Knights aim to enter the eight VFL ROUND 9, TAC CUP ROUND 7 AFL VICTORIA MAY 28-29, 2011 Frankston break the drought ALL-NEW RANGER Ready to take on the world Tested to the limits and beyond Meet the team and the locations that pushed the all-new Ranger to the limits and beyond at ford.com.au/newranger Pre-production 4x4 XLT Crew Cab shown in Aurora Blue. Appearance may change at time of introduction. editorial The backbone of football Volunteers play a major role in football, and should be recognised for the part they play in our great game. THEY’RE not found among temperatures are the norm. people who play whatever the best players, nor included Mostly, you will see them with role they’re assigned to help in the goal-kickers and don’t a smile, eagerly attacking their club. feature on any of the stat whatever task they’ve been Sometimes they may not sheets, but they’re invaluable assigned: running the water see the game or just catch members of any club. bottles, strapping a player’s a glimpse, but it is the price They are, of course, the ankle or distributing club they’re prepared to pay so volunteers: women and bulletins or logging the player a day at the football can men whose selfl ess acts statistics seamlessly go by. keep clubs ticking week One of the intrinsic beauties It seems no task is too after week, year after year. of the volunteer is that there great or small for these They are the heart and soul, are no set criteria to join this selfl ess workers who have and the very essence of all wonderful group. Women been contributing to a club football clubs. and men, young and not so environment and in turn the They are not interested in young, tall or small it doesn’t game for as long as football headlines of back slappers. matter, just a willingness to has been played. What drives them is the love embrace a task and give it all Clubs are always on the look- of the game and the club they’ve got. out for volunteers – there’s they tirelessly serve. And, that’s what you will fi nd never a ceiling on how many Volunteers underpin football every time you go to a game volunteers you can have – at all levels from the AFL to and pay your admittance or who can build on its very Auskick and represent all the purchase the AFL Victoria fabric and enjoy all that is values that make our game Football Record or buy a cup great in Australian Rules. unique and so good. of coffee or a meat pie. On behalf of all Victoria They’re what you call fair The people the other side football clubs, AFL Victoria dinkum football fans. You will of the counter dolling out extends a big thank you to see them during the searing monetary change or cans of every volunteer. summer heat of pre-season drink or putting up the latest training or in the depths scores on the scoreboard - Grant Williams of winter when single digit are the behind the scenes AFL Victoria General Manager th th Editor: Anthony Stanguts MAY 28 -29 , 2011 anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au HEADQUARTERS CONTENTS Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Paul Hooper, Matt Lee, Ben Carbonaro, Chloe Joel Visy Park Design & Print: Red Onion Creative (03) 5221 4408 Gate 3 Royal Parade Photos: Getty Images, Damian Visentini Advertising: David Howard (03) 8341 6007 Carlton Nth VIC 3054 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams GPO Box 4337 Football Operations Manager: John Hook MELBOURNE VIC 3001 High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, VFL 5 - 35 Leon Harris Phone: (03) 8341 6000 TAC Cup 36 - 58 Football Operations Offi cer: Luke Gatti Fax: (03) 9380 1076 Football Operations Coordinator: Sophie Timms Website: www.afl vic.com.au www.afl vic.com.au 3 note from the editor The people you meet Being part of football at any level enables you to meet some great people along the way. THIS week in the Record we number of people that have had Cup Future Stars program to feature an article on Stephen an infl uence on his career, and channel 9. This program during Smith who leaves AFL Victoria his life – many who became the year will give viewers both after 16 years in the organisation. friends outside of the workplace. an insight into what it is like to Even in my short time at AFL It is one of the aspects of football be a TAC Cup player, as well Victoria I have seen how well we can often take for granted – as focusing on how players respected Stephen is within not the friendships we build through have progressed from the TAC only AFL Victoria, but also the our association with the great Cup to the AFL ranks. This was wider football community. It is game of Aussie Rules. highlighted by the two guests on people like this that organisations One of my weekly highlights last week’s program, Richmond’s are built around, and it will be each week out at VFL matches Dustin Martin and Melbourne’s sad to see ‘Boppo’ depart the is catching up with our ‘In the Addam Maric – both who now building for the fi nal time this Outer’ interviewees. Over recent fi nd themselves in the AFL week. weeks, each of them has told system after time in the TAC Cup. Being involved in football you their story on how they have The program this year will not gain the opportunity to meet become involved in following only look at the players in the plenty of people. The vastness the VFL, and each has different competition, but also try to go of personalities and people you highlights and memories. These more behind the scenes look meet enables you to learn a lot people are the diehard fans at what makes a TAC Cup club about football and the effect it that are at the matches week in, tick – from the coaching staff, to has on them. Smith can certainly week out, and will do anything the volunteers, even the facilities. tell a story, or more importantly to support their club. If you can So make sure you tune in from can sum up a situation with a suggest someone worthy of 1pm each Sunday afternoon to witty one liner, many of which catching up with during the year, channel 9 to watch the TAC Cup have been heard around the feel free to send through their Future Stars. Keep an eye on the corridors of the AFL Victoria name and we will see whether TAC Cup website each Friday for offi ces at the MCG over the we can feature them throughout guests on the show each week. years, and most recent at Visy the year. Park. As you will discover on From a media perspective, last - Anthony Stanguts pages six and seven, along week saw the return of the TAC Smith’s journey he has met a Communications Offi cer media coverage Round 9, May 28th - 29th: Saturday, 28th May ABC TV: Coburg Tigers vs Collingwood tune into ABC1 from 1pm Sunday, 29th May VFL Radio: Werribee Tigers vs Sandringham from 1:30pm www.vfl .com.au or www.bpmmedia.com.au or Aussie Digitial 3WBC: Northern Bullants vs Box Hill Hawks Listen live on 94.1fm or online at www.3wbc.org.au from 1pm Thursday, 2nd May SEN: ‘State of Play’ - the VFL half hour 8:30pm-9pm 4 www.afl vic.com.au andrew mclean McLean fi nally a Cat his fi rst stint as Roosters’ performer. He’s been in the coach – then played under best more times than not. Steve Wright and Gavin Modestly, McLean said Crosisca. that given he’s one of the The travel bug saw him leave oldest players on the team North Ballarat at the end of coupled with his previous the 2005 season, but when VFL experience that he could he returned the opportunity show some of the talented to play with elder brother Tim young players - in either their at St Mary’s in the Geelong fi rst or second year at the Football League proved club - some leadership as well irresistible. providing guidance. Not only did he get the The fi rst thing that McLean chance to play with his detected is the difference brother, but also the pair playing in an AFL stand-alone played in a premiership and team, where the number of the experience became even top-up players is dictated to more rewarding for McLean. by the extent of fi t and healthy He was selected to play in players on Geelong’s books. Victoria Country representative And, then there’s the game team in a national carnival style. “You never see anyone and so well did he play that go back and kick over their McLean was named in the All mark, it’s always play on,” Australian team. McLean said. It drew an invitation from Certainly, McLean has also - SNAPSHOT - Geelong for McLean to train noted a marked difference with its VFL team. Unlike the in fi tness, skill execution, Andrew McLean previous three invitations that commitment and, of course, Age: 27 he had declined, the 27-year- professionalism. Clubs: North Ballarat, old decided it was time for him “I guess the reason I still Geelong to get back into the VFL. thought that I could play at Games: 47 Talks with former VFL and the level is the Vic Country Goals: 5 AFL Team of The Year game we played against South representative Matthew Egan Australia and a couple of guys IF Geelong’s recruit Andrew convinced McLean it was the who played had previously McLean seems somewhat right decision.