AFL Vic Record Week 4.Indd
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VFL Round 1 14 - 17 April 2017 $3.00 Photo: Cameron Grimes New VFL season begins Welcome to season 2017 in the Peter Jackson VFL. Plenty has happened since last September when Footscray was crowned premier. We have seen 13 VFL players provided with an AFL opportunity, selected in the 2016 NAB AFL national and rookie draft s. Casey and Geelong both produced three draft ees, with Coburg, Footscray and North Ballarat providing two draft ees each. The pleasing aspect has been seeing the likes of Tom Stewart, Mitch Hannan, Robbie Fox and Tim Smith debut in the early rounds of the AFL season. The competition this year will feature 14 clubs, with Frankston not provided a VFL licence for the 2017 season. The club has had a rich history of providing a pathway and opportunities for footballers in the region – none more evident than the debut for Sydney in recent weeks of 2014 Fothergill-Round Medal winner Nic Newman. However, it was decided at the end of last year that without the necessary off -field structures in place, AFL Victoria was not confident financial projections provided by the club could be met. We have a strong willingness to ensure there is a VFL presence in the region into the future, but it must be viable and sustainable both on and off the field in the long term. This has been highlighted in the regular communication AFL Victoria has had with the new board at the club. In other pre-season news, at the VFL Season Launch last week we revealed there will be a triple-header of matches for the 2017 Victorian state league Grand Final day at Etihad Stadium on Sunday September 24. Not only will the traditional VFL and TAC Cup season deciders be played, but they will be joined by the Swisse Wellness VFL Women’s Grand Final in a feast of state league football. As an added bonus, our VFL broadcast partner Channel 7 will provide TV coverage of both the men’s and women’s Grand Finals. The ratings for the VFL increased by 8% (53,000 viewers per week) last year across the home-and-away season and 47% (131,000) during finals, with games to be broadcast aft er 2pm each Saturday aft ernoon in 2017. We look forward to the coverage returning with Coburg versus Collingwood this weekend. Steven Reaper AFL Victoria CEO Contents Who’s playing who 3 45 2017 VFL season preview 56 57 Footscray vs Box Hill Hawks 46 Get Social 58 59 Sandringham vs Essendon 47 VFL News 60 61 Coburg vs Collingwood 48 AFL Vic News 62 63 Richmond vs North Ballarat 49 The Big League 64 65 Werribee vs Geelong 50 Events 66 67 Williamstown vs Casey Demons 51 Club Notes 72 Quiz TAC Cup Development Weekend Editor: Ben Pollard [email protected] Contributors: Anthony Stanguts, Kirstie Fitzgerald Design & Print: Mystique Photos: AFL Photos (unless otherwise credited) Advertising: Rosanna Butler (03) 8341 6021 Ikon Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Cover: Footscray players with the 2016 VFL premiership trophy aft er defeating Casey in September’s Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 Grand Final www.aflvic.com.au www.taccup.com.au 1 Television Online VFL Online Website: www.vfl.com.au Twitter: @VFL #PJVFL #VFLWomens Facebook: www.facebook.com/vflfooty Saturday April 15 – 2.30pm Coburg vs Collingwood TAC Cup Online Download the PLUS7 Live app to stream games live Website: www.taccup.com.au or watch a replay at au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/vfl Twitter: @TACCup #TACCup #TACCupGirls Next week: Northern Blues vs Williamstown Facebook: www.facebook.com/taccupfooty Radio R TAC Cup Radio A Next games (Sunday April 23): Northern Knights vs Murray Bushrangers / D Calder Cannons vs GWV Rebels from 11.45am I O Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone app or via taccup.com.au Calder Cannons Radio Listen to ‘Pathway to the Top’ with Tim Michell on North West FM each Wednesday from 5-6pm. Tune to 98.9FM or stream the program online at www.northwestfm.org L VFL Live I Next game (Sunday April 23): Essendon vs Collingwood from 12.45pm V Live on the Red Time Sport iPhone and Android apps, plus online via vfl.com.au E 3WBC Friday April 14: Footscray vs Box Hill Hawks from 11am Tune to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next week: Box Hill Hawks vs Coburg Casey Radio Monday April 17: Williamstown vs Casey Demons from 1pm Tune to 97.7FM in Melbourne, online at www.caseyradio.com.au or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next week: Casey Demons vs North Ballarat VFL Rewind Listen to VFL Rewind each Monday night from 7-8pm, covering the Peter Jackson VFL and Swisse VFL Women’s. Tune to 94.1FM 3WBC, online at www.3wbc.org.au or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Previous shows are available at www.soundcloud.com/afl-victoria or subscribe to the podcast via iTunes by searching for ‘AFL Victoria’. Video Streaming Visit vfl.com.au on Sunday April 23 for a live stream of: Essendon vs Collingwood from 1pm Watch the action and listen to the call from the VFL Live team. Visit taccup.com.au on Sunday April 23 for a live stream of: Northern Knights vs Murray Bushrangers / Calder Cannons vs GWV Rebels from 12pm Watch the action and listen to the call from the TAC Cup Radio team. 2 www.vfl.com.au VFL season preview The AFL Victoria Record has chatted to the senior coaches of all 14 Peter Jackson VFL clubs about how their teams are shaping up for the race to the 2017 premiership. www.taccup.com.au 3 Chris Jones (right) 4 www.vfl.com.au Box Hill Hawks BEST-AND-FAIREST CONTENDERS: “We know how consistent David Mirra is. I’ve only been at Box Hill for a brief amount of time but the amount of passion he plays with and the amount of care he shows for his teammates and anyone that’s associated with Box Hill is outstanding. That passion filters through the team too. He’ll look to have a really strong season. (Comments from new senior coach Chris Newman) “I also wouldn’t put it past any of the guys that get an FACT FILE: opportunity to play consistent footy (in the wake of AFL ALIGNMENT: Hawthorn experienced players leaving) to progress their own 2016 FINISH: 10th (7-11) performance (see below).” 2016 BEST AND FAIREST: 1. David Mirra / 2. Sam Iles / BREAK-OUT CANDIDATES: 3. Teia Miles “With forwards like Pat Lawlor and Jake Summers KEY 2017 INS & OUTS: leaving, it gives guys like Chris Jones a bit more of an - In: Billy Evans (Brisbane AFL) / Will Hams (Essendon opportunity and he’s been training the house down AFL) / Andrew Moore (Richmond AFL) this pre-season. His work rate has really lift ed and so has the way he’s marking the ball and demanding the - Out: Tom Gordon (Doncaster East) / Sam Iles / Liam footy. I’m really excited to see what he can bring this Kidd (Coburg) / Patrick Lawlor (Coburg) / Marc Lock year. (Old Carey) / Jake Summers (Doncaster East) “Some of those experienced guys that have left the DEPARTED PLAYERS WHO’LL BE MISSED: club will open up opportunities for guys like Sam Experienced leaders: “Sam Iles was really respected Switkowski, Nick Evans and Anthony Brolic too.” within the organisation and the way he went about it BIGGEST TEAM STRENGTHS: set the example. He was a real leader around the group and Marc Lock was the same. He was just a really “We’re hoping we can really compete – it’s been a bit good person to have around the group and he has a of a theme throughout the pre-season. We want to be good football brain. Tom Gordon is also in the same competitive in all games, and we felt like we were last category.” year but probably not consistently enough throughout Young forwards: “Pat Lawlor and Jake Summers four quarters.” are both quality players so their departure leaves a AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT ON 2016: bit of a void for us in the forward line. I think we’ve “I don’t think it’s a secret that our contested ball managed to recruit fairly well in the off -season though, probably needs to improve. That might not correlate and we’ve got some smaller forwards that can play to being the best in the competition this year, but we down there as well as some bigger guys that can take certainly have to be better-ranked than we were last a catch.” year (ranked 14th in the VFL for contested possessions RECRUITS WHO COULD MAKE AN IMPACT: per game during the H&A season). We feel like some Andrew Moore (55 AFL games for Port Adelaide from of the personnel we’ve brought into the group might 2010-15 and five AFL games for Richmond in 2016): help with that and we’ve had a bit of a focus this pre- “Andrew’s a really physical player, he’s a good size, season of putting our guys in situations where they feel he’s a natural leader and his fitness and his work rate comfortable for it to be more of a contested game. In is second to none.