VFL Round 15 TAC Cup Round 14 25 - 26 July 2015 $3.00 Photo: Jenny Owens Photo: Morgan Hancock HALF YEAR SALE UP TO % 60 OFF OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE VFL peterjacksonau Shop online at peterjacksons.com Features 4 5 Jacob Weitering 7 Adam Marcon 9 Daniel Houston Every week Editorial 3 VFL Highlights 10 VFL News 11 TAC Cup Highlights 12 TAC Cup News 13 AFL Vic News 15 Club Whiteboard 16 19 Events 21 Get Social 22 Draft Watch 64 Who’s playing who 32 33 Geelong vs Essendon 50 51 Sandringham vs NSW/ACT 34 35 Port Melbourne vs Williamstown 52 53 North Ballarat vs Queensland 36 37 Richmond vs Sandringham 54 55 Murray vs Gippsland 38 39 Coburg vs Footscray 56 57 Eastern vs Geelong 40 41 North Ballarat vs Frankston 58 59 Oakleigh vs Calder 42 43 Collingwood vs Casey Scorpions 60 61 Bendigo vs Western 44 45 Werribee vs Box Hill Hawks 62 63 Northern vs Dandenong Editor: Ben Pollard ben.pollard@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Dave O’Neill, Anthony Stanguts, Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photos (unless otherwise credited) Ikon Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 AFL Victoria CEO: Steven Reaper www.afl vic.com.au State League & Talent Manager: John Hook High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover: Isaac Wallace of the Murray Bushrangers in action Talent Operations Coordinator: Rhy Gieschen during Round 13 of the TAC Cup Talent Operations Coordinator: Lauren Bunting www.taccup.com.au 01 Television Online VFL Online Website: www.vfl .com.au Twitter: @VFL #PJVFL Facebook: www.facebook.com/vfl footy Broadcasting the Peter Jackson VFL in 2015 TAC Cup Online Saturday July 25 – 12pm Website: www.taccup.com.au Port Melbourne v Williamstown Twitter: @TACCup Next week: Footscray v Essendon (Sunday) Facebook: www.facebook.com/taccupfooty Radio L VFL Live I Sunday July 26, Werribee v Box Hill Hawks from 1.45pm Live on Digital Radio via Aussie, Red Time Sport and SEN iPhone Apps, V online via vfl .com.au or sen.com.au E Next week: Port Melbourne v Coburg R A TAC Cup Radio D Saturday July 25, Eastern Ranges v Geelong Falcons from 12.45pm I Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone App or www.taccup.com.au O Next week: Gippsland Power v Geelong Falcons 3WBC Sunday July 26, Werribee v Box Hill Hawks, 1pm Listen to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or the Tune In Radio app Next game: Box Hill Hawks v Richmond Casey Radio Sunday July 26, Collingwood v Casey Scorpions from 11am Tune to 97.7fm in Melbourne, via the web at www.caseyradio.com.au, or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next game: Casey Scorpions v Werribee Essendon VFL Radio Saturday July 25: Geelong v Essendon, 11am Download the Essendon app or listen on essendonfc.com.au/vfl Collingwood VFL Radio Sunday July 26, Collingwood v Casey Scorpions from 12pm Commentary will be streamed through the Collingwood app and on collingwoodfc.com.au Video Streaming Visit www.vfl .com.au for a link Sunday at 2pm for a live video stream of: Werribee v Box Hill Hawks Watch the action and listen to the call from the VFL Live team. Next week: Port Melbourne v Coburg 02 www.vfl .com.au Boost for female footballers Ensuring our participants enjoy a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment is one of AFL Victoria’s most important objectives. The incredible growth of female football over the past fi ve years has seen participation numbers in Victoria soar to record levels and helped shape our Football Facilities Strategic Plan – Growing the Heartland, which was released in 2014. Last weekend’s announcement by the Victorian Government of the $10 million Female Friendly Facilities grants program is a huge boost for not only female footballers but also community clubs, and will help us achieve many of the objectives outlined in the strategic plan. Over the past two years alone, there have been 111 new female football teams established in Victoria, making it clearly the fastest growing female sport in the state. On the back of huge growth in Youth Girls football, we are also seeing an increase in open-age competitions. The Victorian Women’s Football League has already received 23 expressions of interest for new teams in 2016 and many more are expected by the end of the current football season. The Victorian Government’s $10 million Female Friendly Facilities fund allows clubs to apply for up to $100,000 to build or upgrade change rooms, so players don’t have to change in their cars, in canteens or temporary storage sheds. Having change rooms that cater for female footballers might seem like a small step but ensuring this key segment of our game feels welcomed and supported will have many fl ow-on benefi ts. On the back of the announcement, AFL Victoria is now looking at how as a governing body we can leverage this funding support and help clubs make this signifi cant investment in female participation. We will also be releasing new guidelines for unisex change rooms and amenities to help clubs plan for any upgrades on their current facilities. With this funding in place, we hope clubs can adapt their current change rooms and adequately cater for the growing number of female participants without adding an extra burden on volunteers. In another exciting development for female football, the Senior Girls Herald Sun Shield Grand Final will be held at Etihad Stadium on Saturday August 1, giving these talented young players an opportunity to test themselves on the big stage. Ballarat Grammar and Methodist Ladies College will contest the match as a curtain-raiser to the Carlton vs North Melbourne clash and we wish the players, coaches and umpires the very best for what is an historic fi rst for female football. Steven Reaper AFL Victoria CEO www.taccup.com.au 03 Weitering a wanted man Dandenong Stingray Jacob Weitering is Mitchell Medal for best representing the values being strongly touted as one of the top important to the AFL Academy program and, according to Harris, his speech at the presentation prospects at this year’s NAB AFL Draft , function “oozed class”. but what is it about the 17-year-old Weitering’s mature character saw him named the sole that makes him stand out? captain of Vic Country, even among a group of strong The versatile 195cm key defender has taken all before leaders that had progressed through the AFL Victoria him this year, starring for the AFL Academy in two Country Academy program alongside him. matches against Peter Jackson VFL teams in early “There were a few of them on the radar for the role, April, before leading Vic Country in its undefeated U18 but it was more that he (Weitering) grabbed the group Championships campaign. by the scruff of the neck,” Harris said. Vic Country High Performance Manager Leon Harris “We thought there’d be a group of them, but aft er the said Weitering’s ability to impact contests and take fi rst game of the Championships, it was pretty clear- marks in defence was a huge strength on the fi eld, cut that he was the man for the job.” but that his off -fi eld character was equally impressive. Weitering himself said his leadership skills had been a “If he goes at pick No.1, there certainly won’t be any work in progress. arguments from me,” Harris said. “I considered myself a bit of a quiet leader to start off “He’s a very mature person and player, and I just think with around U15 or U16 level, but coming through he ticks most of the boxes. the AFL Academy program and then into Vic Country “When he’s been at AFL clubs during his time with U18s has certainly helped me with my confi dence, the AFL Academy, he’s been fi rst class and there have leadership skills and organisation,” he said. been rave reviews about him as a person.” Weitering said he was “pretty happy” with his Late last month, Weitering was awarded the Ben captaincy during the Championships, adding that the 04 www.vfl .com.au key to leading the team was accounting for the variety simply focusing on playing consistent football for the of personalities within the side. rest of the season. “(For example,) you’ve got (Geelong Falcons However, it’s hard to ignore Weitering’s continued midfi elders) Rhys Mathieson and Darcy Parish, who infl uence on the football world – even when he’s get quite fi red up on game day, and then myself and meant to be on holiday with his family. (Dandenong teammate) Kieran Collins stay a little bit quieter,” Weitering said. “We were just on the Gold Coast for a holiday and we found out the U16 Championships were up there (in “So you’ve just got to recognise that and as long early July),” he said. as the team gets along off -fi eld, then I’m sure the chemistry comes on-fi eld.” “We knew a few families of (Vic Country) boys that On the fi eld is certainly somewhere Weitering does were playing and checked it all out and said ‘Hello’. his fi nest work. “Darcy Parish and I went down and had a bit of fun He demonstrated an ability to play as a marking with the boys, and I gave a bit of advice to a few of the forward in Dandenong’s run to a TAC Cup preliminary key-position players – it was good fun to get around fi nal last year, but patrolling the back half is where them.” Weitering is building his reputation in 2015.