By Ken Moore and Mark Gullick
IN AN innovative concept, the Gippsland and Mid Gippsland football leagues have joined forces to hold a “Super Saturday” of football and netball at the upgraded Ted Summerton Reserve at Moe on Saturday. Both leagues will showcase important matches at the same venue – and the big day starts at 9.30am. To accommodate the undercard across both leagues, the first senior game will start – most likely under lights – at 4.30pm. It will feature the home side against league newcomers BAIRNSDALE in what is a must-win game for both clubs. At 7.05pm, there will be a blockbuster between the top two teams in the MGFL, MIRBOO NORTH and TRAFALGAR.
WITH VFL team FRANKSTON having a bye on the weekend, it released a number of players back to their local clubs of origin, with two, in particular, playing a big role for their sides on Saturday. At TRARALGON Mark Collison was a driving midfield force and helped the ladder leaders knock over LEONGATHA in what was a dangerous game for the Maroons. “Big” Bob McCallum returned to DROUIN and shouldered the ruckwork for much of the day in its drawn game against MOE. Interestingly though, McCallum, who has played in the Dolphin seniors all season, cramped up with the Hawks on Saturday. It appears despite the faster nature of VFL football, the fact that he has played at centre-half-forward for FRANKSTON all season, his aerobic capacity may not been what it was last year.
FOR the first time in the half dozen or so years that POOWONG and CATANI have played for the Irwin Stockfeed Cup, the Blues emerged victorious on Saturday. The cup is awarded to the team that wins the most matches across the 11 football and netball grades. With both clubs sitting on five wins apiece, it got down to the winner of the senior football game – and Catani, the home side, prevailed in a thriller. It has been lean pickings for the Blues, who this season will miss playing finals football for the first time in a decade. Nevertheless, Saturday’s victory finally brought some relief for players and supporters, as they belted out the club song with real gusto after the match. So said club president Tony McFarlane while having a few quiet ones with Bryan Irwin, the managing director of Irwin Stockfeeds, after the game.
NYORA has cleared emerging 16-year-old midfielder Jay Breen to KORUMBURRA-BENA. In return, the Alberton League club cleared three players to the Saints. Half-back Daniel Salmon and midfielder Kallum Rigby played in the seniors on Saturday and impressed on debut. In the top of the table ALBERTON league clash on Saturday, the second-placed KORUMBURRA went down by 17 points to former WGFL club KILCUNDA-BASS.
AT THE halfway mark of the Casey Cardinia season, 368 players have played senior football. BERWICK has used the most players (37) while HAMPTON PARK has used the least (30). Clubs are happy to promote promising juniors into the senior team. ROC and BERWICK have both played five under-18s, while BEACONSFIELD and NARRE WARREN, both four, are also playing younger players.
WHILE the Casey Cardinia ladder is tight, the race for several individual awards is also very close. The goalkicking award is a two-horse race, with BERWICK ace Nathan Waite battling against CRANBOURNE captain Marc Holt, last year’s winner. There is no clear-cut favourite for the Norm Walker medal with John Atwell (DOVETON), Michael Collins (NARRE WARREN), Luke Walker (PAKENHAM) and Justin Berry (CRANBOURNE) leading a large field of candidates.
THE outer wing at Robert Booth Reserve resembled a disco during the HAMPTON PARK-CRANBOURNE clash on Saturday. Not for the first time this year, a throng of young men huddled around a car blaring techno music. Patrons in the area were shaking their heads at the style and loudness of the music. Perhaps turn it down a little bit next time, lads.
