VFL ROUND 7 / TAC CUP ROUND 6 AFL VICTORIA MAY 14-15, 2011 ‘THANKS UMP’ WEEKEND 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 A little thanks goes a long way This weekend we recognise the job done by the umpires out on the fi eld each weekend. TWO simple words ‘thanks underlines the respect that the need for recruiting and ump’ may not seem much, all umpires deserve and are retention of umpires has but they convey a strong and entitled to receive. never been greater. Football signifi cant message to the What should not be is an emotive and passionate football community. overlooked or forgotten, game, but it doesn’t have to This weekend, throughout and is underscored by AFL be at the expense of umpires. all levels of the game across Director of Coaching Peter Much is made of umpire the country, the spotlight is Schwab in a feature on mistakes, but umpires don’t focused on acknowledging, ‘Thanks Ump’ inside this go out to make mistakes. Just accepting and appreciating edition of the VFL/TAC Cup as footballers make mistakes, umpires as football says Record, is the important role so too do umpires. ‘thanks ump’. played by umpires at every What doesn’t follow is that VFL coaches will meet, level. they should be abused or greet and shake hands with Umpires, like players, vilifi ed. It doesn’t happen in umpires in the centre of the coaches, offi cials and fans, any other work place and ground before the opening are entwined in the very should not in football. bounce down. fabric of our great game and Parents, fans, coaches and While umpires always shake just like the players, umpires players need to understand hands with coaches and need to be fi t, well managed that words of encouragement players in the rooms before in their lifestyle, disciplined can go a long way. It can a match, the gesture is not and committed. lead to young people taking witnessed or publicised and It is a rewarding pursuit as up umpiring and just as doesn’t carry as transparent umpiring offers a career importantly it can lead to the a message that umpires are path, again just like the retention of umpires. part of the game’s fabric. players. Two fi eld umpires, It doesn’t hurt at the end of a Last year the campaign four boundary umpires and game to simply say ‘thanks ‘Umpiring is Everyone’s one goal umpire from the VFL ump’. Afterall, we’re all in it to Business’ emphasised the have recently progressed to enjoy it. important role played by the AFL. umpires. ‘Thanks Ump’ While the game’s popularity - Kevin Mitchell reinforces that message and continues to spiral upwards, State Director of Umpiring th th Editor: Anthony Stanguts MAY 14 -15 , 2011 anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au HEADQUARTERS CONTENTS Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Matt Lee, Paul Hooper, Luke Mason Visy Park Design & Print: Red Onion Creative (03) 5221 4408 Gate 3 Royal Parade Photos: Slattery Media Group, Damian Visentini, Island Images Carlton Nth VIC 3054 Advertising: David Howard (03) 8341 6007 GPO Box 4337 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams MELBOURNE VIC 3001 Football Operations Manager: John Hook VFL 5 - 35 High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Phone: (03) 8341 6000 Leon Harris Fax: (03) 9380 1076 Football Operations Offi cer: Luke Gatti TAC Cup 36 - 58 Football Operations Coordinator: Sophie Timms Website: www.afl vic.com.au www.afl vic.com.au 3 note from the editor The season is heating up Two top of the ladder clashes in less than a month really sees things hotting up in the VFL. THERE is something about a top involved, and ensure you add section as well. of the ladder clash that really gets #VFL when tweeting scores. Despite the season only being a supporter excited. One question that often gets six weeks old, clubs are already There are the bragging rights at asked is “how do I fi nd the quarter starting to look to the future with the end of the day, seeing your by quarter scores before the two clubs announcing contract team on top of the ladder at the end of the game?” The answer is extensions for their current end of the round, and setting the simple. On www.vfl .com.au in the coaches. During a period when benchmark for where other teams right hand menu section, there is coaches are being scrutinised on need to strive during the season. a button titled Progressive Scores. their early season form of whether But as both Port Melbourne and At the end of each quarter, the they will still have a job at the Williamstown have found out in home clubs will enter the scores, end of the season, it is great to recent years, premierships are giving supporters sitting at home see two clubs who have enjoyed not won during the home and on their computers or searching starkly different success over away season, and both coaches for scores on their mobiles up recent years start to stabilise for are more than aware that a win to date info at the end of each the future. in round seven would be good, it quarter. Despite a slow start to the season, will not be the end of the world of Now the clubs are not entering North Ballarat have been quick world if it is not achieved. the scores the exact minute the to ensure Gerald FitzGerald is a While the game is not being siren sounds to mark the end of Rooster when he notches up his covered on TV or on radio today, the quarter - they are fairly busy of 300th game as a coach in the we will be using our VFL Twitter a weekend being a home game - VFL, signing the triple premiership account to keep supporters up but the scores are entered within coach for another two seasons. to date with all the latest info from fi ve or so minutes after the quarter Wins have not been plentiful for the top of the ladder clash. Simply ends. It is a handy way to keep Frankston coach Simon Goosey, search for @VFLnews on Twitter up to date with all the quarter but the club has shown faith in his and follow us to get all the latest by quarter scores around the rebuilding of the young playing info from TEAC Oval. Apart from grounds. Also as soon as clubs group by extending his contract the top of the ladder clash, we will enter their best players and goal till the end of 2012. also have regular score updates kickers of a weekend, these will for all other VFL matches over appear in the Progressive Scores - Anthony Stanguts the weekend, so be sure to get Communications Offi cer media coverage Round 7, May 14th - 15th: Saturday, 14th May ABC TV: Frankston vs Northern Bullants tune into ABC1 from 1pm 3WBC: Box Hill Hawks vs Sandringham Listen live on 94.1fm or online at www.3wbc.org.au from 1pm Sunday, 15th May VFL Radio: North Ballarat vs Coburg Tigers from 1:30pm www.vfl .com.au or www.bpmmedia.com.au or Aussie Digitial Thursday, 19th May SEN: ‘State of Play’ - the VFL half hour 8:30pm-9pm 4 www.afl vic.com.au port melbourne vs williamstown Who will claim top spot? “We are very much looking well from the players they had forward to it (the top of the last year and the new players ladder clash) as Williamstown this year like Rose and Wayde really touched us up in the Skipper and a few back from V qualifying fi nal at Box Hill and injury. At the moment we see made us look second rate. them as the yardstick of the “We believe that we have competition, they are really well improved and it is a great skilled at the moment and are SIX rounds down in the VFL challenge for us as a football moving the ball well from what I season, and already we are club to play against the old have seen, and are scoring well. faced with our second top of the arch enemy who are travelling I think it is going to be a high ladder clash. very very nicely and we will get quality game.” Port Melbourne and another really good indication as Despite defeating fellow top Williamstown will both enter to what we need to be doing if eight side Sandringham on the round seven of VFL action with we are to be taken as a serious weekend, Williamstown found an undefeated record to their fi nals contender,” Ayres said. at the end of the round that they names. At the end of the round, “We are really looking forward to had dropped to second spot one team will keep their winning it as a group. Some home and on the ladder on percentage run intact, and will take sole away games are much bigger due to Port’s big 122 point win ownership of top spot of the than others and I am sure this over Frankston. For German the ladder early in the season. will be one that I would like to placing on the ladder so early in For Port Melbourne, they are think is going to give the VFL the season is not the fi rst priority.