VFL ROUND 4 APRIL 26-28, 2013 $3.00 WWilliamstownilliamstown wwinsins wwesternestern dderby...erby... aagaingain SSandringhamandringham 116.12.1086.12.108 ddww PPortort MMelbourneelbourne 116.12.1086.12.108 (Photos: Dave Savell) WWilliamstownilliamstown 119.15.1299.15.129 d WWerribeeerribee TTigersigers 55.16.46.16.46 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 Drug education and awareness the focus AS news of the recent ACC Report and ASADA follow up continues to prevail throughout the media, it’s timely to highlight AFL Victoria’s position. First and foremost illicit and performance-enhancing that our education strategies are substances will not be tolerated in our game. Breaches appropriate. of the AFL’s Anti-Doping Code rightly results in heavy ASADA doesn’t detail its testing regime, for the integrity of sanctions. its testing program, and nor does AFL Victoria ever expect to Education and awareness are two unwavering tenets that know the intricate operation details of the testing program. must prevail in understanding the game’s Anti-Doping policy. Every registered player, including those within community AFL Victoria works with all VFL Clubs to help educate level in country and metropolitan Leagues, can be tested by players and offi cials regarding the requirements of the ASADA. It fl ows from Clause 21 of the Laws of Australian Anti-Doping Code with annual pre-season education Football, which links the AFL’s Anti-Doping Code to every sessions, which all players are required to attend and then acknowledge their understanding. VFL Clubs support the competition in the country. importance of these sessions and many provide additional The level and frequency of testing at community level is also follow up in various forms throughout the season. determined by and at the discretion of ASADA. The education sessions are very similar to those presented Also, players should understand that match day testing is at AFL Club level and have been delivered at VFL Clubs for not the only way ASADA can identify players who have as long as the AFL Anti-Doping Code has existed. breached the Anti-Doping Code. Government agencies have No VFL player is permitted to play in the VFL or the the ability to notify ASADA about the purchase of what it Development League until they have completed and signed considers “suspicious” products. In this respect, you do not off on the education session. have to be tested to breach the Code. All players have a clear responsibility to check and If players have any doubt whatsoever they should not order, know what they are purchasing or taking and whether it purchase or consume a supplement without fi rst seeking contravenes the specifi c Anti-Doping rules that apply. medical or professional advice on whether it contains a The fact that prohibited substances can be contained within banned performance-enhancing substance. ASADA also commercially available supplements should serve as a has a hotline service that can also provide important and warning to players who choose to purchase and consume relevant advice or visit www.asada.gov.au these products. AFL Victoria are in regular contact with the AFL and other The assumption that because a substance can be purchased state football bodies to discuss more broadly how we can off the shelf therefore makes it ‘legal’ is erroneous. collectively develop additional education programs so all Products/supplements purchased on-line may also players understand their obligations and responsibilities contravene the Code or, in fact, be illegal. under the AFL Anti-Doping Code. AFL Victoria fully supports the work of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and liaises with ASADA Grant Williams each year to ensure we comply with their requirements and AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Dave O’Neill Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 www.afl vic.com.au State League & Talent Manager: John Hook High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover photo: Williamstown’s Anthony Anastasio escapes a Talent Operations Coordinator: Sophie Timms tackle from Werribee’s Robbie Castello. Talent Operations Offi cer: Lauren Bunting www.vfl .com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE ABC TV Saturday April 27: Werribee Tigers vs Sandringham – 1pm Next Week: Coburg vs Essendon Peter Jackson VFL Radio Sunday April 28: Northern Blues vs Port Melbourne – 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 week: Sandringham vs Northern Blues 3WBC Saturday April 27: Box Hill Hawks vs Coburg – 1pm Listen to 94.1 FM or online at www.3wbc.org.au Next week: Bendigo vs Box Hill Hawks SEN Sunday April 28 – Peter Jackson VFL review 9:05pm Thursday May 2 – 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 MICHAEL SEARL Captain Searl ONE of the pillars of North Ballarat’s sustained success has been its leadership on and off the fi eld. Certainly, coach Gerard FitzGerald has been a beacon in “Hopefully, that win will kick start us into gear,” Searl said. this regard, but so, too, Shaune Moloney and Marc Greig, Searl is mindful that the Roosters don’t want to fall off the who between them captained the club for the past seven pace early in the season as they did last year and then had years. to spend the rest of the season playing catch-up. Now, the baton has been handed to Michael Searl whose contribution to the club can’t be underestimated during a “Our start to last year was poor. I think we were 3-7 and distinguished career. although we got some momentum in the second half, we While he had been a premiership player and a member of had lapses where we would leak goals,” he said. the club’s leadership group for several years, Searl said “Each week is a new challenge. You can’t look at the he certainly didn’t expect to have the captaincy presented results from the previous week and say ‘they beat them to him. and them so we should be a chance’. He noted the club was lucky to have quality leaders in “Each week you just have to match up as best you can, Myles Sewell and Stephen Clifton, who are both Liston focus on that and have more blokes win their position than Trophy winners. the opposition to get the result in your favour.” “It’s a great honour,” Searl said. “Playing under ‘Spider’ (Shaune Moloney) and ‘Greigy’ (Marc Greig) you feel like you have massive shoes to fi ll. “I’m trying to be the leader I am, but they were phenomenal leaders.” Searl said he’s fortunate that Moloney and Greig are still involved at the club so he can not only seek counsel, but also bounce ideas off them. He added he was in the advantageous position to be surrounded by quality people in the leadership group. “We have lots of guys who pull their weight. It is not just FAST FACTS me that does all the work,” Searl said. While North Ballarat is 1-2, Searl said he doesn’t believe MICHAEL SEARL the club is far off the pace and is eager to atone for the AGE: 28 disappointment of missing the fi nals for the fi rst time in CLUB: North Ballarat six years. GAMES: 120 He noted the club had more possessions than Collingwood in the season opener loss and, apart from an eight to two GOALS: 23 goal second quarter disaster, matched it with the unbeaten HIGHLIGHTS: Captain 2013; premiership Casey Scorpions. player 2008-09; best & fairest North Ballarat posted its fi rst win with a resounding win 2008; VFL representative against Bendigo Gold, a victory that Searl said gave the player 2008 players the confi dence they needed. www.vfl .com.au 3 STATE GAME State Game – Peter Jackson VFL Perspective THE Peter Jackson VFL squad for next month’s state game versus the West Australian Football League (WAFL) will be vastly different from the one that thrashed Tasmania last year. Included in the VFL’s team that posted a 108-point win was Goosey, AFL Victoria State League Manager John Hook, Sam Dwyer, Brett Goodes, Leigh Osborne, Kyle Martin, AFL Victoria VFL Academy coach Darren Flanigan, Peter Kyle Hartigan and Dean Towers, who were all selected by Weightman and Bruce Davis – much leeway. AFL clubs at the various Drafts. Ayres said coaches and selectors had two preliminary Liston trophy winner Shane Valenti, who has missed the meetings to gauge a feel for the composition of the VFL opening three rounds with injury, won’t be considered. squad. And, with the State match falling a fortnight earlier this He said he hoped the squad would begin to take greater year it doesn’t give coach Gary Ayres and his assistant shape following this weekend’s round.