TAC CUP FINALS WEEK 1 QUALIFYING & ELIMINATION AUGUST 30-31, 2014 $3.00 CCalderalder tthehe tteameam ttoo bbeateat Photos: Cherie Dear SSandringhamandringham DDragonsragons 111.6.721.6.72 d EEasternastern RRangesanges 111.5.711.5.71 THE NATURAL MULTI-VITAMIN FOR YOUR KIDS. With 10 essential nutrients, it’s a natural source of vitamins, minerals and protein which children need for growth and development. In one convenient source - milk. daid ryryay usttralia.iai ccomm.auauu/le/ genenddadaiirryy EDITORIAL Finals time Welcome to a month-long footy feast as the TAC Cup competition reaches the business end of the season. After a dramatic fi nale to the end of the home and them to a level where they earn away season all the questions over the past few the accolades of their peers. weeks of who will fi nish where have been answered. Next Weekend, the TAC Cup Now the eight remaining teams and players get the will salute the 2014 Morrish Medal winner for the chance to display their talents under the pressure of best and fairest player in the competition. fi nals football. It is the showpiece of an evening where the TAC Cup Following an intriguing Round 18 in the TAC Cup the also recognises the TAC Coaches Award, TAC Cup fi nal eight positions were decided, but not until the fi nal Radio Leading Goal Kicker and TAC Cup Team of the siren sounded on the very last game of the weekend, as Year. just one game separated third and eighth. Fate would have it that the two players in contention Ballarat Rebels knocked Oakleigh Chargers off the top for the TAC Cup Radio Leading Goal Kicker award of the Baileys Ladders ladder with a thrilling two point played against each other in the fi nal round. win at Eureka Stadium. Northern Knight Reece McKenzie booted three goals, Calder Cannons seized the opportunity presented to but Calder Cannon Jayden Foster had his measure them to fi nish as the competition minor premiers, kicking six to take the title with 39 goals for the defeating Northern Knights and claiming the number season. one spot. 24 players will be selected in the TAC Cup Team of the Gippsland Power won’t be part of the September Year. It’s worth noting that from the 24 players named action, but they still had a big impact on the fi nal in the 2013 TAC Cup Team of the Year, 18 were drafted standings. Their two point win over the Western Jets by AFL clubs with the majority of them making their saw the Jets tumble from third down to sixth on the AFL debut in 2014. ladder. Power helping their country cousins Geelong Falcon’s and North Ballarat into third and fourth place The stage is set for an enthralling TAC Cup fi nal series respectively. with all fi rst week’s fi nals at VISY Park, the Qualifying Finals on Saturday and the Elimination Finals on Murray Bushrangers left nothing to chance, their Sunday. 15-point win over Bendigo Pioneers securing eight spot and knocking last year’s premiers Eastern Ranges Enjoy the start of a fabulous month in Victorian out of contention. football. Along with the team success, we also celebrate those Grant Williams individuals whose season-long brilliance has elevated AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Anthony Stanguts, David O’Neill, Kate Mitchell Design & Print: Cyan Press Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams www.afl vic.com.au State League & Talent Manager: John Hook High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover photo: Calder Cannons players Tristian Davies (53), Damien Cavka (36) and Lachlan Cavanagh (7) Talent Operations Coordinator: Rhy Gieschen celebrate with their team mates after a win Talent Operations Coordinator: Lauren Bunting www.taccup.com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE TAC CUP MEDIA COVERAGE Keep up to date with all the action from the TAC Cup via the following media coverage: TAC Cup Radio Tune in from 11.15am to TAC Cup Radio as Phil Crooks, Rick Morris, Gabe Sorrentino and Paige Cardona bring you all of the TAC Cup fi nals action Saturday August 30: Oakleigh Chargers v Geelong Falcons Calder Cannons v North Ballarat Rebels Sunday August 31: Western Jets v Dandenong Stingrays Sandringham Dragons v Murray Bushrangers Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone App or www.taccup.com.au Next week: ALL fi nals matches TAC Cup Future Stars TAC Cup Future Stars has returned to Channel 9 for season 2014. Join Craig Hutchinson and the team as they keep you up to date with results and information from AFL Victoria’s TAC Cup competition. Tune in this Sunday August 31, 1pm on Channel 9. TAC Cup Online Keep up to date with the TAC Cup via the following methods: Website: www.taccup.com.au @TACCup www.facebook.com/taccupfooty Morrish Medal video stream Tune to www.taccup.com.au from 7:15pm Sunday September 7 for a live video stream of the 2014 Morrish Medal night TAC CUP RADIO TIPSTERS LW TOTAL LW TOTAL LW TOTAL LW TOTAL Rick Morris 4 72 Paige Cardona 3 71 Gabe Sorrentino 3 68 Phil Crooks 4 66 Calder Cannons Calder Cannons Calder Cannons North Ballarat Rebels Oakleigh Chargers Geelong Falcons Geelong Falcons Geelong Falcons Western Jets Western Jets Western Jets Western Jets Sandringham Dragons Sandringham Dragons Sandringham Dragons Murray Bushrangers 2 www.afl vic.com.au TAC CUP NEWS News Foster wins Leading Goal Kicker It all came down to the fi nal round to determine the TAC Cup Radio Leading Goal Kicker award for 2014. Going into Round 18 Jayden Foster (Calder Cannons) on 33 goals held a slender lead over Reece McKenzie (Northern Knights) on 32. Both players have proven their ability to kick a bag of goals throughout the season, so it was a much anticipated showdown between the Knights and Cannons forwards last Saturday. Foster took the honours with a six goal haul, taking his total for the season to 39. McKenzie kicked three goals, fi nishing just four goals behind on 35. Whilst he narrowly missed the title, McKenzie’s ten goals against Eastern Ranges in Round 13 was the stand out performance in front of goals this year. The Cannons potent forward line was highlighted with Peter Wright also booting four goals in the game to fi nish third on the goal kicking tally with 31. Former Bushranger a Rising Star Former Murray Bushranger Matt Taberner is the Round 22 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee. The 21-year-old Fremantle forward had a break-out match in the Dockers’ 58-point win over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba with 22 disposals (14 kicks and eight handpasses), four tackles and a goal. Matt was selection 11 in the 2012 NAB AFL Rookie Draft and was elevated to the senior list as selection 70 of the 2013 NAB AFL Draft. Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said Matt has made the most of his opportunities this season. “Matt is off our rookie list and is continually working extremely hard in all areas of his game,” Lyon said. “He has earned his place in the team with some very consistent performances at Peel Thunder and we look forward to him continually improving at Fremantle.” Bendigo Pioneers name their best and fairest The fi rst of the TAC Cup clubs awards nights has been held with vice-captain Liam Barrett taking out the Bendigo Pioneers best and fairest award, the Neville Strauch Memorial. Averaging 17 disposals per game, Barrett edged out Daniel Davie, Tom Cole and Billy Evans by 3 votes. Other awards on the night included Most Consistent Player - Josh Ryan, Most Improved Player - Daniel Davie, Pioneer Pillar Award - Matt Pickering, John Turner Memorial Best Clubman - Jake Maher, Life Membership - Peter Gibbs, Mark Snell. Along with farewelling top aged players, the Pioneers will also be farewelling their coach. After three years at the helm of the Pioneers, coach Dave Newett is moving on. www.taccup.com.au 3 FINALS PREVIEW Oakleigh Chargers v Geelong Falcons If the Round 17 clash between Oakleigh Chargers and Geelong Falcons is anything to go by, get ready for a classic Qualifying Final encounter this Saturday. Seven points was the biggest margin at any of the breaks After just the one loss in the fi rst 13 rounds of the season throughout the afternoon the last time they met just a (to North Ballarat Rebels in Round 6) Oakleigh has suffered fortnight ago, with the Falcons eventual winners by just one defeats in three of its last four matches to fi nish in second solitary point. spot; with those three defeats all to top eight teams. Geelong’s Joe Maishman levelled the scores in the fi nal Geelong on the other hand has benefi tted from the return of term, but it was a behind off the boot of Max Augerinos with its private school and U18 Championship players late in the three minutes to go that helped the Falcons lock in its spot season, winning four of their last fi ve games to jump from in the fi nals, and leave Oakleigh in danger of losing top spot sixth to third to enjoy a double chance in the fi nals. in the fi nal round. Oakleigh will need to fi nd accuracy towards goal this Earlier in the year in Round 5, only nine points separated the weekend, with 23 scoring shots (5.18) to 10 last week not sides at three quarter time before the Chargers kicked three seeing them register a win.