NARRE Warren fans were out in force as the third-placed Magpies took on fourth-placed DEVON MEADOWS at the Glover Reserve on Saturday and, as usual, there was plenty of entertaining banter within the black-and-white throng. Among the Magpie crowd was ex-player and coach Karl Heinze, who is apparently a frustrated bookmaker at heart. That quickly became evident as he offered odds on goalkicking to the Narre Warren faithful every time a Magpie lined up the sticks. It also became evident that the “Karl Heinze Bookmaker” business was one of the few in the trade that ran at a significant loss. He started by giving a juicy (and ridiculous) 20-1 on youngster Jackson Parker from an angle, promptly lost that, and progressed to betting against Brett Evans, Nick Scanlon and Evans again, all with the same result. The only joy he had was when veteran Magpie Steven Kidd got his ability mixed up with his ambition and skewed off a banana kick from 10 metres out, but even then our bag man was on the ropes and set the odds too short for takers. Unfortunately punters were out of luck for a bet after half-time because the bag was shut with Karl Heinze Bookmaking becoming another victim of (his own) economic meltdown.
ROC was expected by many to be a major improver this year but that has not been the case to date. Among the reasons for that is player turnover and among the players not plying their skills at Starling Road are ex-ROC star Mick Moylan. Moylan, a premiership star and one of the “heart-and-soul” players at the club, was never a self-promoter and it has emerged that he, with ruckman Paul Phillips, quietly retired at the start of the season leaving a significant experience gap in the young side.
AND while on the ROC Football Club, well done on behalf of all local football fans, in particular those at BEACONSFIELD, for allowing the Eagles to train on the spare oval at Starling Road during the recent wet weather. That has enabled Beaconsfield to preserve the condition of the Perc Allison Oval and that’s just simply good for football. It’s also a good example of clubs with serious rivalries being able to get over themselves when it is necessary.
LANG LANG has watched its finals chances take a massive tumble after news that star recruit ruckman Ben Dwyer was badly injured against GARFIELD in round nine and his season is now likely done. Dwyer sustained a broken jaw and perforated ear drum and had several plates inserted in his face last week. He returned to the club this season after a long stint at ROSEBUD and has starred in both the ruck and as a key forward.
PEARCEDALE had an ordinary day against DROMANA and it was topped off with the report of youngster Samuel Greer by two umpires on an interesting charge that we have not seen detailed officially before. The report sheet read “charged under rule 19.2.2(p) by two umpires for urinating”. Not sure what the penalty is for bodily functions on field but let’s hope common sense prevails and there is no suspension.
FORMER DOVETON speedster Aaron McIver was a forlorn figure in the NARRE WARREN rooms as he watched his Magpie teammates warm up before the weekend’s crucial game against DEVON MEADOWS. McIver was forced to miss the game with a hamstring strain incurred the week before against ROC. When asked how it happened one of McIver’s teammates tried to cheer him up by telling us boldly that it was when he set the crowd alight with a 40-metre run bouncing the ball down the wing. “Yeah – it was more like 60 metres,” McIver sniffed after his mate was out of earshot.
EMERGING GIPPSLAND POWER midfielder Ryan Pendlebury made his VFL debut for the CASEY SCORPIONS at the weekend in the club’s 20-point victory over SANDRINGHAM. His older brother Kris has also impressed in the VFL this season with COLLLINGWOOD, and both will be well in the front of AFL recruiters’ minds given that their brother Scott, is now a bona fide AFL star with the Magpies. Ryan played five senior games with SALE last season, while he was still eligible for the under 16s.
WELL done to the two Casey Cardinia League youngsters, Ryan Jones from CRANBOURNE and Vergim Faik from DOVETON, who played in the Worksafe VCFL Under-19 representative side on Sunday. Unfortunately the VCFL side went down by four goals to the VAFA boys at Sportscover Arena in Elsternwick, but the match was of a high standard and a great advertisement for the young talent at grass-roots level and AFL scouts were present. Interestingly Jones was the 2009 Pakenham Gazette Casey Cardinia League Young Gun award winner and 18-year-old Faik is a nominee for this year’s award. Two other MPNFL players were among the final squad, Richard Clements from KARINGAL and Bryden Irving from SEAFORD.
THE Southern Region Branch of the Australian Football Coaches Association (AFCA) will hold a special night with coaching staff from MELBOURNE Football Club, concentrating on kicking skills and defence. The night will start at 5pm at Casey Fields on Tuesday 22 June, after the Demons train. The seminar is being organised as part of a series of such education sessions to keep local and junior coaches up to date with the latest trends and techniques and is free for all AFCA coaches and $20 for non-members. Anyone interested should contact AFL Victoria Development Manager Mark Wheeler on 9791 8656.
DROUIN was left undermanned because of the wedding of utility Brendan Lockhart at the weekend. Lockhart invited a number of teammates to his nuptials, thinking that the Queen’s Birthday weekend would be free of football, as it was last year. The undermanned Hawks suffered a 13-point loss to TRARALGON, while the club’s reserves struggled even more with another six players unavailable, leading to club stalwart Peter “Punk” Harper and senior runner Stuart “Snake” Farley both pulling on the boots alongside thirds players Jordan Kingi, Jordan Wyatt and Sam Barwick.
QUESTION without notice: Which club in the region is rumoured to be playing the stock market with good success in its effort to meet its significant player-payment bill? The question was posed last week by an official of a rival club who also queried whether the tactic was within the rules of not-for-profit entities such as football and netball clubs (and leagues). No other information was provided because the chap said he was intending to make his own inquiries on an official level with the VCFL. We will watch this one with interest.
FOUR Beaconsfield netballers have chosen to attend the club’s 120-year celebrations this Sunday instead of representing Casey Cardinia in the interleague championships at the State Netball Centre. Eagles Kellie Holland, Bridget Gargan, Jasmine Maddocks and Regan Brokenshire were set to lead the rep squad’s tilt at the William Loud Trophy, but pulled out when they realised that it clashed with the club’s big day. It’s an unfortunate dilemma, but history suggests that their reason for pulling out wouldn’t have been tolerated if it had been interleague footy.
BAD luck for big KEYSBOROUGH ruckman Shaun Witherden who may miss the rest of the year after injuring his ankle at training before the Burra’s great win over BEACONSFIELD on the weekend. The star big man apparently fell over the leg of teammate Ben Hoskin and tore ligaments from the bone. It is believed that Witherden will have surgery to repair the damage and may not get back on the park until 2011.
IT HAS been tough going for NILMA DARNUM fans this season but the word we’ve heard from a reliable source is that 2009 premiership coach Brad Sinclair is keen to return to the club to deal with what he says is “unfinished business”. Sinclair did not want to leave the Bombers but he failed to reapply as its constitution required and departed. Sinclair is coaching HEYWOOD in the Western Border League and has taken the 2009 wooden spooners to third spot this season with six wins from nine games. Sinclair has won plenty of praise from some stars in the team, including former Nilma star Mal Michael, along with former COLLINGWOOD defender Brad Smith, who are both a chance to follow him should he opt to return.
