AFL CANBERRA EDITION 12 $2.50 CLARKE, DANIHER,DANIHER ILETT & UNDERWOOD UNDE ACT REP SQUAD ANNOUNCED PROFILING XAVIER MCMAHON RAMS TACKLE NEW FRONTIER inside News 4 AFL Canberra Limited Bradman Stand Manuka Oval Manuka Circle ACT 2603 PO Box 3759, Manuka ACT 2603 Seniors 16-23 Ph 02 6228 0337 CHECK OUT OUR Fax 02 6232 7312 Reserves 24 Publisher Coordinate PO Box 1975 Under 18’s 25 WODEN ACT 2606 NEW WEBSITE! Ph 02 6162 3600 Email [email protected] Neither the editor, the publisher nor AFL Canberra accepts liability of any form for loss or harm of any type however caused All design material in the magazine is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced without the written www.coordinate.com.au permission of Coordinate. Editor Jamie Wilson Ph 02 6162 3600 Round 12 Email [email protected] Designer Logan Knight Ph 02 6162 3600 Email [email protected] vs Photography Andrew Trost Email [email protected] Belconnen Magpies, Sat 28th June, 2pm vs Greenway Oval, Sun 29th June, 2pm vs Margaret Donoghoe Oval, Sun 29th June, 2pm DESIGN + BRANDING + ADVERTISING + INTERNET In the box with the GM david wark Round 11 provided us all with more questions than in April and none at Greenway in August and you answers. The Hawks are not that far off the pace have the basic plan. Throw in the Canberra Cup it seems and this week will be a real threat for Challenge on April 25 for the two top Canberra a hot Ainslie unit. Belconnen—are they THAT sides from this year and you will quickly find good? The battle of the Manuka co-tenant will little leeway. be intriguing given Eastlakes capacity to vary their methods this year. And the Swans have been The Rep side had their first meeting this week. less than fearsome in Canberra but the Tigers The squad is varied with all the necessary football have lost their growl. This week will be fascinating. attributes covered. How the final 24 comes together will largely be decided by the form and The draw has received comment in many circles. commitment of players from here. The objective The truth of the matter is that a computer does of the exercise was made very clear to the players the entire thing. We receive the parameters we at the meeting. Whilst we want the experience need to work around—ground availability and club to be a great one and for friendships to be forged requests generally—and put this information into beyond club boundaries and for the team to be a program that was designed overseas. I appreciate immaculate in presentation and behaviour the the frustrations with the repetitive nature of games one measure of success will be whether the side during some months but it was the best program wins or not. At this point my desire would be to the system could generate. I would welcome control our own destiny and be removed from any person’s attempt to improve on it for the 2009 the need for outside influences to impact on the season. Just match up Swans seniors home games team’s performance. If deserved the ACT team with their reserves, have no games at Manuka will win…if deserved. 'Dad do you think Tuggeranong know that Canberra Milk is the real reason for the 2008 Ainslie resurgence? We love Canberra Milk don't we..." Lucy Neely Proud sponsor of AFL Canberra The ACT representative team has been a standout player for Vic country and was on Ainslie Belconnen Eastlake announced with the biggest names in our Essendon’s list the following year; so there’s competition set to compete against others a bit of incentive for our boys to perform.” Bill Neely (18) Steve Mahar (3) Nathan Clarke (3) John Holmes (2) James Bennett (6) Aaron Rogers (5) from around the nation. Queanbeyan’s With so much talent on the field, Armstrong has powerhouse forward, Mark Armstrong found himself in the luxurious position where Ben Hughes (5) Cam Ilett (14) Jeremy Stiller (12) will coach the side and is very optimistic the side isn’t dependant on one key player. Ryan Lewis (6) Josh Jennings (13) Stafford Cooper (16) about his chances. “The beauty of our team is that so many players can Tony Bourke (39) Griffin Underwood (27) Leigh McMahon (20) “Historically speaking I think we have a great take on different roles. It obviously helps us a lot Connor Pettersson (11) Paul Raadts (8) Jason Duce (2) chance. We won the carnival four years ago and in that we’ll have a number of targets up forward, went very close again in 2006. I don’t think the a number of midfielders who can run the ball- Eric Stone (26) Andrew Ainger (15) Sean Clarke (13) standard of our competition has dropped since basically our structure won’t be dependent on one Michael Ghobrial (14) Scott Henning (9) Ben Collins (11) then and we’ll be looking for an impressive particular player.” performance,” he said. Ash Harris Lexi Bennett (11) Eastlake’s Nathan Clarke is used to making the Luke Jeffrey (12) Armstrong is no stranger to the coaching role, decisions on game day. Clarke is captain/coach of having coached his beloved Tigers for the past the Demons and has been in career best form in Matt Porter seven seasons. This is his first attempt at coaching 2008. Despite his coaching roll at Eastlake, Clarke the ACT team and Mark is looking forward to is relishing the opportunity to play solely as a Queanbeyan Tuggeranong the challenge. player and to also play under the guidance of Mark Armstrong (1) Troy Takanen (10) Mark Armstrong. “We’ve got a great mix of players from the various James Kavanagh (10) Craig Healey (17) clubs. There’s a lot of talent across the ground so “Mark’s a very good coach; he’s one of the players Mark Powell (17) Troy Fenyvesi (7) it’ll be a thrill to work with them all,” he said. I admire most, not only in this competition but in my playing experience. He’s definitely the best full Scott Dickinson (23) The Championship gives the ACT competition and forward I’ve ever seen, so to play under him will Mitch Daniher (15) indeed its players some well earned exposure. be a great opportunity,” Clarke said. Andrew Lieschke (18) “I think because we’re playing so close to “The ACT competition seems to be getting younger Paul Williams (26) Melbourne that Victorian based clubs might send and so experience is becoming rare. I played in the someone to watch the carnival. There are guys in Championships in 2006 and I think I’m the second Ryan Quade (2) the ACT team who I think could step up and play oldest bloke in the side. So experience is something Roy Jaques (13) AFL footy, so there’ll probably be some pretty that I can bring to the table,” he said. interested spectators,” Mark said. The Country Championships will be held in “We played against Brett Kirk a number of Shepparton in Victoria, on the 24th, 25th years ago, who has obviously gone on to huge and 26th of July. things. More recently Nathan Lovett-Murray was Proud sponsor of AFL Canberra Proud sponsor of AFL Canberra Griffin Underwood By Joe Sullivan “I don’t know how, but I have managed to poll It’s billed as AFL Canberra’s night of nights; a few (votes) in the years gone by,” he told the the night where the best and fairest player AFL Canberra Football Record. in the competition is chosen and awarded Clarke said that his relationship with the umpires the prestigious Mulrooney medal for their on the field can be temperamental at times and efforts during the season. can’t understand why he has done so well in previous years. It may well be eight weeks away, but as the race for the 2008 Mulrooney medal hots up, the AFL “I can be a bit of a hot head on the ground and Canberra Football Record office has bantered that’s something I’m always trying to control, around on who they think the favourite is having is my temper. passed the half way point of the season. “Sometimes, like all of us, I get a bit aggro Names like Nathan Clarke from Eastlake, Cam Ilett and let fly with a few words.” and Griffin Underwood from Belconnen and even Mitch Daniher from Queanbeyan keep popping up. No doubt the umpires have been keeping track of Clarke’s sprays this year, but they will also All of these players have showed courage and have been taking note of Griffin Underwood determination on the field this year along with silky from the Magpies. skills but similarly they all refuse to put themselves down as any sort of favourite. Griffin and his brother Ryan arrived from Victoria at the start of the year and in their first season Nathan Clarke inspires his team with his leadership have played some exceptional football; Griffin and has traditionally polled well with the umpires was awarded the inaugural ANZAC day medal come medal night, yet he believes there is a with a best on ground performance against conspiracy working ‘against’ him. Queanbeyan on ANZAC day. Proud sponsor of AFL Canberra Mitch Daniher Nathan Clarke Names like Nathan Clarke from Eastlake, Cam Ilett and Griffin Underwood from Belconnen and even Mitch Daniher from Queanbeyan keep popping up. Underwood junior told the record he has been “It’s a team game and that’s what I focus on happy with his form since arriving at Belconnen.