MUSTANG MESSENGER

Thursday 7th July

THIS WEEK @ Heights Reserve . . .

2 games under lights Friday night U16s, 7.00pm (Vs Rowville) Saturday Reserves, 12.00 midday Saturday Seniors, 2.10pm Saturday U18s, 5.00pm

Mooroolbark V Doncaster East

Support the future of our club - get along and see the 16s & 18s play under lights.

Past Players Day 2011 In the club-rooms 12.00 - 2.00pm

This Saturday Night!!

TRIPLE PREMIERSHIP REUNION See Scott Dima for all the details! Under 14s 1999, Under 15s 2000, Under 16s 2001

Mooroolbark Football Club Inc. Established 1965 The Heights Reserve, Longfellow Ave, Mooroolbark 3138. Tel: 9725 0612 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mooroolbarkfc.com.au Take ‘THE OATH’ via Facebook and put Mooroolbark Football Club in line for possible Ca$h rewards!

Would you take a Blood Oath to look out for your mates on the roads? The EFL challenges your club to try and make the leaderboard & win cash for your club. Blood Oath is a joint campaign between the TAC and AFL to prevent young people from being killed or seriously injured in road trauma. Fronted by twin AFL senior coaches, Brad and Chris Scott, My Blood Oath reminds young men that “Your mate’s life is in your hands” and pushes the road safety message through Victorian football clubs at all levels.

Road trauma remains the single biggest killer of young people aged 18-25 worldwide.

Taking an oath to drive safely shows your friends and family that you are serious about putting an end to road trauma.

Being a part of the Blood Oath could not only save your life, but save your footy club.

Fixtures & Functions!

ROUND: 12 9-Jul-11 Mooroolbark V Doncaster East Make the most of our amazing new facilities! ROUND: 13 16-Jul-11 Only 2 dates left!! Round 15 or 17 MJFC Bayswater V Mooroolbark 7 Tables of 7 Guests. $90 per person for the afternoon 1.00pm - 5.00pm. View a Home ROUND: 14 23-Jul-11 Game from the upper area of the Clubrooms - Mooroolbark V Waverley Blues toasty and warm, behind the windows. Bookings essential - See Kylie or Denise ROUND: 15 30-Jul-11

Mooroolbark V Montrose

ROUND: 16 6-Aug-11 Jimmy Darvidis - 16 July Wantirna South V Mooroolbark Support our Junior Club, see Jimmy Darvidis LIVE ROUND: 17 13-Aug-11 in at the clubrooms. Mooroolbark V UFTG

ROUND: 18 20-Aug-11 Donvale V Mooroolbark SENIOR MATCH REPORT ~ MOOROOLBARK VS LILYDALE

This game was the ultimate test for our club. Playing the top side on their home turf - the week after losing their first game for the season - is certainly the perfect recipe for a tough challenge. Were we up to it? It was clear that it was going to be a tough, grinding contest due to the unusual dimensions of the Lilydale ground. There would be no place to hide for the faint hearted. We drew first blood when Kire marked and nailed his first of the day. Lilydale had an extra man dropping back to cut off Kire’s lead and we picked this bloke out on a number of occasions early in the game.

The first term was a battle of defences. Wadsy, Redda, Trent and Puss were working hard in our back half. The physical nature of the game was incredible. Lilydale spectators get a very close up view of proceedings and the smack of flesh on flesh and hard tackling was a reminder for those on my side of the fence that it takes courage to pull on the boots- especially at this level. Jonesy copped a nasty bump in the head and after gathering his senses hit Kid on the chest with a classic Jonesy delivery. Kid’s second kept our noses in front at the first break. Having lost Fordy to a rib injury in the first quarter, Chris Nayna had to step up and carry the ruck duties on his muscular (some would say sexy,) shoulders. Chris has been more impressive with each passing week. His athleticism is truly breathtaking and his one touch football a delight to watch. Chris has a football brain and knows when to dish off a soft hands handpass or thump the pill twenty metres our way. The game was a low scoring , torrid affair which I still found absorbing. The deadlock was broken when Matty Gale somehow found space on the outer wing, took a couple of bounces and hit Kire on the lead. Kid drilled his third and we had the upper hand. Thommo was doing his usual wonderful job and his closing speed is phenomenal. So often a forward will gain a break on Thommo and look certain to take an easy mark, but our boy always manages to get a fist on the pill or even mark it himself. (Whilst writing about Thommo - congratulations on your 100th game, last week. We all love watching you play ~ well done champ!)

We still held a narrow lead at halftime. Lilydale took the lead for the first time in the opening minute of the quarter when their Roach (an infinitely inferior model to ours) ran into goal and behaved as if he had won the premiership for his mob. Perspective is everything . Benny Mullett responded quickly with a magnificent snap from the pocket. Trent won the Sherrin and wheeled on to his renowned left foot and Kid found himself in a rare one on one contest. He outmuscled his opponent and ran into the open goal to put us ten points up with some momentum. A poor kick in handed Lilydale a goal on a platter and when Hottes did a Selwood and won an undeserved free for a high , Lilydale had once again regained the lead. The game continued to ebb and flow, but stoppages became more frequent and the game was now an ugly battle of attrition. The courage and commitment of both teams could not be questioned. We entered the final term only five points in arrears. This bruising arm wrestle looked set to go down to the wire. Lilydale missed three opportunities to goal. The game was being played in their forward half but we were hanging in there. When nine points down, with about ten minutes to go, the ball went deep into our forward line. Kire chased a defender, caught him and brought him to the ground with a perfect tackle. We all waited the inevitable free kick which would surely follow, but for some inexplicable reason the whistle was not blown. This was our final chance to keep the game alive. Moments later Lilydale scored their only goal for the term , but it was enough to see them home in what had been a dour struggle.

Mooroolbark: 5. 4. 34 Lilydale: 6. 15. 51

Goal Kickers: K. Talevski 4, B. Mullett Best Players: C. Nayna, S. Roach, M. Polkinghorne, C. Linford, T. Georgiou, L. Chivers valued U8s & U9s Junior Mustangs attend “EFL Almost Little Legends” SPONSORS Well Done Kylie Charlton & Kristy Sealy!

Although dry, conditions on Wednesday were fffreeeeezing cold and windy for Mooroolbark Junior Football Club Under 9s and Under 8s who participated in the EFL Channel 9 Footy Clinic.

The clinic was held at Ringwood, Jubilee Park and over 900 EFL Junior kids attended. The kids’ ‘warm-up’ was hosted by and Billy Brownless. Nine News' Tony Jones kicked things off, welcoming the Nine News team, Peter Hitchener, Livinia Nixon and Jo Hall before James Brayshaw, Sam Newman, Dermott Brereton and Nathan Brown joined in the festivities to a rapturous crowd of Under 8s, 9s and 10s players. Hawthorn footballers , Luke Bruest, Ben Stratton, Clinton Young and Shane Suckling oversaw each drill (tackling, marking, bouncing, kicking and handballing) with the help of The Footy Show boys.

It was a morning filled with smiles, activities and giveaways for both the children and parents alike.

Our very own Kylie Charlton and Kristy Sealy spent hours on the ground, helping and encouraging the kids and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Well Done Girls!! Several parents have made mention of your dedication in the success of the day - and the fantastic organisation to get the juniors involved in this fantastic School Holiday initiative.

RESSIES MATCH REPORT ~ MOOROOLBARK VS LILYDALE

It was great to see Azza Biggins back where he belongs and a couple of old familiar faces in Lemo and Cowboy Cam Mitchell ran onto the ground to do battle with the boys from Lilydale.

The first half was a bit of blur for me because one of the forum regulars - not the GMac - found me under the scoreboard and we had a quite engaging chat throughout the first two quarters. We were right in the game at halftime, trailing by three goals. When the third quarter began it was all Lilydale. . . .

They kicked three unanswered goals in quick time and we were finding it hard to go beyond the centre of the ground. When they added a fourth it was beginning to look like a blow out was on the cards.

It was about this time when Jacko stepped out of the phone booth, having removed his suit and spectacles and strode down to our goal-square. His first goal came on the run after a nice build up. Nice. Let’s save some face, I thought. Then Jacko marked and calmly slotted his second. Cool. We were beginning to win the centre clearances and once again we rushed the ball forward. Clokey tapped the ball to Jonesy who in turn found Azza. Peschke won the Sherrin and went over the top to Jacko in the square! Hello. Was I witnessing a revival? Our work rate was suddenly through the roof and when the Panther won a free for after a tackle from a panicking defender and drilled our fourth unanswered goal we were right back in the game!

When the final term began we looked to be filled with self belief. Seany Macca went wide to Jonesy who ran his full measure and kicked long to the square-and Butchy took an absolutely magnificent grab. Butch plays well above his stature and has the most wonderful, soft, sure hands. When he banged home a major the cat was set among the pigeons and Lilydale sensed they were going to have to fight hard to prevent being run over by this wildly enthusiastic mob from Mooza B.

A brilliant tackle by young Belli (this kid can play) saw Big Brenno gather the pill and dish to Lemo who in turn found Jacko who snapped a beauty! Pumped up and passionate! The boys were running on pure adrenalin. Another fierce tackle saw us go forward yet again and again it was young Belli who swept up the spillage, swung onto his right boot and levelled the scores! Lilydale finally went forward and pushed out to a six point lead but there was still time for a memorable victory.

We went into attack once more and the man of the moment won a free. Jacko settled over the pill and slotted his sixth! Level again. Lilydale squeezed out a couple of points in the desperate final minutes and now time was against us. With the crowd riding every contest it was the Panther Peschke who won a free, deep in the pocket in front of the big crowd. If anyone could kick one from here it was the Panther but his kick narrowly missed. It was a one point ball game. The frenetic final moments saw the ball kicked to our square , in the ensuing chaos, Butchy swung a boot at the pill and appeared to have won the game with only seconds on the clock. Freddy believed it was all clear, but was overruled by the umpire who insisted it had been touched off the boot. A furious Freddy signalled a behind and moments later, the siren sounded. It was a draw and this crazy season of ressies footy continued, throwing up yet another unbelievable contest with a sting in the tail!

Mooroolbark: 11. 10. 76 Lilydale: 11. 10. 76

Goal Kickers: M. Jackson 6, J. Belli , T. Verhoef , A. Biggins , M. Peschke , S. Bucsuhazy Best Players: M. Jackson, J. Belli, T. Verhoef, S. Bucsuhazy, A. Biggins, S. McManus

Jacko prepares to slot home another sausage! Separated at birth? JIMMY DARVIDIS *LIVE*

Saturday 16th July 7:30pm – LATE Entry: $10.00 p/person

Bookings essential! [email protected] 0418 275 301

The Travel Professionals 146 Main Street, Lilydale Audrey Pretty ~ 9735 0222

TRIPLE PREMIERSHIP REUNION

Under 14s 1999, Under 15s 2000, Under 16s 2001

Date: Saturday 9th July Time: 7.00 pm Where: Mooroolbark Football Club Heights Reserve, Longfellow Avenue Juke Box, finger food, drinks @ bar prices Join us to celebrate the Mooroolbark Football Club Triple Premiership Reunion! Old Friends, Team-mates, Coaches, Runners, Parents, Life Members ~ ALL WELCOME ~ Tell as many people as you can!

Contact: Scott Dimitriou. 0425 283 433 [email protected]

“Old” Man Dimma

Rick Dimma had a birthday this week and I think he turned 56, which is getting on a bit. I actually want to thank Rick for jumping behind the bar last Saturday night at Keltsy’s 21st so I could go out and mingle with the rellies. Thanks also to Jezza’s little bro, Tim, who also helped out, and of course a big thanks to Kylie who worked the whole night and risked getting divorced from Charlie ,cause he wanted a “quiet family night at home”. Anyway, thanks to you all and happy birthday to Rick and Steven. A good night was had by all (except my father-in-law who reckons the music was too bloody loud – and he even left his hearing-aid at home).

Yakity Yak – Don’t Come Back

I’ve had some unusual requests over the years while working in the outside bar but last home game I copped a beauty. “Yak” Collins wandered up to the window and asked if I had a stick. After explaining that I was running a bar, not a bloody novelty store, I asked what he wanted a stick for. Yak’s explanation was that he was kicking the footy with his little son, Ronan, when the ball rolled under a car. Not wanting to get down on his hands & knees and get his designer jeans dirty he thought he could poke it out with a stick. Alas, I couldn’t help him. After wandering off he eventually found a stick and retrieved the ball. Ten minutes later Yak approached the bar again, this time asking for a ladder. You guessed it, this time the ball was on the roof and again I couldn’t help him. Thankfully, after the kick-to-kick session was over, Yak finally came and asked for a beer, which I graciously provided for him. (kick-to-kick practise with Ronan must be helping though - I hear the old fella kicked 2 goals in 2 minutes, playing for the Vets last weekend!!)

Fired Up Freddy

It seems that every footy season Fred Jordan has at least one big dummy spit while goal umpiring, and it happened last week in the Magoos against Lilydale when Butcha soccered through what seemed to be the winning goal in the dying seconds of the game. Fred signalled a goal, only to be overruled by the central umpire, who deemed that the ball was touched off the boot. Fred made his feelings felt as only Fred can do, but no amount of ranting and raving and gesturing could change the umpy’s mind. Fred eventually (and very reluctantly) signalled a point as the siren rang to end the game in a draw.

100 Games

It was great to see Thommo play his 100th Senior Game for the club last week. And Cam Mitchell will also play his 100th game this Saturday against Doncaster East. Well Done to both boys - a mighty fine achievement.

Editors note:

What The ???? Our regular “1st Goal” and “B.O.G” ticket buyers have asked me to remind Joffa that this week’s game is Round 12. Not 11 - or a re-run of 10!! Seems poor Geoff got a bit muddled last week and had half the tickets printed R11, with a few R10 thrown in as well. You confused ‘em all Joff - you had them all scratching their heads thinking they were either looking at last week’s tickets or at the wrong game!!

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9728 3872 From the EFL Web-site . . . .

When changes occur at the AFL in game styles, over time they invariably find their way to our level of the game. Changes to rules and interpretations are adopted only after the proper evaluation of their suitability for our football. The AFL’s approach being taken to tackling this appears to be very much in the best interest of the game and most certainly for those that play it. , AFL Director of Coaching, last week wrote an article for the AFL that provides an excellent representation of the AFL’s view of how tackling rules should be applied and the EFL would like to make it clear that it supports this approach. Our umpires are being instructed to consider the principles outlined in Peter’s article and the EFL tribunal has been made of the league’s approach.

We thank Peter for providing permission to publish excerpts from his article for the EFL website.

NO MORE CODE RED – By Peter Schwab

In the 1980s Hawthorn coach devised a strategy for one of the Grand Finals he coached titled "Operation Tackle". It was a focus that centered on tackling fiercely and often would, if executed well, help us win the match.

By comparison to today's high tackling counts, we were well below the average AFL team's weekly tackle tally. What it points out though is that tackling has always been an integral part of the game. Jeans' view of the objective of a tackle was to dispossess or minimise the use of the ball of the player in possession.

He didn't advocate hurting an opponent in a tackle, but he did ask us to tackle fiercely, and he recognized that tackling could be a legal way of hurting an opponent.

When I coached, I encouraged taking your opponent to the ground in a tackle if you could as it would take him out of any on-going involvement in the contest. I also wanted the tackles to be hard. Did I ever say hurt them if you could when tackling? The answer is yes. Goddamn right I ordered the "Code Red"!

In light of my involvement in junior football, it just points out that we are continually faced with the dilemma of professional sport tactics not being compatible with junior sport. I cringe now when I recall asking players to hurt an opponent when tackling ahead of simply emphasising the Jeans’ objective of dispossessing or minimising their use in possession.

Playing sport should not be about hurting someone deliberately, but I accept tackling is a part of many contact sports and by its very nature, it is a physical act which can on occasions hurt someone whether we mean to or not.

The past few weeks at AFL level have again highlighted the issue of tackling with several players reported and suspended for tackling with too much force or tackling dangerously, mainly by sling tackles where an opponent's head is prone to be smashed into the ground. They may not have meant to cause injury, but the sling tackle by its very nature is dangerous, more so when a bigger opponent does the tackling.

Every sport where tackling is allowed has rightly outlawed the spear tackle because of its potential to cause serious injury. So any rationale about tackling needs to make sure that the tackle does not have the potential to cause injury, be it a spear tackle, a sling tackle or a tackle with excessive, unnecessary and or unreasonable force.

Personally, I don't think assessments of tackles along these lines is difficult to adjudicate, nor do I think by eliminating these types of tackles do we in any way diminish the physicality of our game. In fact, the modern AFL game has never been as physical as it is now. This is mainly because of the numbers around the contest, the speed, strength and size of the players and the tactical emphasis on physical pressure.

But we cannot accept tackling at any level that has the potential to unnecessarily increase the injury risk to players. As a game, we also cannot accept the concept of hurting someone legally, and believe me, that position has nothing to do with taking the physicality out of our game.