THE non-appearance of CRANBOURNE officials at the launch of the “Don’t Drive Like a Demon” program left many people disappointed. Officials from EastLink, RoadSage, the MPFNL and the Melbourne Football Club patiently waited for the arrival of Cranbourne representatives, but they never showed. Star Demon and former Mount Eliza midfielder Nathan Jones was also there. The event was intended to benefit Cranbourne financially, as well as solidify its community standing.
BERWICK’S bright start to the year has seen potential new recruits at Edwin Flack Reserve. Former captain Andrew Tuck has been seen at training and is a chance to line up with the Wickers soon.
GUN Warragul recruit Tom Muir has been cleared of any damage to his neck after an incident in the third quarter against SALE on Saturday. Muir, a GIPPSLAND POWER-listed player who recently crossed to the Gulls from NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH, suffered concussion after a knock and spectators watched the uncomfortable sight of the 16-year-old being carried from the ground in a neck brace. He was released from hospital early on Sunday. According to Gulls coach George Morgan, Muir, an under-age state basketball representative, showed plenty of skill and poise belying his tender age before the unfortunate injury. Many a good judge has said Muir is a prospective AFL recruit.
MUIR is one of many fledgling Gulls in what must be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, side fielded in recent seasons in the GFL and its many reincarnations over the past few decades. On Saturday, 16 of the WARRAGUL team hadn’t played 10 senior games. Despite three losses to start the season, Morgan is upbeat about the future of the club. “We have been thereabouts in each game, the players have absorbed the set plays and systems and the future prospects this season and in coming years are very bright,” the former BULN BULN premiership mentor, who wants to be part of the Warragul rise, said.
GFL interleague coach Hayden Burgiel and his understudy, brother Adrian, will sit down this week to cast an eye over all the club nominations and pick a squad to represent the league against the CENTRAL MURRAY League at Morwell on 28 May – wedged in between rounds six and seven. One big loss for the league is five-time MAFFRA best and fairest and centreman Ben Coleman, who left the field against DROUIN last week with a knee injury. He will undergo scans this week, which will have many Eagles fans on tenterhooks.
ELLINBANK’S Nathan Paredes, the best and fairest in the EDFL fourths last season, became the latest under-age player to step up and make a big impact in the seniors on Saturday. The big-bodied ruck-rover shows tremendous strength for someone so young. He garnered plenty of the ball against NYORA and shapes as a top prospect. Another youngster who played in the under-15.5s last season, NYORA wingman Jay Breen, has also been a find at senior level in recent weeks while BULN BULN’S Deen Allen, also up from the fourths, caught the eye with some handy disposals from the half-forward flank against LONGWARRY.
OF THE 2010 season crop of under-18 players to step up to the seniors this season and not look out of place with the big boys, the most impressive over the first month of the 2011 season have been BUNYIP defender Brad Wolfe, LONGWARRY midfielder Dylan Holland, KOOWEERUP half-back Max Longson and WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS small Tom Synan. There are honourable mentions to NAR NAR GOON ruckman Stephen Pimm, BULN BULN forward Cam Nugent and NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH pair Joel Whitford and Kody Wilson.
POOWONG players served penance for their poor effort against BUNYIP on Saturday. Magpies coach Brent Clinnick ordered his players to attend a training session at 9am on Sunday at the club’s home ground. And for one unfortunate player, who had a golf appointment at 9am, he was forced to have a one-on-one session with the coach at 7am. Clinnick reported all the players attended and brought their best attitude, which bodes well for their round six clash against NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH. POOWONG has the bye this week. Also on a positive note for the club, tall utility Callum O’Hare, played his best game for the club on Saturday after returning after a year’s absence because of a knee reconstruction, while star forward Trevor Hooker, who it was originally feared might miss the entire season to a knee injury, is now expected to make a comeback around late July. All going well, the Magpies hope to get a month of football into him before what they hope will be an extended finals campaign.
ONE great thing about football, and sport in general, is that it always throws up the unexpected. One month ago, you could have written your own ticket on the 2010 EDFL premiers, Nar Nar Goon, sitting in ninth position, with only one win and three home losses from four outings. And who in their right mind would have predicted the 2010 cellar dwellers, Longwarry, would occupy third spot and enter round five this Saturday undefeated. As is often preached, you are only as good as your last performance, so it will be interesting to see how the Crows fare this Saturday against Cora Lynn, which looks the goods after the first month.
