MUSTANG MESSENGER Thursday 7th July THIS WEEK @ Heights Reserve . 2 games under lights Friday night U16s, 7.00pm (Vs Rowville) Saturday Reserves, 12.00 midday Saturday Seniors, 2.10pm Saturday U18s, 5.00pm Mooroolbark V Doncaster East Support the future of our club - get along and see the 16s & 18s play under lights. Past Players Day 2011 In the club-rooms 12.00 - 2.00pm This Saturday Night!! TRIPLE PREMIERSHIP REUNION See Scott Dima for all the details! Under 14s 1999, Under 15s 2000, Under 16s 2001 Mooroolbark Football Club Inc. Established 1965 The Heights Reserve, Longfellow Ave, Mooroolbark 3138. Tel: 9725 0612 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mooroolbarkfc.com.au Take ‘THE OATH’ via Facebook and put Mooroolbark Football Club in line for possible Ca$h rewards! Would you take a Blood Oath to look out for your mates on the roads? The EFL challenges your club to try and make the leaderboard & win cash for your club. Blood Oath is a joint campaign between the TAC and AFL Victoria to prevent young people from being killed or seriously injured in road trauma. Fronted by twin AFL senior coaches, Brad and Chris Scott, My Blood Oath reminds young men that “Your mate’s life is in your hands” and pushes the road safety message through Victorian football clubs at all levels. Road trauma remains the single biggest killer of young people aged 18-25 worldwide. Taking an oath to drive safely shows your friends and family that you are serious about putting an end to road trauma. Being a part of the Blood Oath could not only save your life, but save your footy club. Fixtures & Functions! ROUND: 12 9-Jul-11 Mooroolbark V Doncaster East Make the most of our amazing new facilities! ROUND: 13 16-Jul-11 Only 2 dates left!! Round 15 or 17 MJFC Bayswater V Mooroolbark 7 Tables of 7 Guests. $90 per person for the afternoon 1.00pm - 5.00pm. View a Home ROUND: 14 23-Jul-11 Game from the upper area of the Clubrooms - Mooroolbark V Waverley Blues toasty and warm, behind the windows. Bookings essential - See Kylie or Denise ROUND: 15 30-Jul-11 Mooroolbark V Montrose ROUND: 16 6-Aug-11 Jimmy Darvidis - 16 July Wantirna South V Mooroolbark Support our Junior Club, see Jimmy Darvidis LIVE ROUND: 17 13-Aug-11 in at the clubrooms. Mooroolbark V UFTG ROUND: 18 20-Aug-11 Donvale V Mooroolbark SENIOR MATCH REPORT ~ MOOROOLBARK VS LILYDALE This game was the ultimate test for our club. Playing the top side on their home turf - the week after losing their first game for the season - is certainly the perfect recipe for a tough challenge. Were we up to it? It was clear that it was going to be a tough, grinding contest due to the unusual dimensions of the Lilydale ground. There would be no place to hide for the faint hearted. We drew first blood when Kire marked and nailed his first set shot of the day. Lilydale had an extra man dropping back to cut off Kire’s lead and we picked this bloke out on a number of occasions early in the game. The first term was a battle of defences. Wadsy, Redda, Trent and Puss were working hard in our back half. The physical nature of the game was incredible. Lilydale spectators get a very close up view of proceedings and the smack of flesh on flesh and hard tackling was a reminder for those on my side of the fence that it takes courage to pull on the boots- especially at this level. Jonesy copped a nasty bump in the head and after gathering his senses hit Kid on the chest with a classic Jonesy delivery. Kid’s second kept our noses in front at the first break. Having lost Fordy to a rib injury in the first quarter, Chris Nayna had to step up and carry the ruck duties on his muscular (some would say sexy,) shoulders. Chris has been more impressive with each passing week. His athleticism is truly breathtaking and his one touch football a delight to watch. Chris has a football brain and knows when to dish off a soft hands handpass or thump the pill twenty metres our way. The game was a low scoring , torrid affair which I still found absorbing. The deadlock was broken when Matty Gale somehow found space on the outer wing, took a couple of bounces and hit Kire on the lead. Kid drilled his third and we had the upper hand. Thommo was doing his usual wonderful job and his closing speed is phenomenal. So often a forward will gain a break on Thommo and look certain to take an easy mark, but our boy always manages to get a fist on the pill or even mark it himself. (Whilst writing about Thommo - congratulations on your 100th game, last week. We all love watching you play ~ well done champ!) We still held a narrow lead at halftime. Lilydale took the lead for the first time in the opening minute of the quarter when their Roach (an infinitely inferior model to ours) ran into goal and behaved as if he had won the premiership for his mob. Perspective is everything . Benny Mullett responded quickly with a magnificent snap from the pocket. Trent won the Sherrin and wheeled on to his renowned left foot and Kid found himself in a rare one on one contest. He outmuscled his opponent and ran into the open goal to put us ten points up with some momentum. A poor kick in handed Lilydale a goal on a platter and when Hottes did a Selwood and won an undeserved free for a high tackle, Lilydale had once again regained the lead. The game continued to ebb and flow, but stoppages became more frequent and the game was now an ugly battle of attrition. The courage and commitment of both teams could not be questioned. We entered the final term only five points in arrears. This bruising arm wrestle looked set to go down to the wire. Lilydale missed three opportunities to goal. The game was being played in their forward half but we were hanging in there. When nine points down, with about ten minutes to go, the ball went deep into our forward line. Kire chased a defender, caught him and brought him to the ground with a perfect tackle. We all waited the inevitable free kick which would surely follow, but for some inexplicable reason the whistle was not blown. This was our final chance to keep the game alive. Moments later Lilydale scored their only goal for the term , but it was enough to see them home in what had been a dour struggle. Mooroolbark: 5. 4. 34 Lilydale: 6. 15. 51 Goal Kickers: K. Talevski 4, B. Mullett Best Players: C. Nayna, S. Roach, M. Polkinghorne, C. Linford, T. Georgiou, L. Chivers valued U8s & U9s Junior Mustangs attend “EFL Almost Little Legends” SPONSORS Well Done Kylie Charlton & Kristy Sealy! Although dry, conditions on Wednesday were fffreeeeezing cold and windy for Mooroolbark Junior Football Club Under 9s and Under 8s who participated in the EFL Channel 9 Footy Clinic. The clinic was held at Ringwood, Jubilee Park and over 900 EFL Junior kids attended. The kids’ ‘warm-up’ was hosted by Shane Crawford and Billy Brownless. Nine News' Tony Jones kicked things off, welcoming the Nine News team, Peter Hitchener, Livinia Nixon and Jo Hall before James Brayshaw, Sam Newman, Dermott Brereton and Nathan Brown joined in the festivities to a rapturous crowd of Under 8s, 9s and 10s players. Hawthorn footballers Cyril Rioli, Luke Bruest, Ben Stratton, Clinton Young and Shane Suckling oversaw each drill (tackling, marking, bouncing, kicking and handballing) with the help of The Footy Show boys. It was a morning filled with smiles, activities and giveaways for both the children and parents alike. Our very own Kylie Charlton and Kristy Sealy spent hours on the ground, helping and encouraging the kids and ensuring everything ran smoothly. Well Done Girls!! Several parents have made mention of your dedication in the success of the day - and the fantastic organisation to get the juniors involved in this fantastic School Holiday initiative. RESSIES MATCH REPORT ~ MOOROOLBARK VS LILYDALE It was great to see Azza Biggins back where he belongs and a couple of old familiar faces in Lemo and Cowboy Cam Mitchell ran onto the ground to do battle with the boys from Lilydale. The first half was a bit of blur for me because one of the forum regulars - not the GMac - found me under the scoreboard and we had a quite engaging chat throughout the first two quarters. We were right in the game at halftime, trailing by three goals. When the third quarter began it was all Lilydale. They kicked three unanswered goals in quick time and we were finding it hard to go beyond the centre of the ground. When they added a fourth it was beginning to look like a blow out was on the cards. It was about this time when Jacko stepped out of the phone booth, having removed his suit and spectacles and strode down to our goal-square. His first goal came on the run after a nice build up. Nice. Let’s save some face, I thought. Then Jacko marked and calmly slotted his second. Cool. We were beginning to win the centre clearances and once again we rushed the ball forward. Clokey tapped the ball to Jonesy who in turn found Azza.