VAFA RNd 6 05.qxd 20/5/05 9:59 AM Page 1 Inside the VAFA Men For All Seasons Here’s a few for you…Can you name the former Australian high jump champion (best remembered for berating a recalcitrant official at the World Athletics Championships and sporting a minitruckmullet) who lined up as a high flying forward for De La Salle a few years ago? How about the ex national 800m champion who is running around (and covering plenty of ground) for St Kevin’s Old boys in 2005? Or the World Championship rower, an eleventh hour omission from the Men’s’ Eight at the Athens Olympics, who is now one of the early favourites for the Woodrow Medal such is his form in the ruck for Old Scotch? If you answered Tim Forsyth, Paul Byrne and Cameron McKenzie-McHarg, take a bow. If there’s one thing you can count on in the amateurs, it’s footballers who are talented in a wide range of sports. When Caulfield Grammarians’ hard man and ex Sandringham “ f there’s one thing you premiership player Mark Frater completed the Canberra Marathon I can count on in the last month (in a tick over 3 hours) he joined a long list of VAFA amateurs, it’s footballers players who have tackled the ultimate challenge. Famously, a top flight amateur club in the 90s was faced with a 13 man omission list who are talented in a owing to commitments in the London marathon (one of whom ran wide range of sports.” the distance in a chicken suit). More recently, former Uni Blacks captain Rob Mackie recorded a 3.18 in the Paris marathon, together with team-mates Mick Staunton and Andrew Clement. Of course, cricket is the most logical sporting crossover and from Lindsay Hassett (Woodrow medallist in 1935/36) down, the link between VAFA and Victorian cricket has always been strong. In recent times Steve McCooke (multiple premiership star with Ormond and over 300 VCA games), Michael Sholly (Old Xavs), Geoff Allardice (Uni Blues) and Matt Galbraith (Woodrow Medallist & dual flag winner at Collegians) have excelled at both capers. Of the current crop, Clint Hillas (Old Trinity vice captain and North Melbourne cricket club mainstay) and Andrew Kent (a star with Old Carey in the ammos and an even brighter talent in the summer for the Melbourne Cricket Club and Bushrangers) are the two most notable players to double up. Not surprisingly, some of the power forwards of the amateurs were all talented at other sports. Marcellin big man Daniel Cullinan (Basketball), Scotch spearhead James Gerstman (rowing) and Haileybury’s Brett O’Farrell (high jump) all had to toss up between their respective sports and football. So too, did the monolith of the amateurs, Chris Efstathiou, who was a national shot put and discus champion before he took to terrorising reserve grade full backs. Then there are those amateur players whose alternate activities verge on the ridiculous. Former Uni Blues star Hamish Worsley was a noted flamenco (and opposed to flamingo) dancer while I am led to believe that Monash Gryphons’ resident funny-man and recent 150 gamer Chris Leeton is a talented circus acrobat. I’m sure there are dozens more examples so if you can think of any, jump on the email and let me know – [email protected]. (bonus points if you can come up with any boxers or triathletes). In terms of last week’s list, the following names were bandied about as unlucky not make the top 40…Al Parton, Glenn Cox, Nigel Credlin (repeatedly), Brent Walsh, Cameron Purss, Andrew Lowcock, James Hope, Brett Trollope, Judd Lalich and Matt Power. All very reasonable: Credlin was a big miss, Purss gets better by the week while Cox and Hope would have walked in if not for injuries. Jonathan Horn THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER THE JOURNAL OF THE VICTORIAN AMATEUR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION May 21st, 2005 Price: $2.00 Vol. 05 No. 06 V THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2005 1 VAFA RNd 6 05.qxd 20/5/05 9:59 AM Page 2 A SECTION by Jonathan Horn Too True Senor Skase helped roll a Scotch Caulfield Grammar’s finest economics student team that may well threw away the oxygen mask and was heard to have gone home at mutter, “I can’t be right all the time, get off my the orange break. case”. Always an avid VAFA man, his McKee and Garlick in sentiments would ring true in regards to last and Garvey and Lucas out for SKOBS as they week’s mind-boggling A Section results. started well but were blown away by a thirteen Let’s start with OMs, who I have taken the Patrick Deliss out of for the past 18 months, up “SKOBS, were lamentable I hear and against Xavs, at home, brimming with the importance of today’s game confidence. Plenty to like about Cam Purss in the ruck (copped a bit of abuse for not having against Trinity cannot be overstated.” him in my top 40, did I) and debutant Damien Lynch (6 goals) but OMs just kept coming and goal to zip avalanche as the undefeated and won with a kick after the siren, that wobbled very impressive Haileybury assumed top through (though, it must be said, plenty of position at Reno Raines’ Badlands. Throw Mark conjecture about the merits of the free Corrigan onto a wing and I will hand Nicholson kick/mark). Tough nuts Ed Wilson and Jacob and Corrigan the L.A Adamson Cup personally. Berry both played well for Melburnians while Michael Barker, not a noted goal-kicker but Matt Hicks is as frail as a fritter but played a fleet of foot and very classy, booted six goals for cracking game up forward. the Bloods. SKOBS, were lamentable I hear More head shaking as Collegians pulled one and the importance of today’s game against out against the fancied Trinity with Shura Taft Trinity cannot be overstated. on song in attack, together with first gamer Selections Tom Bull. Brent Walsh kicked five for Trinity, A massive day at Xavier College with the APS after his nutcase mates spent the entire Friday afternoon sending me abusive emails regarding McKINNON his omission from the top 40. SPORTS MEDICINE And then there was Uni, who faced a massive task against the undefeated hosts Marcellin, SHARPSHOOTERS – A but ended up doing it in a canter. Five to on- CLUB NAME LST WK TOTAL baller Gleeson suggests a fairly handy game while Mick Kordick and Liam Ryan were other A SECTION solid contributors. For the Eagles, Dallas Old Scotch Gertsman 0 23 Jarred and Brad Carmody turned in solid Old Haileybury B. O'Farrell 4 23 games. St. Kevins McKee 7 22 And how about St Bernards? I mean, you’ve Marcellin Cullinan 3 21 gotta be kidding me. Like most teams brimming A RESERVE with youngsters, they’re hard to catch in terms Old Haileybury Efstathiou 1 22 of tipping, but on their day, they can beat anyone. 5 goals down at _ time, Chris Mitchell Old Haileybury Salter 7 12 (16 marks and another player that probably Old Xaverians Green 0 10 deserves more kudos), Nick Mitchell (still University Blues Coleman 0 9 playing) and Luke Spinner (3 goals in the last) St.Kevins P.Mount 4 9 2 V THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2005 VAFA RNd 6 05.qxd 20/5/05 9:59 AM Page 3 lads going hammer and tong in the early game LAST ROUND’S RESULTS – A before their older rivals both look to turn around bitterly disappointing weeks in a crunch game at A SECTION OLD HAILEYBURY 5.2 16.4 20.6 26.10 (166) 2pm. Scotch will probably get Gerstman back ST KEVINS 7.2 9.3 11.5 13.9 (87) but do you seriously think I’d tip against Xavs at Old Hail: Barker 6 O’Farrell 4 S Langford-Jones 3 Jones 3 Mason 3 Barker’s Road, the original and unsurpassed Siapantas 2 Armstrong Jenke Seccull Chisholm Carson. Best: Barker Ford Kight Lay Seccull Chisholm. SKOB: McKee 7 Chard 2 Greenham 2 Garlick house of horrors? The home side by 20. Mahoney. Best: Mahoney McKee Dowling Fields Pope Greenham. A bit less hoo-ha, and a few less red blazers but Umpires: Dirk Kramer Tim Sutcliffe (F) Rob Mayston Jnr Will Stokes (B) arguably an even better game on offer at the Uni Chris Doyle Vin Vescovi (G) MARCELLIN 2.2 4.5 7.7 10.13 (73) as the premiers take on the team many consider UNIVERSITY BLUES 2.3 5.5 10.11 15.12 (102) to be the heir apparent. Haileybury are kicking Marc: Culinan 3 Maclaren 2 L Considine Addison Johnston Abrahams M cricket scores and the Blues have stagnated a Bortolotto. Best: Jarred Cullinan L Considine Rice Frazer Carmody. Uni Blues: Gleeson 5 DeCrespigney 2 Scambler 2 Ryan Kordick little you say. Haileybury by plenty? No dice, I’m Muhelbach McKay Steele Rankin. Best: Gleeson Kordick McKinnon Ryan tipping the Blues. Anderson Muhlebach. In the others, Marcellin at the Junction, St Umpires: Jamie Kvins Steve McCarthy (F) Brendan Corcoran Matt Jenkinson (B) Bernie Jephson Bernie Hoare (G) Bernard’s at the Trott and St Kevins at Righetti. OLD XAVERIANS 3.1 5.5 9.8 13.12 (90) Correspondents: Jonathan Horn - OLD MELBURNIANS 3.1 8.2 11.5 14.8 (92) [email protected] Old Xav: Lynch 6 Mollard 2 Chatfield 2 Lethlean Beetham Colbert. Best: Purss Chatfield Lynch Mollard Woodruff Arnold.