FALL-OUT from the grand-final loss will be the catalyst to major changes at DOVETON, if our spies are correct.
Already the Doves are looking for a new senior coach and new president, together with several new committee members and now, on-field, there is word of that a new-look side is more than likely in 2010.
From last Saturday’s grand final, the following players have been mentioned as likely to be missing next year for one reason or another – Peter Greenstreet, Daryl Thomas, Brad Downe, Ricky Hayes, Ryan Hendy, Corrie and Nathan Wilson, Clint Wilson, Danny Casset, Daniel Charles and captain and new dad Justin Hill.
Several of these names are already being mentioned as potential coaching candidates at other clubs across the district, while retirement looms for a few others.
FURTHER to Justin Hill’s recent fatherhood, when his partner Nicky gave birth to new daughter Charli last week it created a unique bond between Hill and two of his long-term DOVETON mates.
Ricky Hayes, DEVON MEADOWS coach Steve O’Brien and Hill all started playing together at the Robinson Reserve exactly 10 years ago and became good mates.
All three are mad NORTH MELBOURNE supporters and all three now have become fathers to daughters within six months of each other.
PAKENHAM coach Michael Holland added another accolade to his already overloaded list this year – being nominated by the Southern Region Branch of the Australian Football Coaches Association for the Senior Coach of the Year award.
The award is part of the annual Coach of the Year awards night held each September at Shepley Oval in Dandenong.
Holland and SORRENTO mentor Troy Schwarze were beaten for the major award by MPNFL Peninsula League coach Anthony Barry from FRANKSTON YCW.
GUN midfielder Shaun Daly achieved the ultimate as a member of the ALBURY premiership side in the Ovens and Murray Football League last week.
Daly was cheered on by a group of his former KEYSBOROUGH team-mates including William Gayfer and Clinton King, along with Burra president Clay Cullen.
The word is that Daly is looking to return to Melbourne next year and the Keysy boys are extremely hopeful that he will be back at the Rowley Allen Reserve if he does.
NAR NAR GOON president Dale Evans was on a winner, regardless of the result of Saturday’s AFL grand final. He played 19 games for St Kilda in the 1970s, but has been a Geelong supporter since childhood and admits to barracking that little bit harder for the Cats. Evans’ mood was also brightened by the news that former BEACONSFIELD forward Luke McConnell has agreed to terms and will join the Goon in 2010 – adding to the already significant signings of Brett Dore and Dean Kelly.
DEVON MEADOWS will have a new president in 2010 after Michael Brick announced that he would step aside from the post he has held for the past four years.
Brick will remain at the club behind the scenes as will Trevor Clinnick, who was again responsible for a magnificent AFL Grand Final breakfast last Saturday.
STILL at the Panthers and congratulations to loyal workhorse Jesse Dehey who won a record fifth club best-and-fairest award, pipping hard nut Guy Chisnall.
The reserves award went to Tommy Hayes who was controversially stripped of the Casey Cardinia League best-and-fairest award after being presented with it at the MPNFL vote count earlier this month.
“We let him keep this one,” quipped a club wag on the weekend.
BEING suspended for a grand final is a shattering experience.
BEACONSFIELD veteran Michael Fisher was outed for two matches after the Eagles reserves qualifying final win over NARRE WARREN and his description of the glee demonstrated by the umpires’ advocate after the verdict is fodder for another story in the coming weeks.
However Fisher managed to find a lighter side to the devastating experience over a beer on grand final day.
He said, if nothing else, he had learned a valuable lesson about tribunal mouthpieces.
“I took (Eagles president) Terry Lock as my advocate and boy was that a mistake,” Fisher lamented.
“Have you ever seen the hopeless lawyer on the movie ‘The Castle’? Well that was Terry.
“Without doubt, he’s the Dennis Denuto of tribunal advocates. And I think he actually told the tribunal that ‘It was all about the vibe’ in his summary too!”
THERE is still no certainty that the new Casey Cardinia League under-19 and under-17 competitions proposed to replace the current under-18 grade will go ahead in 2010.
CCL presidents voted to pursue the two new grades two months ago, but have heard nothing official from the MPNFL regarding its introduction since.
The idea of the competitions is to address the drop off of players after they graduate from DDJFL under-16s.
The feeling is that many find the jump to Casey Cardinia League under-18s too great and give football away or move to weaker competitions.
Clubs want to set up their coaching structures, but several are believed to be waiting for the go-ahead from league HQ.
AN interesting aside from the EDFL grand finals was that former CRANBOURNE midfielder Ryan Davey was dropped from the senior CORA LYNN side for the big game against NILMA-DARNUM and replaced by his brother and former DEVON MEADOWS’ forward Matt Davey.
Ryan played in the losing reserves grand final with a third sibling Justin, a former TOORADIN player and power broker.
All three Daveys transferred to the Cobras from the Casey Cardinia League in search of a premiership this season and it will be interesting to see if they return to the higher league next year.
Ryan, in particular, would be a handy inclusion for his old club, given that it is the side tipped as most likely to challenge DOVETON and PAKENHAM for top billing in 2010.
WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS had a wonderful 2009 season and that was topped off by the announcement of star NARRE WARREN recruit Shane Brewster as the Dusties best-and-fairest winner last week.
His former Magpie team-mate Brett Wadleton was runner-up and in third position was agile ruckman Ben Hobgen.
The reserves award was taken home by ruck-rover Joey Williamson.
PEARCEDALE is set to have a real crack at a Nepean League premiership next year with word that the Panthers are set to add at least three big-name players to their 2010 list.
FRANKSTON DOLPHIN Ricky Morris is said to be a certain starter and all stops will be pulled out to snare SEAFORD star and former coach Chris Fortnam.
Meanwhile former star goalkicker Mathugh Vagg is tipped to make a return to Tractor Park from his overseas escapades.
All three are former Panthers and if they arrive, the 2010 flag betting will be suspended pending a new market.
