NAR NAR GOON is being tipped around the traps as the new footballing home of former DOVETON and TOORADIN coach Tom Hallinan.
Hallinan, who lives in The Goon, has been spied training at the local oval alone recently and does not have a club at present after losing the Doves’ job last year and then declining an avalanche of offers to both coach and play in the post season.
Should the whispers be true, then Nar Nar Goon’s premiership odds will be tightened considerably.
GEMBROOK-COCKATOO followers had better strap themselves in for a ride this year.
The appointment of former NARRE WARREN tactician Travis Marsham as senior coach, together with an influx of high-quality recruits led by Aussie Jones, had the Brookers buzzing before Christmas.
That momentum is set to continue with a Twenty20 cricket match between a side of local footballers and an AFL All-Stars team including favourite son Michael Firrito and CARLTON star Brendan Fevola.
The game is scheduled for Sunday, 1 February, followed by the club’s Hankook Golf Challenge on Friday, 20 February.
The club’s profile is on the rise and if that is transferred into action on the field, it will be a case of look out rivals in 2009.
THE clash between KEYSBOROUGH and PAKENHAM at the Rowley Allen Reserve, scheduled for Anzac Day, has been moved to the weekend before (round one, April 18) by mutual consent.
Neither club wanted to play on the public holiday, given the problems associated with not being able to start before noon and both clubs were drawn to have a bye on the preceding weekend.
And, while on the Casey Cardinia League draw, there is still some angst surrounding the schedule at Casey Fields with regard to CRANBOURNE.
A clash of fixtures is still possible when the Eagles play DOVETON on Saturday, 27 June (round 10) and, despite suggestions, the Doves are believed to be cold on the idea of playing a Sunday game.
The old racecourse oval might make a cameo appearance yet.
A WARNING to all who park at Casey Fields.
The area outside the social rooms entrance is a designated taxi rank, despite a lack of signage and nobody other than council by-laws officers knowing about it.
That recently became apparent when a CRANBOURNE board member returned to his car after a meeting with council representatives at the venue to find a $67 parking ticket on his vehicle.
How and why a parking inspector was in the area when there was no sport on at the facility is also an interesting question.
HERE’S a good one.
CORA LYNN ruck legend Kevin ‘Stretch’ Beilby was involved in a ‘police incident’ at Pakenham recently and it should serve as a warning to others.
The big bloke parked his car in a bay outside the Safeway store and went inside to pick up a few supplies.
When he exited the store, he found his car missing in the busy park.
He hadn’t been gone long, so he quickly called the police who were there in a flash to hunt down the car-stealing culprits.
As word got around, people started looking for the vehicle and the villains when Stretch happened to glance across at the adjacent row and saw his car sitting there – where he had left it.
He had gone to the wrong row!
THERE are rumours that player stocks at EMERALD are set to take a blow with several of the club’s better performers either moving out of the area or looking for a higher level of competition.
One very handy goal-kicking type is said to be on his way to CRANBOURNE while two others have already agreed to play a season in the East Gippsland Football League with PAYNESVILLE.
RUCKMAN Paul Youle has been appointed as assistant coach to Paul Alger at CATANI for 2009.
In more good news for the Blues, emerging BULN BULN utility Luke Nobelius has been a regular at pre-season training and is almost certain to put in for a transfer in the coming weeks.
Luke, the older brother of the 2008 Lyrebirds best and fairest, Mitch Nobelius, already has a link with Catani.
His father, Ken, won both a premiership and a club best-and-fairest award with the Blues in the early 1990s.
NYORA has appointed Corey Wilson as its assistant coach for 2009. The plucky rover and dual premiership player will support new Saints’ coach Jason Hill.
Hill played at NARRE WARREN and DANDENONG in his younger days and is well known in EDFL circles after a coaching stint at ELLINBANK until he announced his retirement at the end of the 2006 season.
He will take over from 2008 co-coaches Dean Hislop and Rory Gilliatte and looks to be facing a tough assignment to keep the side at the pointy end of the ladder.
The Saints are almost certain to lose strong man Fiatupu Too Too, who has told the club he intends to move to CATANI, along with utility Brad Miles (returning to BERWICK), while premiership stars Corrie Wilson, Dean Hislop and Rory Gilliatte have yet to commit.
Off field, Tim Fowles, an assistant coach last year, has taken over the club’s presidency from Greg Hodge.
NOBLE PARK followers have been crowing that super talented FRANKSTON DOLPHIN centre half-forward Russell Gabriel will be playing in a Bulls jumper this year – not a DOVETON strip.
According to one Noble Park spruiker, Gabriel – who agreed to transfer to the Doves in November last year – has changed his mind.
All will be revealed when official clearances open next Monday, but if the EFL powerhouse thinks the Doves will just go away and accept it, they had better think again.
