FINALS PREVIEWS ’08 REVIEWS ‘FROSTY’ MILLER MEDAL VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE EYES ON THE PRIZE Eight captains eye 2008 premiership cup FINALS WEEK 1 SEPTEMBER 6-7, 2008 $ INC EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE 3 GST Congratulations to CHRIS CAIN (Port Melbourne) This week’s winner of the Ford “Best on Ground” Ute Visit theoval.com.au for more information. theoval.com.au EDITORIAL Welcome to the opening week of what shapes as an historic Historic finals VFL fi nals series that will culminate in the fi rst VFL night Grand Final at Telstra Dome on series begins AFL Grand Final eve. After an intriguing home and Top teams rewarded with home games away season, the top-eight clubs now begin the fi nal push for the AFL Victoria has contractual television obligation to the ABC. VFL premiership. arrangements with its long- It is a fair and reasonable Interestingly, a VFL stand-alone standing broadcast partner, allocation of venues given the club – Port Melbourne – fi nished the ABC, to play two fi nals – competing interests AFL Victoria the home and away season on one on a Saturday and the other had to cater for. top of the ladder for the fi rst time on a Sunday – at TEAC Oval, With the home and away since the competition’s revamp Port Melbourne. season behind us, it is timely in 2000, while the only other non- AFL Victoria is also mindful of to congratulate Sandringham AFL stand-alone club, Frankston, providing players, especially those full-forward Nicholas Sautner fi nished seventh. on AFL lists, with the best possible on winning a record eighth And North Ballarat and the playing surface and facilities. Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal as the Werribee Tigers, the two other With all those criteria in place, competition’s leading goalkicker. partially aligned clubs, fi nished AFL Victoria had no hesitation in AFL Victoria would also like second and fourth, emphasising allocating minor premiers Port to congratulate Geelong captain the depth of VFL talent in Melbourne and second-placed James Byrne, who announced the competition. North Ballarat home fi nals for his retirement last week, on a As has been well documented, their respective qualifying fi nals magnifi cent VFL career. AFL Victoria decided to reward against the Werribee Tigers Byrne, a Geelong and VFL those clubs who excelled during and Williamstown. captain and J.J. Liston Trophy the home and away season with a The Casey Scorpions, who winner, has epitomised all the home fi nal in the fi rst week of the fi nished fi fth, also received a home qualities that make up a champion fi nal series. fi nal for their elimination fi nal footballer and person. While a side’s home and away against the Northern Bullants. record was a defi nite factor in the The Coburg Tigers and John Hook allocation of venues this week, it Frankston will play their elimination Football Operations Manager, was not the only one. fi nal at TEAC Oval to fulfi l the AFL Victoria FINALSFINALS PREVIEWSPREVIEWS ’08’08 REVIEWSREVIEWS ‘FROSTY’ MILLER MEDAL AFL Victoria Chief Executive Officer: VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINALS WEEK 1 Peter Schwab CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 6-7, 2008 Football Operations Manager: RECORD John Hook ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal 6 COVER: Finals captains Josh Vansittart Statistics: Sam Coen (Northern Bullants), Luke Cotchett CEO, The Slattery Media Group: Geoff Slattery James Byrne retires 7 (Port Melbourne), Shaun Pollard (Frankston), Editor: Nick Bowen Kyle Matthews (Casey Scorpions), Designer: Karl Chandler Finalists’ VFL player depth 8-9 Shaune Moloney (North Ballarat), Paul Shelton Photo Manager: Natalie Boccassini Finals previews 12-15 (Coburg Tigers), James Podsiadly (Werribee Photography: Getty Images (02) 9004 2250 Tigers), and Brett Johnson (Williamstown). Advertising: Jennifer Pryor (03) 8663 3007 Finals teams 16-23 EYES ON Printed by: Condor Printing THE PRIZE Address correspondence: The Editor, Reserves fi nals teams 28-31 EightEight captainscaptains eye 20082000088 premiershippprrreemmiership cupcup GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, 3001. EXPERIENCEERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE FINALSFINALSWEEK WEEK 1 SEPTEMBER 6-7, 6 7 2008 $3 Phone: (03) 8663 3000 Season reviews: 9th-14th 34-37 VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE RECORD 3 CELEBRATION OF VICTORIAN FOOTBALL TELSTRA DOME FRIDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2008 TAC CUP VFL GRAND GRAND FINAL FINAL 4:00pm 7:40pm Start your Grand Final Weekend on Friday 26th September at Telstra Dome and watch the best Victoria has to offer. The TAC Cup Grand Final kicks off at 4.00 pm followed by the VFL Grand Final at 7.40 pm. Gates open at 3:30pm Adults $25, Concession $15.00 and kids under 15 free thanks to EastLink 4 visit: victorianfootballleague.com.au GO FOR YOUR LIFE a little bit of rain won’t kill you. Jump to life Dig out your gumboots and raincoat and do some good-old- fashioned puddle jumping. this spring Take a walk in your nearest rain forest or nature reserve. In the As things warm up get out and about full bloom of spring, these parks come to life and have heaps for People of all ages can you to explore. enjoy all varieties of There are several ice-skating outdoor activities now rinks in and around Melbourne. spring is upon us. Ice skating is great for improving balance and coordination and will defi nitely get your heart pumping. If it is still cold and damp outside, try some of these indoor activities to get yourself moving. Grab some friends and go for a walk around your local shopping centre. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to buy anything, just think of the corridors as walking tracks with great views. Try to increase the amount of incidental activity in your day, take the stairs instead of the lift, park your car further away from your destination, or hop off a station early if you’re on public transport. And don’t put off your spring cleaning. When you get the Now that winter’s over and the while keeping the kids busy, chance clean out your wardrobe, chill is starting to go from the making a timely start to your organise your garage and give air, it’s the perfect time to step spring cleaning or exploring some everything a good scrub! up your physical activity. of the hidden treasures in our Remember, you don’t have And while it’s too early to great state. to do 30 minutes of physical confi dently say we can kiss cold You don’t need to slog it out activity all at once. Break it up and rainy days goodbye for another in the gym for hours. Research throughout the day, it all adds up! year, the following tips from the shows any increase in physical So don’t use the weather as an Victorian Government initiative ‘Go activity will benefi t your health, but excuse and try to see physical for your life’ can help you stay active aim for 30 minutes a day. activity as an opportunity, not no matter what the weather. Here are some simple ideas to an inconvenience. There are some fun and easy get you started. For more ways to stay healthy ways that you can increase your Enjoy the rain. Unless you are and active call 1300 739 899 or physical activity this spring, all the Wicked Witch of the West, visit goforyourlife.vic.gov.au. VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE RECORD 55 ‘FROSTY’ MILLER MEDAL Sandringham spearhead Nicholas Sautner last Eight is weekend clinched a record eighth Jim ‘Frosty’ enough Miller Medal. Sautner hangs on to win ‘Frosty Miller’ Medal Nicholas Sautner’s legend continues to grow as the Sandringham full-forward another because of captured an eighth Jim ‘Frosty’ work commitments and the fi nal Miller Medal last weekend. match through suspension. But Sautner’s eighth VFL Remarkably, Sautner has Podsiadly goalkicking title was only secured now won two more goalkicking was valiant, after some nerve-wracking titles than Miller, the former but his efforts moments last week. Dandenong spearhead whose only reinforced First, he had to front the VFL name adorns the VFL’s season Sautner’s Tribunal, where he was found goalkicking award. status as guilty of charging from an incident Sautner won his fi rst ‘Frosty’ one of the in round 19 and suspended for Miller Medal in 1999 during his competition’s one week. fi rst stint with Sandringham, all-time great This meant Sautner’s season where he again topped the VFL full-forwards. goal tally was frozen on 74. goalkicking the following season. Sautner’s haul Helpless, all Sautner, 31, could He added the 2001 and 2002 of 74 goals takes do then was sit and wait to see ‘Frosty’ Miller medals when he his career tally to 759. whether Werribee Tigers full- played with Frankston and was After starting 2008 forward James Podsiadly could triumphant again in 2003 at the at No. 10 on the VFA/ kick the fi ve goals needed to Northern Bullants. VFL’s all-time goalkicking overhaul him against Williamstown Sautner celebrated his return list, he now sits in the No. in the fi nal round. to the Trevor Barker Beach Oval 7 spot, having passed But Podsiadly, the 2005 in 2004 by again heading the Camberwell’s Garry ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal winner, could goalkicking, then, after a two Hammond (698), Geelong only manage three goals to fi nish year break when Podsiadly and West’s Joe Radojevic (723) just one goal short of Sautner on Aaron Edwards dominated the and Mordialloc’s Peter 73 goals. goalkicking ranks, claimed his Neville (725). As close as the fi nal result was, record-breaking seventh title With his declaration he would Sautner could have considered last year.