Bunyip’s Brown bows out

BUNYIP has suffered a blow on the eve of the 2010 season with news that star goal-kicker Ryan Brown has decided to hang up his boots.
Brown, a former DOVETON premiership player who also had a stint with FRANKSTON DOLPHINS, informed disappointed Bulldogs coach Stephen Henwood of his move last week.
Brown, who is only 27, but has battled to maintain his fitness over recent seasons, had been earmarked as the club’s spearhead in 2010.
The club’s woes in attack have been compounded with news that big-name recruit Danny Casset has decided to pursue his career with TONGALA in the Murray League.
Casset and defender Terry McKinnley, both of whom were linked with the Bulldogs a fortnight ago, signed with Tongala last week.

PAKENHAM was reeling after a scratch match last week saw several key players suffer serious injuries that will likely keep them off the field well into the season.
A severe hand injury that saw bone pierce the skin of big-marking recruit Nathan Lieshout is the biggest worry, with one Lions source suggesting it may even be a season-ender.
Premiership defender Beau Wheeler has a suspected break in his leg, while the unlucky John Atwell also has probable bone damage to his ankle.
The reigning premiers will now have their depth tested and suddenly look a little more vulnerable as the first game nears.
AFTER a competitive first quarter DROUIN powered away to set up a 60-point-plus win over an undermanned CORA LYNN on Saturday.
The Hawks were pleased with the performance of new recruits, in particular defender Aaron Coyle from DROMANA and BUNYIP’s Brad Walker, who contained crafty LONGWARRY recruit Beau Runnalls.
The only negative for the 2009 WGLFL finalists was the hospitalisation of CATANI recruit Justin Evans with a stomach virus after half-time.
Andy Soumilas, Pat McGrath, Chris Dunne and Sam Proctor controlled the midfield for the Hawks, while youngsters Rhys Salter and Damian Allison, son of new president Steve, also impressed.
Drouin has scheduled a practice matches against EFL team BORONIA at Boronia this Sunday, 21 March and BONBEACH on Saturday, 27 March.
BERWICK unveiled a crop of talented youngsters together with new ‘slim-lined’ full-forward Grant Noonan in its 11-goal practice match waltz over BUNYIP on the weekend.
Despite missing a number of regular stars including Jason Heath, David Van Diemen and Dale Robinson, the Wickers made a mess of the young Bulldogs with their slick run-and-link game plan, highlighted by man-mountain Noonan’s new mobility in attack.
After the game, coach Glenn Dale played down the effort saying there was a lot of improvement needed, however several supporters were far more optimistic, describing some passages as ‘champagne football’ and predicting an improvement on last year’s fifth place.

WE’VE been sitting on this one for a week or two, but it’s just too good to pass up.
Word around the tradesmen’s traps suggests that it will not be too hard to find out the make up of at least one EDFL side this season.
A couple of days before a recent scratch match at the club, the side with players named in their positions, was found by an opposition player pencilled onto a scrap of plaster at a local building site.
It seems that the coach had spent his lunch break nutting out his plans and tactics and then discarded his doodles onto the scrap pile before leaving for training.
Of course it was swooped on and a couple of players were contacted and told where they would be playing before the coach had told anyone.
We don’t want to name and embarrass the coach in question, so we’ll just say that he may work in the plastering game and have a passing resemblance to ‘Aussie Bob’ Trimbole.

A FULL meeting of MPNFL clubs was held last week at which they were informed of operational changes for the coming season.
The most interesting edict from league HQ was that this year’s finals series will be revamped in all three competitions.
Each finals day will start with the reserves game at 9am, followed by the under-18s match at 11.30 as the curtain-raiser to the senior game.
No doubt this has been done in an effort to address concerns surrounding some just-turned 18-year-old players finishing their game early and then spending the next two games drinking alcohol at the ground.
The other point, made very directly, was that no MPNFL competition would have a bye in 2011 and the governing body will make whatever decision it deems necessary to facilitate that.
That means either attracting two new clubs to the league, one in Nepean and one in Casey Cardinia, or moving one incumbent club between the two leagues.
All clubs have until the end of March to make a submission on this subject, but no guarantees are being given to anyone.

PEARCEDALE has secured the services of former star junior Ricky Morris from FRANKSTON DOLPHINS.
The talented playmaker has always retained a soft spot for the Panthers and his return will boost the playing stocks as new coach Greg Siwes works to put a tumultuous six months off season behind the 2009 semi-finalists.

JUNIOR football has been in the news with the DDJFL undertaking a feasibility study into the proposed expansion of the league to include an under-17 competition in 2011.
This move has been on the agenda before however, there is apparently some new momentum this time after several Casey Cardinia League clubs privately complained about the lack of umpires and support supplied for the current Colts grade.

AS for the number of juniors coming through the local area, PAKENHAM Lions main man Steve Maloney reports that the club is flying at present.
Firstly there are 450 registered juniors players earmarked to make up 16 teams from under-nines to under-16s.
Secondly, and even more impressive, there are 250 children enrolled to join the club’s Auskick arm this season, ensuring a strong base for the future.

CATANI has snared a good recruit by enticing former BERWICK tall man Andrew Morozoff out of the shortest retirement ever and onto the Blues list.
Morozoff walked out on the Wickers over the pre-season and told the club he had lost interest in playing football, according to coaching staff at the Edwin Flack Reserve.
Despite losing a number of players leading into the season, Catani is still expected to be among the more powerful clubs this year.

GARFIELD finished on top of HAMPTON PARK in a six-quarter hit-out under lights at Beswick Street on Friday night.
The Stars were delighted with the form of WARRAGUL recruits Jamie Ferguson and Tim Mitchell, who shone from his wing, while NAR NAR GOON recruit Luke Fox put his hand up for senior selection with a steady game in defence.
Rising star and CASEY SCORPIONS squad member Luke Tynan was used sparingly due to an osteitis pubis problem, but big man Tom Marsh looks to have recovered from a broken leg suffered last season.
The Stars will have two more pre-season hit-outs against WARRAGUL this Saturday, 20 March and CRANBOUNE on 27 March, both at home.
REIGNING EDFL premiers NILMA-DARNUM has suffered a big blow with the departure of young gun Rhett O’Hara to WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS.
The classy youngster was a regular ball winner last season and forecast to take a lead midfield role at the Bombers this season.
He joins other key losses in Kain Martin and Phil Harris to SALE, Allan Chandler to MOE and Jamie Cann to TARWIN LOWER.
O’Hara will join two other talented youngsters at Western Park after the Dusties signed BUlN BULN forward Daniel Johnson and emerging NARRE WARREN young gun Nathan Brewster.
On the downside, the Industrials have lost midfielder Cam Hardy to KORUMBURRA and forward Matthew Groat back to EFL club TEMPLESTOWE.

INTERESTING rumour concerning parking problems at Casey Fields during Saturday’s practice match between MELBOURNE and WEST COAST.
Apparently car-parking attendants, believed to be fire brigade volunteers, were organised to look after the car park by CASEY SCORPIONS, but were less than impressed with the attitude of some of the patrons and walked off the job in disgust.
An eyewitness said that the situation was a complete debacle and Scorpions officials were forced to come out and direct the traffic themselves.

THE fledgling Cora Lynn Junior Football Club has issued another call to arms for prospective players, coaches and administrators.
The Cobras, still desperate to recruit under-9 players, are inviting interested parties to contact club secretary Natalie Pullen on 0403 159 526.
Another player registration evening will be held at the Beaconhills College oval on Wednesday, 24 March from 5-7pm. Access is via the Pakenham Road entry next to the church.