**It’s no secret that CATANI icon Beryl Banbury loves her football and netball club at Taplins Road, but the long-time legend took that love to new levels last week. Beryl turned 85, but instead of getting a normal size birthday cake, her and daughter Ange picked up a colossal cake that the pair brought to training on Thursday night. When dinners were complete, birthday-girl Beryl’s cake was used as a dessert for the whole club. Happy birthday Beryl!
-FOOTY SHORTS had an interesting conversation with PHILLIP ISLAND coach Cameron Pedersen last week, where the chat turned to the possibility of senior interleague football making a return. We’re not sure what the interest levels are across the WGFNC – or other leagues for that matter – but if Pedersen’s enthusiasm for the concept is anything to go by then the WGFNC can pencil in its first ruck. It was very refreshing to listen to such a positive voice for the concept, from a senior coach who would even encourage his players to take part!
-There’s been plenty of news flying around lately about the Player Points System (PPS), with Omeo Districts premiership favourites SWAN REACH being stripped of all its points after being found guilty of intentionally breaching the PPS this season. And it would appear AFL Victoria is finally starting to listen to concerns about the integrity of the PPS, with a prominent advocate for community football in the South East having a seat at the table with AFL Victoria recently. The advocate has certainly done his homework…so let’s hope the head honchos can take the listening part and turn it into action.
-OLINDA FERNY CREEK is on the lookout for a new coach, after Brendan Donovan announced that he would not be continuing in the role in 2024. “Ginks” led to the club to a premiership in 2017 after joining in late 2015 and will leave an indelible mark on the club as one of the most significant figures in its’ history, the club said on Facebook. “While he will always be very fondly acknowledged as our first ever Division One premiership coach, his strength, guidance and leadership behind the scenes right throughout have equally been his greatest achievements, particularly through the two Covid-19 ravaged years of 2020 & 2021,” the club said.
-”He reminds me of Brendan Kimber the way he attacks the football.” Praise doesn’t come much higher than that in these parts, but CORA LYNN icon Terry Dillon was happy to show his appreciation of new recruit Josh Cochrane after just one game at the club. Cochrane backed up his impressive debut with the Cobras with another pack-splitting display against NAR NAR GOON on Saturday. With CASEY DEMONS champ Jimmy Munro also in the side, the Cobras midfield looked brutally impressive at the contest.
-While on Terry Dillon, TD was reunited with an important piece of CORA LYNN history on Saturday. Long-time fan Heather Parker gave Dillon back the number-five jumper that he wore in the club’s 1986 premiership, coached by local icon Joe Lenders. Parker was a big fan of Dillon at the time, so TD – quite literally – gave her the jumper off his back. TD explained that only four players had worn the ‘5’ jumper in the last 53 years…with Frank Duiker, TD, Jeremy Duiker and incumbent Tim Payne the four in question. Combined, the quartet has played more than 1100 games for the club!
-Back to CATANI for a minute; the Blues have a huge event planned for Saturday 29 July with the club’s Past Players Day doubling as a 100-year celebration of all things Catani. Regular names like Ron and Beryl Banbury are helping to organise the event, which should be a ripper. Grab a copy of next week’s Gazette, where we’ll take a closer look at the history of the great club and the township.
-GEMBROOK COCKATOO coach Brad Coller was left confused after two of his players and one from MT EVELYN were yellow-carded during a half time scuffle. And not just any players, but star forward Myles Wareham and Brayden Baguley were the two punished, forced to anxiously watch as their side battled away against the Rovers. “Unlucky with the send-offs at half time when they pick two Gembrook blokes and one Mt Evelyn bloke out of the 20 that are in a wrestle,” he said. “I thought that was a bit stiff. Even though Myles was pushing and shoving with someone else, they picked Myles out, so I was a bit dirty on that. But you can’t change those sorts of things, umpires are always right.”
-INVERLOCH-KONGWAK recruit Tate Short is turning heads in more ways than one with his form pretty hot both on and off the field. The Sea Eagles defender could almost not play another game this year and still earn selection at centre-half-back in the WGFNC Team of the Year, while the part-time model is also having an impact off the field as well. When a photo of Short was sent through to WGFNC Operations Manager Brett Tessari for the weekend’s Barracker…Tessari suggested that the photo of Short could end up on his wall at home as well. Word around the traps is that Tessari is not the only fan of the good-looking Rooster!
-FOOTY SHORTS had to have a chuckled at CORA LYNN on Saturday when we noticed the breathalyser that sits just inside the front door of its social rooms was unplugged. We’re not sure if this only happens after big wins that require celebrating – such as that against NAR NAR GOON on Saturday – or if the machine simply requires recalibration. Whatever the reason, the froffies would have been flowing freely at the Cobradome on the weekend.
-Some goal-kicking milestones to keep in mind in the WGFNC this weekend. The race is on with KOOWEERUP’s Jason Wells (296) and CORA LYNN’s Nathan Gardiner (291) looking to become the first player to kick 300 goals since the WGFNC came to the fore in 2017. And WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS star Mason McGarrity needs just two more goals to chalk up 100 in the competition.
-There may be a new contender for the best viewing platform in the local footy scene, thanks to the recently opened facilities at MT EVELYN. The Mt Evelyn Sports and Community Hub offers a stunning elevated perspective over the tiny ground, equipped with slick indoor facilities to cater for functions and events. Nearly four years in the making, the balcony was chock-full of supporters maroon, cheering home the home side in the win over GEMBROOK COCKATOO on Saturday.
-Good to see BEACONSFIELD Junior Footy Club helping to spread the message about road safety during TAC Round. Each player was given a different arm band to wear, to raise awareness about the important issue of eliminating casualties on the road.
-An interesting quirk on Friday night in the Southern Football Netball League thirds competition with DINGLEY senior coach Zach Horsley lining up against his own team! Horsley has been a regular in the seniors for the ladder-leading Heatherhill this year and is also heavily involved with the cricket club. He was coming off a bag of eight against Narre South and kicked two in a comfortable win.
-DANDENONG STINGRAYS and Vic Country co-captain Harry DeMattia spoke well on live TV last week. The dual sportsman is noted for how well he speaks and showed that on the Fox Footy panel show last week, speaking about the national championships and his footy journey.
