RATHER than address his troops at half-time in the confines of the club pavilion, as is traditional, DROUIN coach Ben Soumilas spoke to his players on the ground during Sunday’s game with MOE. The somewhat uncommon sight came about because the brand-spanking-new Hawks clubrooms, which have cost $1.3 million and have been largely financed by the Bendigo Community Bank, were not available. The new football and netball rooms look lavish and spacious and the good news for Hawk fans is they should be available for this week’s big home ground clash against TRARALGON.
CHRIS Dunne kicked 11 goals for Drouin to open the 2011 season – a club record for the Hawks and the highest individual goal tally in an opening round since Sale’s Shane Loveless booted 13 goals – also against Moe – in 1987. That performance by Loveless remains the league record for an opening game. Drouin’s club goalkicking record is 17, by Dean Tyrell against Lang Lang in the West Gippsland Football League in 1997.
POOWONG’S Trevor Hooker has become the second EDFL star forward in recent weeks to succumb to injury while playing basketball. Hooker fell awkwardly and damaged his knee playing the hooped game at Poowong last week and has undergone a knee operation for a torn meniscus, which will likely sideline him for a few months, if not the whole season. He follows WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS star Mick Santo, whose season is over after undergoing a knee reconstruction last month.
“IT WAS unbelievable … as good as any performance I’ve seen for a small forward. I haven’t seen anyone turn opponents inside out like that,” bemused KOOWEERUP coach Shane Newcombe said. He was speaking about the stunning effort by slippery and quick POOWONG star Kael Bergles, who bagged a remarkable 10 first-half goals on Saturday and went on to slot through 13 for the afternoon. “I’ve seen BEACONFIELD’S Hayden Robbins and former CORA LYNN and BUNYIP full-forward Matt Sungalis do some special things, but not quite what Bergles did to us on Saturday,” Newcombe said. It is a fair bet the new Demons coach will be having a few sleepless nights in the week preceding round 17, when his team plays the return leg against the Magpies.
IT WAS hard to wipe the smile off the face of BAIRNSDALE president Bernie Eastman on Saturday evening. The Redlegs returned to the league for the first time since 1998 and started on a winning note, clinching a 23-point victory over WARRAGUL. “It could not have been a better day. We scooped the pool, winning all grades, taking into account the netball,” Eastman said enthusiastically on Saturday night. BAIRNSDALE draws its players from the East Gippsland Football League and with 10 new players, including coach Brent Cowell, was expected to take time to settle. However, it rammed on seven goals to one before half-time on Saturday to put the result to bed.
LAST week we sang the praises of some of CORA LYNN’s new recruits, led by ROWVILLE pair, ruckman Daniel Harders and forward Matt Pierce, along with BEACONSFIELD’S Sean Marchetti and SPRINGVALE DISTRICTS Jay Piggin. But two more, who got under the radar last week, emerged on Saturday against CATANI and look real likely types. Former MORNINGTON pair Ryan Gillis, a centre-half-forward and a former under-18s century goalkicker, who kicked 40 senior goals last year, and his brother Nathan, a fleet-footed on-baller, who snagged 20 majors last season, will make their mark.
SUCH is the churn at the Cobra dome, on Saturday only seven Cobra players – James Bradshaw, Craig Taylor, Brad Horaczko, Anthony Giuliano, Tim Payne, Nick Rutley and Luke Foreman – played in the 2010 grand final team. In more good news for CORA LYNN fans, Joe Allen, who hasn’t yet committed himself, is rumoured to be getting itchy feet and with the Cobras’ recent success may well return sooner than later. And a perusal of the EDFL clearances reveals former GIPPSLAND POWER, PAKENHAM and LEONGATHA rover Ricky Delphine was cleared to the Cobras last week. Don’t dismiss another CORA LYNN grand final appearance.
WONTHAGGI Football Club certainly has no concerns with the controversial desalinisation plant on its doorstep – it has been a lucrative source of recruits. Last year employment at the plant drew Andrew Seccull and captain Ryan Underwood to the club and this year, another four workers at the plant, Luke Trew from HEIDELBERG, coach Leigh McDonald from CHURCHILL, Aaron Winter from GORMANDALE and PHIL SOLOHUB, formerly of DROUIN and YARRAGON, have joined the Power.
WHETHER Narre Warren has the same power on the field this year as it did last season, remains to be seen. But the Magpies will have plenty of power off it – starting with the first game on Saturday. Former coach and plumber, Matt Shinners, has organised a trade show, involving major club sponsor K&R Power Tools. And, of course, the black and whites will be unfurling their 2010 premiership flag prior to the contest for the Pat Sweeney Shield against Berwick.
STILL at Fox Road, and many rival officials doubt whether the double-act of Brendan Fevola and Brett “Birdman” Evans can work for the black and whites. However, even on an “off-day” the pair will worry all defences. Clubs are going hell for leather, trying to secure new names. Word is DOVETON has nearly signed a 100-goal forward from Queensland.
