VFL Record Rnd 11.Indd
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VFL ROUND 11 JUNE 22-23, 2013 $3.00 BBlueslues bbounceounce bbackack NNorthernorthern BBlueslues 119.15.1299.15.129 d FFrankstonrankston 111.7.731.7.73 Photos: Dave Savell NNorthorth BBallaratallarat 115.9.995.9.99 d PPortort MMelbourneelbourne 112.17.892.17.89 Give exit fees the boot. And lock-in contracts the hip and shoulder. AlintaAlinta EnerEnergy’sgy’s Fair GGoo 1155 • NoNo lock-inlock-in contractscontracts • No exitexit fees • 15%15% off your electricity usageusage* forfor as lonlongg as you continue to be on this planplan 18001800 46 2525 4646 alintaenergy.com.aualintaenergy.com.au *15% off your electricity usage based on Alinta Energy’s published Standing Tariffs for Victoria. Terms and conditionsconditions apply.apply. NNotot avaavailableilable wwithith sosolar.lar. EDITORIAL The season so far AS season 2013 seemingly fl ashes by it’s worth taking time to refl ect on what’s been achieved, the state of the game and the challenges that await. One of the most pleasing aspects in the fi rst half of the against South Australia on Friday season is the progress of TAC and VFL graduates who as it bids to run to three fi nd themselves on an AFL list this season. successive NAB AFL U18 Championship titles they’ve won. More than a dozen TAC Cup players have achieved their goal of making their AFL debut with Oliver Wines The Peter Jackson VFL lost its State representative (Bendigo Pioneers), Nick Vlastuin (Northern Knights), match against Western Australia, but the game Jackson Macrae (Oakleigh Chargers), Sam Kerridge showcased many talented players just as it did last year (Bendigo Pioneers) and Lachie Whitfi eld (Dandenong when Kyle Martin, Dean Towers, Leigh Osborne, Kyle Stingrays) all earning a NAB Rising Star nomination. Hartigan, Sam Dwyer and Brett Goodes all played and were subsequently listed at AFL Clubs at the end of last From the Peter Jackson VFL draftees we’ve seen Matt year. Jones (Box Hill Hawks), Kyle Martin (Frankston), Sam Dwyer (Port Melbourne), Brett Goodes (Williamstown) Again, there’s more than ample evidence to note with and Jack Frost (Williamstown) also make the transition surety that Victorian football is in a healthy state. to playing at the AFL level. At the mid-point mark of the Peter Jackson VFL there are While he made the transition a few years before, there still 12 teams in contention for the fi nals and as the was no more telling illustration of the opportunities results have indicated any team on any given day can provided by the Peter Jackson VFL than Michael Firrito, a win regardless of their ladder standing. winner of the 2002 Fothergill Round Medal, who earlier Certainly, Bendigo Gold has endured a tough start to its this season played his 200th game for North Melbourne. fi rst year as a stand-alone club, but they’re providing Over the next fortnight we’ll see more of the game’s plenty of opportunities for young, local players and future stars when the NAB AFL Championships return to working hard on and off fi eld to succeed. Victoria for the fi nal two matches. What also has been impressive has been the high quality and production of the ABC TV’s match-of-the-day. Some extremely gifted Vic Country and Vic Metro players will be in action at Simonds Stadium this Friday There’s much to look forward to not only from the ABC and again at Ethihad Stadium on Wednesday, July 3. If coverage, but from football fi elds around the State in the you get the opportunity take in a game, you’ll be second half of the season. impressed. Grant Williams Vic Metro takes an unbeaten record into its match AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, David O’Neill, Shane Goss, Nick Ciantar Design & Print: Cyan Press Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams www.afl vic.com.au State League & Talent Manager: John Hook High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover photo: Northern Blues Tom Wilson Talent Operations Coordinator: Sophie Timms Talent Operations Offi cer: Lauren Bunting www.vfl .com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE ABC TV Saturday June 22: Geelong vs Port Melbourne – 1pm Next Week: Casey Scorpions vs Northern Blues Peter Jackson VFL Radio Sunday June 23: North Ballarat vs Bendigo – From 1:30pm Live on Digital Radio via Aussie, Red Time Sport and SEN I-Phone Apps, online via vfl .com.au or sen.com.au and on Vision Australia Radio on 1179AM Next game: Coburg vs Geelong 3WBC Saturday June 22: Werribee Tigers vs Box Hill Hawks – 1pm Listen to 94.1 FM or online at www.3wbc.org.au Next game: Box Hill hawks vs Williamstown SEN Sunday June 23 – Peter Jackson VFL review 9:05pm Thursday July 4 – The Peter Jackson VFL Show 8:30pm – 9pm Peter Jackson VFL Online Keep up to date with the Peter Jackson VFL via the following methods: Website: www.vfl .com.au @VFLnews #PJVFL www.facebook.com/vfl footy 2 www.afl vic.com.au MID SEASON REVIEW MID SEASON REVIEW WHO would have dared suggest at the start of the season that come the halfway mark of the 2013 year neither of last year’s Grand Finalists would be located in the top two positions? Okay, Geelong and Port Melbourne sit third and fourth Outlook: Bendigo Gold still has a long haul ahead of it, but respectively and the former is only percentage points away you have to tip your hat to Aussie Jones, whose positive, from top spot. resilience and enthusiastic approach has given the young, But, that’s not the point. The surge by Box Hill Hawks inexperienced team the belief that if they keep persevering and the continued consistent form of Casey Scorpions they will improve. Improve enough to win a match this highlights just how tight, competitive and enthralling the season? That may be stretching it, but Jones will looking 2013 season is shaping. to the second half to reduce the magnitude of the defeats and work towards becoming a far more competitive team. While North Ballarat is languishing in 11th position the powerhouse from not-so-long ago showed it still can mix it BOX HILL HAWKS with the top-of-the-table clubs like Port Melbourne. 2013 Record: 1st, 7-2 What has been the recurring theme of the fi rst half of 2012 Record (same stage): 5th, 5-4 the season is that any club on any given day can defeat another club regardless of where they may be sitting. 2012 Finish: 6th And, that’s what all competitions want – a season that Goal kickers: Tobin (12), Wood (11), goes right down to the last quarter of the last home and Season So Far: Box Hill Hawks could make a compelling away match. case that it should turn into the second half of the season It’s not gilding the lily too much to suggest such a scenario undefeated such has its stunning fi rst half been. The VFL may exist this season. Hawks own a 7-2 record with both its defeats being less than one goal – four points against Port Melbourne and That’s just how even the competition shapes up. then fi nishing fi ve points shy of Geelong and both those So, how has your club fared and what’s ahead? Here’s a clubs promise to feature prominently in premiership club by club overview. calculations. Box Hill Hawks also belted Casey Scorpions by 10 goals and apart from an 11-point win against BENDIGO GOLD Essendon and a six-point win against Sandringham, has 2013 Record: 14th, 0-9 won all its games by four goals or more. Box Hill Hawks 2012 Record (same stage): 8th, 5-4 has a good mix of experienced VFL players like Sam Iles, Daniel Pratt and David Mirra and that’s been a big plus. 2012 Finish: 8th Admittedly, Damian Carroll has plenty of talented AFL Goal kickers: Magin (8), Pollock (8) Hawks at his call, but, signifi cantly, they’ve performed as Season So Far: Unfortunately, no warm and fuzzy feeling every club would like and consequently, Box Hill Hawks stories for the expansion team, which has struggled have soared to their best start to a season in a decade. mightily in its fi rst season as a stand-alone VFL club. With the departure of key VFL players, headed by co-captains Ben Duscher and Trent Shinners, Bendigo had no player with more than 40 VFL games on its list. Captain Steve Stroobants is the most experienced player, but most of his teammates are new comers to such a standard, intensity, pressure and speed. Regrettably, it’s very evident. Such inexperience has haunted Bendigo, which has been on the receiving ends of some frightful hidings. The Gold have suffered three 100 plus point defeats including a whopping 175-point loss against Williamstown. But, to Bendigo’s credit they rebounded in their next game to run Coburg to 10-points in their best performance for the season. It was the same ugly scoreline, however, when Werribee had Photo: Dave Savell fi nished with them last week. www.vfl .com.au 3 MID SEASON REVIEW Outlook: For all its good start to the season, plenty COBURG of challenges await. While Box Hill Hawks don’t face 2013 Record: 12th, 3-6 Geelong in the second half, they’ve still got a daunting 2012 Record (same stage): 9th, 3-6 draw with Werribee (away), Port Melbourne (away) and Williamstown awaiting.