RECORD ISSUE 18 6Th August 2016 $2.00
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RECORD ISSUE 18 6th August 2016 $2.00 KICKIN’ IT WITH KRISTEN Editorial – Issue 18, August 6th 2016 JUNIORS SET TO EXPERIENCE GRAND FINAL DAY By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS TEN junior teams will be Grand Final day is also a chance to celebrate and thank crowned champions this all the coaches, officials, volunteers, clubs and family weekend. members who have worked tirelessly across the year to ensure your team has the chance to play on this day. All the hard work and I wish all teams the very best of luck. dedication put in throughout Also in this week’s Footy Record we celebrate the feats the season will come to a head of Western Jets trio Daniel Venables, Judah Dundon and on Sunday as junior teams from Oscar Junker. across the west go head-to- The talented youngsters were invited to test their skills head in Grand Final matches. at the NAB AFL National Draft Combine in October. Grand Final day is often a day filled with mixed emotions. Dundon and Junker have both played for the Werribee Districts in the WRFL, with Venables, a highly touted It is an incredible experience to celebrate a Grand Final junior, playing with Keilor. victory with your team mates. It is a moment you will never forget. The three players have worked extremely hard and have all had to overcome different adversity’s to get to where That elation of when the final siren sounds and your they are today. team is in-front is something all footballers want to feel, Venables, Dundon and Junker are all great examples whether it be at junior or senior level. and role models for any junior players in the WRFL. I wish the three of them the best of luck. Some players can go there entire career without ever Finally, if you take any photos from Week 3 of Junior feeling the joys of being a part of a winning Grand Final. Finals and would like it to be featured online or in the So if you do get to experience being a part of a Grand next edition of the Footy Record, please email it to [email protected] Final and get to hold the premiership trophy at the end of the game, make sure you soak it all in and appreciate The WRFL Footy Show will also be continuing over the what you have been able to achieve. finals series. I will be out and about interviewing players, coaches and volunteers who are a part of the finals series. If you don’t win, by no means is your season a failure. Make sure to check out the WRFL website or the WRFL’s All teams involved during the 2016 Junior Finals Series Facebook page each Wednesday to stay up-to-date should be proud of your accomplishments, regardless with all the latest news. of the result. See you at the footy. CONTENTS Division 3 Senior/Reserves .................................................28-36 Enis Salopek .......................................................................................3 Umpire’s Corner ............................................................................. 37 Western Jets trio ..............................................................................4 Tips/Flashback Photo .................................................................. 38 Albion Legend’s Match .................................................................5 Under-19 Division 1 ...............................................................39-44 Division 1 Senior/Reserves ...................................................7-16 Under-19 Division 2 ...............................................................46-49 Player Profile ................................................................................... 17 Leading Goal Kickers ................................................................... 52 Division 2 Senior/Reserves .................................................18-25 Junior Finals Information ........................................................... 64 FRONT COVER CAPTION: Glen Orden upset Yarraville Seddon Eagles last weekend, today they take on Caroline Springs. Picture: DARRELL JONES WRFL FOOTY RECORD Western Region Football League President: Meredith Angwin Level One, Whitten Oval, Footscray CEO: Bob Tregear OFFICE: (03) 9315-5400 Editor: Kristen Alebakis 1 WRFL FOOTY RECORD Club Multicultural Diversity Partner GROWING AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL IN THE WEST WRFL NEWS ENIS SALOPEK REFLECTS ON A DECORATED CAREER By KRISTEN ALEAKIS THE Salopek family have had a long, proud and jumper and go to war with him each week.” successful history with the Parkside Football Club. French said Enis has been a star player over the years Brothers Enis, Goran and Stretch have played more than and will be sorely missed in 2017. 1000 games for the Magpies. “He has always been involved with the club, his family But it isn’t just their on-field achievements that are of does the canteen and whenever the club has any sort note, it is their dedication and support of the club off the of troubles, he has always been there, so of course we field that is what makes the Salopek family a special one. will miss him.” A chapter in their family history with Parkside will close Nowadays, Enis is playing in Parkside’s Division 3 this season as Enis has decided to hand up his boots. Reserves side. Enis’ WRFL career spans more than 30 years, more than The Magpies are currently sitting in second spot on the 400 games and includes an amazing seven premierships. ladder, having won 12 games and lost one. “I have played in seven grand finals and not lost one,” They will take on Tarneit on Saturday in a top-of-the- he said. table clash at Henry Turner Reserve. The 40-year-old said he still remembers his first game Enis is hoping he can extend his premiership tally to footy he played with Parkside back in 1983. eight at the end of the season. “I have been playing footy with the club since I was “It has been good year,” he said. seven year’s old, I started in Under-9’s and have “The seniors have had a couple of losses and we are continued to play.” looking okay, we have only dropped the one game. Enis said his career highlight was winning the 1999 “Hopefully we can finish off the year on a good note.” premiership alongside his brothers. On Saturday, the club will also be holding a 20 He said playing with his brothers and being able to year reunion of their 1996 Seniors and Reserves celebrate their flag success together is something he premierships. will never forget. Past players, officials, supporters and families are all “Parkside also won the seniors and reserves encouraged to attend the function. premierships in 1996, that was great to be a part of and winning the 2003 Division 1 flag was special,” Enis said. “From those teams I am the only one still playing footy,” Enis said. Nicknamed ‘Angry’, Enis said Parkside was an extraordinary club with a great group of people Festivities will kick-off at 12noon. involved. “Parkside is special,” he said. “I have made a lot of close mates at the club, we all grew up in the area, and now the younger guys have come on board. “We are a tight nit group.” Parkside president Shannon French said players at the club walk a bit taller when Enis is around. “He is the sort pf player that when you take to the field you know he has your back 100 per cent,” he said. “I have been lucky enough to play alongside him and it Enis Salopek is set to retire at the end of the season. has been an absolute pleasure to be able to pull on the Picture: KRISTEN ALEBAKIS 3 WRFL FOOTY RECORD WRFL NEWS TRIO INVITED TO NATIONAL DRAFT COMBINE By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS EIGHTY of the best junior players from across the with VFL club Williamstown. country will do their best to impress AFL clubs at Sexton said he has had a terrific season so far despite the NAB AFL Draft Combine in October. having some leg issues during the pre-season. Of the 80 players invited to attend the four-day trial, “He fractured his leg, but has recovered well and played three are from the Western Jets. eight games for us this year,” he said. Rising stars, Oscar Junker, Judah Dundon and “He will be fit and ready for the draft combine in Daniel Venables have been invited to test their October.” skills at the combine. Venables has also had a standout year, with Junker and Dundon, both have spent time in the WRFL, commentators predicting he is a player who will likely while Venables hails from Keilor. find an AFL home come draft day. Before the talented duo joined the Western Jets in the Venables was named in the All-Australian side following TAC Cup, Junker and Dundon were teammates at the an impressive display at the national carnival and has Werribee Districts. also played some great footy at school level. All three players were involved in the recent Under-18 “Hopefully these boys can do well at the combine and National Carnival and have all caught the eye of AFL go on to get drafted,” Sexton said. list managers. “That would be fantastic.” Junker played most of his junior career with Werribee Districts and represented the WRFL on two occasions at On the TAC Cup front, the Western Jets have had a the AFL Victoria Metro Championships. difficult season, managing only four wins from 15 matches. After overcoming an injury at the beginning of the year, the Jets co-captain has put together a solid year of football. At the weekend the club suffered another big loss, losing by 62-points to the Dandenong Stingrays. Western Jets manager Shane Sexton said Junker is a versatile player who had many appealing attributes. “It has been a frustrating season,” Sexton said. “He had an interrupted pre-season, he had a surfing “We have had our chances in games, but unfortunately accident just after Christmas and missed a dozen we haven’t been able to challenge many teams. weeks,” he said.