IF Saturday’s practice match between NARRE WARREN and CHELSEA at Fox Road is any indication, the Magpies will be as hard to beat in the Casey Cardinia league as their AFL namesakes this season. The home side belted the Seagulls, coached by former HAMPTON PARK mentor Jason Chapple, by eight goals without raising a serious sweat. And that was done without premiership stars like Glenn Hamilton, Daniel Field, Brett Evans and Jarrod Anderson. One player who did show his wares was former star Brad Scalzo. Scalzo is back in town after a stint in Queensland and club officials are hopeful that the silky on-baller will sign on the dotted line shortly.
ON the downside of things for new NARRE WARREN coach Chris Toner is an horrific injury to promising young midfielder Justin Marriott incurred last week. Marriott completely severed his thumb in a work accident and had to have the digit re-attached, ending his 2011 season before it began. Toner was shattered by the news, having earmarked Marriott for a major midfield role this year.
WARRAGUL – the cellar-dweller of the Gippsland League last year – gave a big indication it will not be an easybeat in 2011 after beating GARFIELD by 25 points on Saturday. The Gulls have recruited well over summer and new coach George Morgan looks to have enough young talent at his disposal to give all comers a run for their money.
After an even first half, WARRAGUL surged clear with a six-goal third term and showed good fitness in the last quarter to keep the home side from making any significant inroads. Midfielder Brad Hamilton stamped himself as a player of the future with a top game and he was lent plenty of support from ever-reliable ruckman Matt Gray. There was also a lot to like about BULN BULN recruit Mitch Nobelius and the Drew brothers, Ben and Jarryd, recruited from POOWONG over summer. The latter was only cut by Gippsland Power last week. The Gulls were also delighted with the performance of Mark Bradley in both the ruck and across the forward line. Bradley, who has starred in the VFL, SANFL and NTFL, was originally appointed coach but stood aside for personal reasons prior to Christmas. However, he opted to stay on as a player and it appears he will be a valuable acquisition. WARRAGUL plays 2010 Southern Football League Division 1 runner-up CHELSEA HEIGHTS at home this week. GARFIELD fielded a team missing half a dozen of its best 21. Coach Brent Eastwell, ruckman Tom Marsh, defender Phil Burns, Ned Marsh in a ruck-roving role and utility Brett Reid all caught the eye and look in fine fettle. Dylan Collis and Ryan Louch, the latter a prime mover in the Stars’ flag-winning fourths side last year, were prominent, along with Devon Meadows recruit Rhys Shortis.
“WE are working on our game plan and it will come,” BUNYIP coach Callum Pattie said, after his team went down by 10 goals to CRIB POINT on Saturday. Among the more salient signs for the Bulldogs, was the form of midfielders, GARFIELD recruit Ben Jostlear and DOVETON recruit Michael Laszczyk, while forwards Pete Edwards and Jarrod Marolla, under-18s last season, put their hands up for senior selection against CATANI on Saturday with encouraging performances. One of the club’s favourite sons, Robbie Hughes, has returned after two seasons in Tasmania and played forward. He looked fit and dangerous when the ball was in his area and talented youngster Jake Buckingham read the play well and looks set to take his game to a new level this season.
CATANI has picked up another star recruit, Nathaniel “Tanny” Rodda, from STONY CREEK. Rodda, a former best-and-fairest with the Lions, was best on ground in their 2009 grand final victory over WONTHAGGI. He is a hard-at-the-ball midfielder with good leg speed and will join Luke Tyrell from the NORTHERN TERRITORY THUNDER and Jake Delphine from PAKENHAM in a strong-looking midfield.
NEW WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS coach Shane Brewster was happy with the performance of his team in its practice match performance on Saturday – despite losing by four goals to GEMBROOK. “We stuck to our game plan and got the ball into our forward line enough to win,” he said. According to Brewster, young half back Tom Synan, half forward Dale Williamson, KOOWEERUP recruit Ayden Mills and NARRE WARREN recruit Chris Potalej, all impressed. Ben Hobgen dominated in the ruck and around the ground and experienced tall Russell Ware put in a fine effort and showed he still had plenty to offer. However, the Dusties suffered a massive setback with the news star forward Mick Santo’s season is over before it began. Santo snapped his Achilles playing basketball with his beloved Warragul Warriors in the Country Basketball League a fortnight ago. The enigmatic Santo, who kicked 71 goals last year, has always captured attention from fans and foes alike with his colourful antics and will be missed by spectators from all clubs this season.
THE showdown between Eastern Football league Division 1 premiers NOBLE PARK and GL premiers MAFFRA turned into an anti-climax, with the metropolitan team winning by more than 12 goals. The Eagles were competitive in the first half, but were missing 12 of the grand final team from last season and 30 players on its senior list – mainly due to cricket finals and the start of the duck shooting season. The Eagles could not rotate off the bench in the second half and fell away badly. Five-time best-and-fairest Ben Coleman, former FREMANTLE rookie Brett Connolly, tall MOE recruit Andrew Petrou and Pat Jones, at GIPPSLAND POWER last season and now on the NORTHERN BULLANTS list, were the only players to offer sustained resistance over four quarters. Nevertheless, to show their depth, MAFFRA managed to snatch victory in the reserves with only 16 players.
