AFL CANBERRA EDITION 05 $2.50 POWERFUL BELCONNEN WINS ANZAC CHALLENGE FORMER GREAT TO INSPIRE Contents A CHAMPION TEAM... IS BETTER THEN A inside In the Box with the GM 4 AFL Canberra Limited Bradman Stand Manuka Oval Manuka Circle ACT 2603 TEAM OF CHAMPIONS News 6 PO Box 3759, Manuka ACT 2603 Ph 02 6228 0337 Fax 02 6232 7312 Seniors 12-19 Publisher Coordinate Communication PO Box 1975 WODEN ACT 2606 Reserves 20 Ph 02 6162 3600 Email [email protected] Neither the editor, the publisher nor AFL Canberra Under 18’s 21 accepts liability of any form for loss or harm of any type however caused All design material in the magazine is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced without the written permission of Coordinate Communication. Editor Jamie Wilson Ph 02 6162 3600 Round 04 Email [email protected] Designer Logan Knight Ph 02 6162 3600 Email [email protected] vs Photography Andrew Trost Email [email protected] Greenway Oval, Sat 3rd May, 2pm Thanks to our sponsors vs Manuka Oval, Sat 3rd May, 2pm vs SCG, Sun 4th May, 9.50am Design + Branding + PR + Advertising + Internet www.coordinate.com.au ACTION shots In the box of the week with the GM After 4 games it seems all is going very nicely with in a specifi c timeline I would have been very keen the division 1 grade. to have several incidents investigated. That is as far as I can take these matters but were it within You will know who has beaten who and how tough it my power I would also have lobbied to have a few is to pick winners each game. Just as I would like it players spending considerable time on the sideline and just as the AFL Canberra Board has worked so and not bringing their club into a position where hard to develop. However I have had the misfortune its integrity is questioned and the safety of the of seeing some snippets of recent games which opposition is assured. suggests just below the surface our competition is not as healthy as we would like. The umpires have as role to play in this matter by paying free kicks when they are there and To give my comments some background I will run making reports when they are there too. Similarly the risk of being a little philosophical about my own the tribunal needs to support umpires and while thoughts on the way the game should be played. remaining impartial, of course, appreciate that umpires only make reports when they assume the Football is a tough game that requires genuine player is guilty. courage to play. Generally the higher the grade the more players value their own ability to play I am all for hard football, aggressive play and the game and their attitude adjusts accordingly. teams using their physical power to dominate the Winning occurs with skilful use of the ball, opposition within the rules. Cheap behind the play courageous attempts to win the ball and an shots and using elbows or knees to avoid making aggressive approach to the opposition if they have legitimate contact with an opponent is weak and the ball. Protection of team mates, having an needs to be driven out of our competition. I am intimidation factor in your armoury and presenting sure the coaches will support this, I am sure most body language which promotes confrontation are players will support this but there may be a few traits of successful units. nervous thugs who now know they are the targets for increased attention. Football courage and toughness are generally measured in the extent players will go to win Kingston Physio Body on the Line Award the ball. We all admire the player who runs with the fl ight of the ball to mark and the player who We have all felt that feeling of knowing that the opens themselves up to other injury possibilities game is lost and preservation for the next battle when winning the ball on the ground. There is comes to mind. Last week the Hawks were gallant only admiration for players who do these types at Ainslie, brave to the end. At about the 15 minute of things regularly. Courage and toughness may mark of the last quarter the result was obvious, have been terms confused by some players when the game was iced I think is the current term. A hearing them in coaches pre-game addresses for regulation ball comes into the Ainslie half forward I have little doubt no coach has asked a player to line, a couple of Ainslie players are looking for the use their elbow to strike an opponent, no coach comfortable mark, a couple of Hawks have enough has asked a player to punch an opponent behind pride to make it a contest but running with the the play (particularly when the opponent has no ball and launching himself back into the pack was chance to defend themselves) and no coach would James McCabe showing a level of commitment ask a player to use their knees when attacking an belonging to frantic, game on the line type last opponent with the ball. That these incidents have quarters. Highly admirable, plain silly to the occurred is alarming and but for the rules being uninitiated but thoroughly worthy of the Kingston specifi c about what action AFL Canberra can take Physio Body on the Line Award. Proud sponsor of AFL Canberra Photography by Andrew Trost News “We have a very young list and so are lacking some Former great to inspire experience; but it’s pleasing to see the club as a genuine force- in saying that though it’s very early days yet.” By Harry Thring Early days or not, Hughes has helped get the Hawks back To be regarded as one of the greatest footballers to have on their talons and is a massive part of the club. Whilst his ever played in the ACT is for most of us, unimaginable. efforts on the fi eld have granted him immortality amongst Many of the players selected are household names the football community, Tuggeranong will be hoping his nationally, let alone here in Canberra. off-fi eld efforts can now turn the club into a winning unit. With this sort of achievement and recognition, it would be easy to become big headed or self-important. However for Bob Hughes, self-important and bigheaded would literally be the last words used to describe him. “However with the pitch area it is pretty hard to take the Hughes doesn’t think of himself as one of the greatest the Curator meets challenge hardness out of the middle and that requires a fair bit of ACT has seen. In fact, he puts his selection in the ACT’s work.” Team of the Century largely down to good fortune. of maintaining Manuka “One of our biggest concerns for this season was that the “Obviously it’s (selection) the greatest honour I’ve By James Patmore centre bounce area for football is where the pitch that ever been given in footy- to be honest it was a bit we used for the one day international is. Fortunately this embarrassing,” Hughes admitted. It certainly has been a hectic twelve months for Manuka summer the pitch had a great grass cover, which made it Oval head curator Marcus Pamplin. much easier to prepare.” “You look at the players on the team and a whole lot of them have not only gotten to the VFL or AFL, but have With three international cricket fi xtures, four pre-season Having been through a demanding summer, the ground really succeeded at that level. Even during my day I thought and regular season AFL matches, three Australian received a four week break following the ACT Cricket fi nal, there were players who may have been equally as good as Rugby Championship matches, as well as the ground’s with Manuka playing host to its fi rst match of the AFL me but perhaps just didn’t get the opportunities,” he said. commitments to the ACT cricket and AFL Canberra Canberra season on ANZAC Day, when Belconnen and competitions, Manuka Oval has experienced one of the Queanbeyan clashed for the Canberra Cup. Hughes began his career as a junior in the under elevens busiest periods in its history, with the condition of the for Tuggeranong, or as it was then known, South Woden. ground solely in the hands of Pamplin and his fellow Pamplin said it was a break that the ground needed, to He progressed through the grades and eventually into the ground staff. help it prepare for the winter months. seniors, along the way seeing his club change its name twice; to Sutherland and fi nally to Tuggeranong. It was a demanding period for the 36 year old, however it “We used it as renovation time, to allow us to transfer was a challenge that he completed with great success. from warm season grasses (couch grass) to cold season It’s no surprise then that following Tuggeranong’s recent grasses (ryegrass),” he said. “This allows us to keep the troubles with a proposed merge with the Canberra “Having to faces challenges like that, it inspires you to oval green and to protect the couch grass, which becomes Wildcats, the AFL/ACT board approached Bob to assist do your job well,” he said. “It also helps to keep the job dormant in the winter.” the club. interesting, and tests your ability as a curator to ensure that you can get the ground up in its best possible condition With the challenge of the last year behind him, Pamplin for a range of sports.” looks back on the work he has done with great pride, as “I helped set up a business plan to ensure the longevity well as continuing to enjoy the opportunities that the job of the club,” Hughes said.