NYORA is on the hunt for a new coach for next year after Corrie Wilson confided after his team’s loss to NILMA DARNUM in round 11 that he intends to step aside at the end of the season. But there is good news for the Saints as the classy forward-midfielder and three-time best and fairest and dual premiership player intends to stay at the club. “I won’t be coaching but I want to play,” he said. “I’ve had plenty of good times at the club and they have been good to me. We’ve got a few blokes in the pipeline for next year,” he said, giving a big hint he will be true to his word and stay and that the Saints have already started their quest to rise up the table next year.
SEN1116 listeners last Wednesday afternoon may have heard former Essendon coach and new Greater Western Sydney mentor Kevin Sheedy interviewed and say, somewhat tongue in cheek, that he was in Gippsland looking for new recruits. In fact, the prime reason he was in Gippsland was because he honoured a commitment to provide his services for a day to a football club that bought the most seed from the agribusiness company Cropmark. The competition was won by POOWONG through club president Peter Notman and his wife, Elaine, who own Notman Seeds. Mind you, with 2010 AFL premiers COLLINGWOOD having fielded six ex-GIPPSLAND POWER players and the Power sitting on top of the TAC Cup ladder, despite its narrow loss to the GEELONG FALCONS on Sunday, “Sheeds” was certainly in a good region to lure a few rising stars to his fledgling GWS team next year.
AS THE 30 June transfer deadline creeps closer, a few clubs are still searching for an extra player or two to bolster their list. NAR NAR GOON and CORA LYNN are the latest to unveil newcomers. On Saturday, the Goon fielded ruckman Nigel Benn, a former Goon junior and GIPPSLAND POWER player, who played in Queensland last year and more recently lined up in the Essendon and District League with WESTMEADOWS. And CORA LYNN also introduced a player expected to make his mark, in former NARRE WARREN defender David van den Broek, who played alongside Cobras coach Brendan Kimber and captain Jimmy Bradshaw at the Magpie nest.
FOUR GFL players have been selected in the VCFL squad to play the VAFA on 9 July in Shepparton – SALE’s forward Matt Ferguson, key defender Jordan Dessent and ruckman Toby Leeds, along with DROUIN ball magnet Andy Soumilas. The under-19 VCFL squad also has strong GFL representation with five players nominated in the initial squad, led by WARRAGUL’s defender Tom Carey, forward Josh Helliwell and midfielder Calum Shiels, along with LEONGATHA’s centreman Tom Marriot and forward Nic Nagel.
THE GFL season is a tipsters’ nightmare. The evenness of the competition is exemplified by the recent plight of SALE. The Magpies started the season in a blaze of glory, winning six on the trot. Entering last week’s round nine, they sat in top position but after a loss to TRARALGON, their third in a row, they have dropped to second. On Saturday, if WONTHAGGI beats MORWELL, MAFFRA knocks off SALE, LEONGATHA, at home, topples TRARALGON and MOE beats DROUIN, then, as unlikely as it seemed a month ago, only percentage will separate SALE, widely hailed as premiership favourites a month ago, from sixth position on the ladder. Incredible.
AND SALE’s recent dip in form may have a lot to do with its growing injury list. The Magpies reported seven sidelined senior players on Saturday, the most notable being Mitch Davis, Corey Scholtes, Joel Wallace, Rodney Love and Jordan Dessent – all nursing hamstring injuries – and in the second quarter against TRARALGON key defender John Gooch, who was keeping TRARALGON gun and former AFL Geelong utility Dan McKenna quiet, was forced to leave the field and with guess what – yes, yet another dreaded hamstring. The Magpies’ conditioning staff and medicos must be scratching their heads.
WITH clearances closing on 30 June there has been a flurry of activity. NARRE WARREN has gained Luke Foreman (NAR NAR GOON) and Luke Barrie-Smith (DANDENONG) but lost Daniel van den Broek (CORA LYNN). Matthew Stocco returns to BEACONSFIELD after a brief stint at NAR NAR GOON, while Sean Kelleher rejoins DOVETON from CORA LYNN. The Doves have signed Jonathan Kloester (CORA LYNN). KEYSBOROUGH has lost big man Karl Schoenmaekers to the VAFA.
BEACONSFIELD forward Dale Hynes missed the Eagles’ clash with Narre Warren last weekend as he was in Perth on representative duties. Hynes was selected in the Victorian Deaf Football Team, an honour he has received previously. He was selected as vice-captain and was one of the better players in the massive win over Western Australia.
CRANBOURNE coach Doug Koop was less than sympathetic when Matthew Thompson received a whack to the face in the first half. Thompson left the field and sat out the remainder of the match. “He’s got to have some stitches, and maybe some plastic surgery so he can still look like a model,” Koop quipped.
