-priced full-forward.
However, despite coach Pat Swayne lauding his ‘magnificent character and dedication as a clubman’ on radio 3RPP before the opening game, Sheen took flight after kicking two of his side’s six goals in a 122-point thumping at the hands of KARINGAL.
Despite committing to Pines for 2009, Sheen told the club he wanted out and Cora Lynn was apparently happy to have him back.
That in itself is interesting, given that a high-ranking club official said recently that the Cobras had ‘shut the book’ on recruits and would not be signing any more players for 2009. However the word from inside Cora Lynn is that he has come back on their terms and will likely be on reduced salary.
ON A similar note comes the news of another player for whom the word ‘loyalty’ may as well have been Russian – Danny Casset. Big Cass, who to our knowledge has never walked out on a club during a season, apparently loves playing under ex-DANDENONG teammate Sean Millane in Kalgoorlie.
He has booted 14 goals in two games (one win, one loss) and is reported to be strutting his stuff, as only he can, to a new and apparently very bemused audience.
Some things never change.
BEACONSFIELD players and supporters enjoy their wins like most other clubs, but one high-ranked Eagle has his own way of celebrating, according to club spies.
President Terry Lock is a regular among the post-match faithful at the Central Hotel after games and apparently thinks that there’s nothing better than doing a dancing impersonation of country-and-western hero Troy Dan to every song that comes on, regardless of style or beat.
It’s great entertainment for all and good on the main man for letting loose – even if he does need to learn a few more moves.
ROC will host a past players and officials day this Saturday during the Kangaroos’ clash with BERWICK.
The casual function will start at 1pm and all past players and officials will get free entry to the game, be provided with a drink card and enjoy finger food during the afternoon.
It is the first function planned by the newly formed past-players group and for further information contact Rob Cousins on 0407 835 176. And while at Starling Road, congratulations to David ‘Daisy’ Main and his wife Emily on the birth of their daughter Iris last Thursday.
WHO remembers Des Tuddenham, when coaching ESSENDON, making players crawl laps of the Windy Hill ground after a particularly bad loss in the 1970s?
Well PEARCEDALE players can add the torture training session they endured last week after their round-one loss to HASTINGS to the legend.
When they hit the track each senior player found two house bricks with their name neatly printed on them waiting next to the fence.
The Panthers ‘warm-up’ was 15 laps carrying one in each hand, followed by a night peppered with a variety of running exercises ranging from short sprints to full ground run-throughs that ended after 8.30pm.
Coach Jason Chapple stood by the punishment session, but told the group he was happy to do it too.
“I’ll do it with you, because I recognise that I coached badly, after all I selected half of you blokes in the side,” he seethed. Handles a loss well doesn’t he?!
THE relationship between FRANKSTON DOLPHINS and CRANBOURNE is at a low ebb after the VFL club decided to grab youngster Chris Doria to play in its reserves at the death knell on Saturday, despite telling him he was not required during the week.
Doria trained with the Eagles and was selected to play after being presented with his jumper on Thursday night, but the Dolphins rang him on Saturday morning and told him he was required to play after a player pulled out early that morning.
It threw Cranbourne’s plans for the day into disarray and more than peeved a few of the Eagles hierarchy.
WE were told that the origins of PAKENHAM midfielder Ryan Cassidy’s nickname ‘Schwarta’ was a reference to big Arnold Schwarznegger, but the man himself has put us straight. Apparently he used to wear a T-shirt with ‘Schwartz’ written across it when he was a kid and the nickname came from that. It was so well known that even his mother was known as ‘Mrs Schwartz’!
NEW KOOWEERUP coach Paul Williams was a disappointed man after his side’s 30-point loss to LONGWARRY on Sunday, and he told his troops so after the game in no uncertain terms.
Williams informed all players to turn up for training on Tuesday night for what he said was going to be a demanding session.
Early this season, Williams, a former FRANKSTON VFA star, threatened to pull on the boots should his team not reach the required standard.
If the Demons happen to drop the four points on offer this week against the lowly BULN BULN, then the big man may well be occupying a forward pocket sooner rather than later.
CONGRATULATIONS to the MPNFL for its acknowledgment of club trainers.
The league, this year, has registered trainers and provided them with named cards that gives them entry to the ground each week.
That might not seem much on paper, but trainers provide an important service to clubs and it’s great support from the governing body that may encourage more trainers to assist clubs in future.
A COUPLE of bright, young local footballing types have branched out into the rag trade in Berwick. Former BEACONSFIELD and CORA LYNN duo Ben Collins and Ben McKay have recently opened up a men’s fashion boutique called ‘The Tee Spot’.
Collins, who captained the Cobras to last year’s EDFL premiership before moving to be assistant coach at MULGRAVE this season, said the pair had hand-picked all the best labels from Melbourne and Oxford Street in Sydney and brought them to Berwick. Both lads have always fancied themselves in front of a mirror and Collins said that the business was aimed at staying as exclusive as possible.
“We only order a limited number of all our products. The labels we have in store include Kwamee, Premonition, Flux, Nique, Nana Judy, Kiss Chacey, Shushi Radio, Black Byrd and Windsor,” he said. The shop can be found at 5 Blackburne Square in Berwick.
DOVETON Football Club is celebrating its 50th year and is holding a season-long series of events to mark the occasion. That will culminate in a big 50th Anniversary Hall of Fame dinner to be held at the Grand Ballroom at the Grand International in Dandenong on Saturday night, 13 June.
Tickets that include a three-course meal, beer, wine and soft drink are available from the club at $75 each. Contact Andrew Simpson for more information on 0438 800 202.
BEACONSFIELD has another celebration along with coach Robbie Taylor’s 30th birthday going on this week.
Club scribe and senior premiership player Michael Fisher is playing his 200th game for the Eagles against PAKENHAM on Saturday.
It’s a great effort by a loyal clubman who loves the Eagles and continues to give great service at the Perc Alison Oval.
NOBODY could point the finger at former ESSENDON star Mal Michael’s commitment to NILMA-DARNUM after Saturday’s effort against NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH.
After a fleet-of-foot and dominant on-field display, he left the ground before the final siren (and before his teammates belted out the club theme song) to fly out to Brisbane for a pre-arranged family visit.
Some players might not have bothered playing for their side with such plans, but Michael is proving his dedication is genuine.
And still at the Bombers, Nilma-Darnum is on top on the ladder for the first time since 1995.
That season the Bombers were minor premiers after winning 15 games straight, only to bow out of the finals in straight sets.
