VFL Round 9 TAC Cup Round 9 4 - 5 June 2016 $3.00 Division 1 U18 Championships kick off This weekend is the first step for many U18 footballers towards draft day in late November with the start of the Division 1 NAB AFL U18 Championships. Congratulations goes to each player selected to represent the state at U18 level, with the two AFL Victoria Academy teams – reigning champions Vic Country and Vic Metro – having named their final squads. We once again thank Dairy Australia for its support of our Academy program courtesy of their Legendairy campaign. Over recent years we have seen a number of players highlight why they are touted as high draft selections with dominant performances at the Championships, like Larke Medal winners Christian Petracca (Eastern Ranges) and Josh Schache (Murray Bushrangers). The Championships have also been the making of a number of players who have performed strongly on the national stage to help raise their names into draft conversations. For those players not selected in the final squads, you only need to look at the likes of Morrish Medal winner Clayton Oliver, who did not play at the Championships but was draft ed at pick four from the Murray Bushrangers, as well as Gippsland Power player Tom Papley, who was rookie-listed by the Sydney Swans. Both have been NAB AFL Rising Star nominees this season, proving there are a number of pathways to the elite level. Finally, it was not the result we were aft er in South Australia last weekend when the VFL faced the SANFL and was defeated by 19 points, but well done to all the players and staff that represented the competition. The time and dedication displayed by every member of the team on and off the field should be recognised, as you represented your club and competition with distinction. Steven Reaper AFL Victoria CEO Contents Who’s playing who 3 5 Joseph Atley/Daniel Venables 34 35 Werribee vs Collingwood 6 7 Nick Meese/Ed Carr 36 37 Footscray vs Williamstown 8 9 VFL weekly content 38 39 Coburg vs Richmond 10 VFL Women’s 40 41 Geelong vs Sandringham 12 13 TAC Cup weekly content 42 43 Box Hill Hawks vs North Ballarat 15 Stats Central 44 45 Casey Scorpions vs Port Melbourne 21 AFL Vic News 46 47 Northern Blues vs Frankston 64 Quiz 52 53 Eastern vs Sandringham 54 55 Calder vs Oakleigh 56 57 Gippsland vs North Ballarat 58 59 Western vs Northern 11 Geelong vs Seaford 60 61 Murray vs Geelong 62 63 Bendigo vs Dandenong Editor: Ben Pollard [email protected] Contributors: Anthony Stanguts, Kirstie Fitzgerald, Callum O’Connor Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photos (unless otherwise credited) Ikon Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Rosanna Butler (03) 8341 6021 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Cover: Jack Reaper in action for the Calder Cannons Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 this year www.aflvic.com.au www.taccup.com.au 01 Television Online VFL Online Website: www.vfl.com.au Twitter: @VFL #PJVFL Facebook: www.facebook.com/vflfooty Sunday June 5: 11.30am TAC Cup Online Coburg v Richmond Website: www.taccup.com.au Download the PLUS7 Live app to stream games live Twitter: @TACCup Watch a replay at: au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/vfl Facebook: www.facebook.com/taccupfooty Next game: Sat – Casey Scorpions v Collingwood/ Instagram: @aflvictoria Sun – Sandringham v Essendon Radio L VFL Live I Saturday June 4: Werribee v Collingwood from 1.45pm V Live on Aussie digital, the Red Time Sport iPhone and Android apps, plus online via vfl.com.au E Returns: July 9 - Northern Blues v Geelong R TAC Cup Radio A D Saturday June 4: Gippsland Power v North Ballarat Rebels from 12.45pm I Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone app or via taccup.com.au O Next game: Northern Knights v Sandringham Dragons (June 19) 3WBC Sunday June 5: Box Hill Hawks v North Ballarat from 1pm Listen to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next week: Box Hill Hawks v Northern Blues Casey Radio Sunday June 5: Casey Scorpions v Port Melbourne from 1pm Listen to 97.7FM in Melbourne, online at www.caseyradio.com.au or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next game: Frankston v Footscray (June 19) Video Streaming Visit vfl.com.au on Saturday June 4 for a live stream of: Werribee v Collingwood from 2pm Watch the action and listen to the call from the VFL Live team. Replays online at vfl.com.au under the MEDIA tab. Returns: July 9 - Northern Blues v Geelong 02 www.vfl.com.au Next generation Joe Atley on show Division 1 of the NAB AFL U18 Championships kicks off this weekend, when Vic Country will begin the defence of the title it won last year in an undefeated campaign. The U18 Championships is the proving ground for the best TAC Cup talent ahead of November’s NAB AFL Draft, illustrated by the fact that all 10 top-age TAC Cup stars selected in the 2015 U18 All Australian team are now on AFL lists. The AFL Victoria Record spoke to two of this year’s TAC Cup crop hoping to make an impact in the 2016 U18 Championships: Vic Country’s Joseph Atley (from the Bendigo Pioneers) and Vic Metro’s Daniel Venables (Western Jets). Daniel Venables www.taccup.com.au 03 Joseph Atley is one of four TAC Cup club captains a diff erent player to his brother Shaun, who’s selected in the Vic Country squad, but the Bendigo established himself as a skilful running defender at Pioneers midfielder will be happy to simply lead by North Melbourne. his actions at the U18 Championships. Joe Atley is thankful it’s diff icult to directly compare Fellow TAC Cup skippers Jarrod Berry of the him to his brother and would rather model his game North Ballarat Rebels and Ben Ainsworth from the on Shaun’s Kangaroos teammate Ben Cunnington, Gippsland Power have commanded the attention one of the AFL’s clearance kings. of many following stellar performances in the 2015 Despite Shaun having experience in elite-level finals, Championships that saw them named U18 All the seemingly unflappable Joe said he wouldn’t need Australians. much advice from his brother on handling the big Dandenong Stingrays co-captain Liam McKay has stages of the U18 Championships. performed well under the radar this year, while Atley “Because I’ve played in the U16 Championships (in himself is only now emerging as the footballer he wants to be. He spent last year playing multiple 2014), I probably know what to expect (in the U18 positions for the Pioneers but has settled into his Championships),” Atley said. “I know it’s hard to say preferred role as a hard-nosed inside midfielder in because it’s another step up, but you’ve kind of got an 2016. idea of what it’s going to be like. Without as many runs on the board as some of his “I don’t usually ask Shaun for much advice. He usually contemporaries, the 17-year-old from Rochester plans gets home and we like driving around in the paddock to let his football do the talking over the next month. on the farm and just getting away from footy. “Last year the Pioneers started me on a half-back “He pretty much just says to enjoy your footy. You flank and then I played a bit of midfield later on,” don’t play it forever, so if you’re not enjoying it, what’s Atley said. “This year I’ve been pretty much just a the point?” midfielder and pushed forward a little bit more and Atley should certainly enjoy getting hands dirty kicked a few goals (five in seven games), which is alongside the likes of Berry, Ainsworth and Murray something I’ve tried to work on. Bushrangers midfielder Will Brodie, as he did at the “(Vic Country coach) Paul Henriksen said he’ll use me U16 Championships in 2014. pretty much as an inside midfielder. Get the ball and Back then, a core group of Country players who now give it to the blokes on the outside of the contest – find themselves reunited for the U18 Championships that’s pretty much my job. defeated Vic Metro and lost by eight points or less to “I just like to play hard, tough football and hopefully South Australia and Western Australia. others follow.” That form indicates an improved Joe Atley and his Atley’s ability as an inside midfielder makes him mates won’t be far off the pace again. Joe Atley 04 www.vfl.com.au Daniel Venables Daniel Venables, meanwhile, comes into Vic Metro’s use him more in the forward line during the U18 U18 Championships campaign feeling much healthier Championships, where the hard-nosed but skilful ball than he has at times over the last year. user can impact the scoreboard. The Western Jets mid-forward is finally logging He hopes to emulate fellow Keilor junior, Vic Metro consistent game time aft er a 2015 season cut short representative and 2014 Western Jets graduate by a broken leg and then hip surgery. The 17-year-old Jayden Laverde (now at Essendon) in terms of his is using the chance to show the football world how on-field versatility. dangerous he can be, booting six goals in two games “I love watching Jayden play,” Venables said.