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Updated 2 March 2016 KICKIN’ IT WITH BOB Editorial – Issue 1, April 9th 2016 SEASON 2016 IS HERE, BRING IT ON By Bob Tregear, CEO WELCOME to the 2016 sector of the game, female football has been slow to WRFL football season. gain traction across our region. It is hoped that the With Round 1 to kick integration of girls’ football into the regular Sunday things off this weekend, junior program will showcase the opportunities for girls hope springs eternal to participate and spark a significant increase in interest. with all teams hungry for on-field success and all on In response to demand for an earlier transition from equal ladder positions. NAB Auskick to club football, a modified Under 8s This weekend’s games will program will also be on offer this year. Overall, it is certainly put paid to that expected that team numbers will increase by around 15 state of affairs! teams compared to last season. Interest in senior football will be heightened this year The change from Under 18 to Under 19 competition will with the introduction of the state-wide Player Points see a temporary reduction in team numbers this year, System (PPS). Aimed to improve competitive balance as there will be little or no flow-through from Sunday and moderate the cost burden of player payments, the junior ranks with the new Under 17 grade now on offer. PPS will limit the number of ‘non-home-grown’ players It is critical for the future that we retain as many Under that can be fielded in any first 18 team on any day. 19 teams as possible this year in order to maintain the The PPS rewards clubs for developing and retaining base for expansion from 2017 onwards. their own players; and penalised with additional points players who move from club to club. Along with club The standing of WRFL football has been enhanced salary caps planned for introduction next year, the PPS significantly with former AFL identities Mark Williams, is planned to assist volunteer club officials in containing Brendan Fevola, Brian Lake and Paul Chapman, amongst costs and evening-out competitive balance. While the others, joining our clubs this year. Their vote of initial work of allocating and verifying each players confidence in our league is greatly appreciated and we points allocation has been onerous for both club look forward to their positive influences on both playing officials and WRFL operations staff, it is expected that standards and club cultures. those efforts will be rewarded over time. Best wishes to all players, supporters and particularly The ranks of junior WRFL football continue to grow, to the army of hard working volunteer club officials with the increase in age-grades from Under 16 to Under who make our game possible. Whatever your measure 17 as the apex of Sunday competition; and expansion of success, we hope you find the 2016 season an for girls’ football to Under 12, 15 and 18 competitions enjoyable experience. this season. Although touted as the fastest-growing CONTENTS Senior Interleague Update ..........................................................3 Division 2 Preview ..................................................................20-21 Newport’s senior debut ................................................................5 Division 3 Preview ..................................................................30-31 Division 1 Preview .......................................................................8-9 Under-19 Fixture ........................................................................... 36 Player Profile ................................................................................... 16 Celebrity Tips .................................................................................. 46 Umpires Corner ............................................................................. 17 Junior Club Preview ..................................................................... 48 FRONT COVER: Wyndhamvale player Clinton McNabb takes a mark during last year’s grand final. Picture: DARRELL JONES WRFL FOOTY RECORD Western Region Football League President: Bruce Mildenhall Level One, Whitten Oval, Footscray CEO: Bob Tregear OFFICE: (03) 9315-5400 Editor: Kristen Alebakis 1 WRFL FOOTY RECORD WWW.WRFL.ORG.AU 2 WRFL NEWS COMPETITION FOR SPOTS TO BE FIERCE By Kristen Alebakis WESTERN Region Football League coach “Once we get closer to finalising the squad we will look at Anthony Eames is on the verge of announcing Ballarat, but I have a good idea of who the key performers a squad for the 2016 WorkSafe AFL Victoria are for Ballarat.” Community Championships. Some of the WRFL’s rising stars will also get a chance to With just six weeks before the match, Eames, chairman test their skills against Ballarat, with an Under-19 match of selectors Steve Thom and assistant coach Brett Jacobs scheduled as a curtain raiser to the senior game. have been busy keeping their eyes across the competition. Spotswood premiership coach Matt Dean was The trio have been attending practice matches over appointed coach. the past few weeks and are on the cusp of announcing a squad of players who they think will wear the WRFL He led the Woodsman to consecutive Under-18 flags over jumper with pride. the past two seasons. “There has been some interesting discussions over the last Dean said he was looking forward to working with the two months, we are really starting to get excited about league’s most exciting young talent. the game now,” Eames said. “It is a great chance for me to work with some of the “We have put a squad of 50 together, but the good thing players I have admired over the past couple of years,” he about the squad is that players you don’t know a lot about said. pop up and surprise you. “I am very competitive and so are the boys helping me, so “Once the season starts there will also be other players we do want to win and we want to give the boys every that could have form that jump up for selection, so we will chance possible to win.” also add to that squad.” Dean will be joined by assistants, WRFL veteran Gary Eames said he was looking forward to getting the training Turner, Hoppers Crossing Under-19 coach Alan Williams sessions underway. and Yarraville Seddon’s Under-19 coach Greg Wray. He said there was a lot of quality talent in the WRFL and The Interleague match between the WRFL and the Red competition for spots would be fierce. Onion Ballarat Football Netball League will be played on Saturday, May 21 at Whitten Oval. “There will be a lot of competition for spots, but that’s what we want to see,” Eames said. The Under-19 match will be played at 11.45am and the Senior match will kick-off at 2.30pm. “Together with Brett (Jacobs) we have planned some exciting things for the group.” On the Ballarat front, the league appointed Shaun O’Loughlin coach of the senior team. O’Loughlin takes over from Shane Skontra, who led Ballarat to victory over Bendigo in last year’s WorkSafe AFL Victoria Championship match. He is a Level 3 AFL Accredited coach who spent five years as a Development Coach and Senior Coach in the Ballarat FNC. Eames said his aim in the short term was picking the best WRFL team possible, he says he hasn’t focussed on what Ballarat was doing just yet. “My focus is on what is available to us and selecting the Anthony Eames (right) was appointed senior Interleague coach of players that will suit the ground we are playing,” he said. the WRFL. 3 WRFL FOOTY RECORD TIV PARTNERSHIP KICKING GOALS The strong partnership between the WRFL and TIV is set to continue in 2016. The two organisations have worked together for several years and will continue to work hand-in-hand to promote TIV’s building and training programs for another year. In 2016, TIV will take on the naming rights of the Leagues Under-19 competition, which will now be known as the TIV Cup. Participants in the new Under-19 competition are the target audience for TIV’s Cert 3 in Carpentry and Bricklaying courses. TIV’s Business Development manager Jason Pickles said club’s showed a great interest in the TIV course at the league’s Suppliers and Partners function earlier this year. “A number of WRFL clubs expressed an interest in me visiting their clubs to talk to their Under-19 players, and their parents, about the opportunities this Cert 3 in Carpentry and Bricklaying courses offered,” he said. Mr Pickles went on to say that a number of AFL footballers have enrolled in these courses, with the support of their club, in a bid to be better prepared for life after football.