**A huge congratulations goes out to TOORADIN-DALMORE star Shona Rowan who played her 350th game against KOOWEERUP on Saturday. The club record holder at Tooradin played in her first A Grade premiership in 2017 after missing the Seagulls’ 2006 success for a friend’s wedding. It’s taken five long years in this current Covid-environment to get from 300 to 350 games…a remarkable achievement in anyone’s language. Rowan played in a winning team on Saturday, unlike her 300th game against DOVETON back in 2017. Upon winning the premiership that year, Rowan said the following. “Nobody remembers 300 games anyway … just premierships.” Congratulations Shona from the entire local netball community. By our calculations…we’ll catch up with you at the end of 2024 to celebrate the magical 400-game milestone!
**It was a great day for the PAKENHAM FOOTBALL CLUB on Saturday with some of the stars of the last 40 years getting together to celebrate premierships in 1982, 1990, 2000 and 2002. Two of the coaches from those years, Neville Powells (1990) and Joe Lenders (2002) were asked to toss the coin before the big match against MONBULK. The Lions went down to the Hawks but a huge day was still had by all.
**We had a simple question for several PAKENHAM champions on Saturday…” If you could pick three players from this room to build a team around, who would they be and why?” Some familiar answers started to filter in with Jock Holland, Lincoln Withers, Dan O’Loughlin, Greg Atkins and Darren Hillard among them. One past-player described Hillard as country football’s equivalent of Scott Pendlebury, because time stood still around him. That’s pretty high praise indeed…for Pendles we’re talking of course!
**BEACONSFIELD coach Mick Fogarty would have had his eyes closed and fingers crossed on Saturday night, hoping his sizable injury list wouldn’t grow larger at the club’s Western Night. The bucking bull certainly had the potential to cause damage…especially after a few frothies!
**It was a big day on Saturday for the family of NAR NAR GOON stalwart Shannon Stocco, who recently announced his retirement from local football. Now let’s get this in order from least important to most important. Shannon received a call up for the Goon reserves on Saturday, pulling on the number-16 jumper with pride, while wife Vanessa also pulled on the navy blue and white for the Goon’s B Grade netball team. But most importantly…son Ollie got to represent the Goon for the very first time in the Auskick game during half-time of the seniors. Ness and Ollie pulled up okay…but for Shannon it was a different story!
**There’s been plenty of excitement going on at BUNYIP in recent weeks with some fresh debutantes and a seasoned veteran reaching some important career milestones. Let’s start with current senior captain Jeb McLeod who played his 150th senior game against DALYSTON on Saturday. A premiership player, two-time best and fairest winner and three times selected in the Team of the Year, Jeb has already had a wonderful career and is showing no signs of slowing down. Jeb will play many games in the second half of his career with names like Mitch Sproles, Wil Grummisch and Tahj Murphy…who have all made senior debuts over the last few weeks.
**While on senior debuts, congratulations go to KORUMBURRA-BENA youngster Blake Webb for making his against PHILLIP ISLAND on Saturday. Playing against some superstar players of the competition in your first game was no doubt a memorable experience. On the opposite side, Will Taylor-Eagles made his senior debut in the same game for PHILLIP ISLAND.
**Former PORT ADELAIDE and HAWTHORN champion Shaun Burgoyne made a huge impression playing for DALYSTON last week…but it’s what he did away from the cameras and the spotlight that has left a lasting impression on the Magpie faithful. With his Carlton Draft duties safely tucked away, Burgoyne made an effort to ring Dalyston coach Peter Dunlop to have a brief chat about how much he enjoyed the day. We all knew ‘Silk’ had class…but little things like that just make all the difference. The football communities of both Dalyston and Garfield – the Magpies opponents – really benefitted from the experience.
**While on DALYSTON, it’s great to see the club already being pro-active in trying to get under 12’s and 14’s up and going for next year. The Magpies have really focussed in on strengthening their junior structure and see that as the way to be a vibrant and sustainable club moving forward. Good luck Magpies with your quest!
**Members at NAR NAR GOON are keeping a watchful eye out after recent damage has been done to its picturesque facility at Spencer Street. Hoons are digging up car parks and the netball courts have also been damaged in a recent spate of attacks. Let’s hope these fools get caught…and get caught in a hurry!
**NARRE WARREN had its way with OFFICER in all three grades on Saturday. In total across the three games, the Pies won 90.34 (574) to 3.11 (29).
**DEVON MEADOWS is going places under RYAN HENDY. Hendy delivered a stirring speech post-game, and while the details of the speech will be respectively kept in-house, his passion was nothing but impressive.
**Someone bloody tell John! BERWICK footy club’s long-serving gate worker John Kluyt has a clear favourite player, it’s of course HARRY MONEY, and after a brief chat that will feature as a Volunteer of the Week in coming week’s, one reporter had to break the news to John that his favourite player is out for a year with an ACL injury… John was rightfully devastated!
