Try-out for Doves and Eagles

By Glen Atwell
FOOTBALL will be the talk of downtown Doveton this Friday night when the town’s two teams clash in a practice match at Robinson Reserve.
The Doveton Eagles, a Southern Football League (SFL) division three side will take on the Casey-Cardinia Football League reigning premiers the Doveton Doves.
The match will give spectators a rare chance to see the two teams battle it out and give coaches and selectors the opportunity to evaluate their pre-season progress.
The Eagles, buoyed by the return of tough defender Ben Hughes, will field a near full-strength team, while the Doves, captained by Ryan Hendy, will use the match as a chance to blood a number of up-and-coming players.
Eagles president Craig Price said the match would serve as an important part of his side’s pre-season.
“It’s a good chance for us to have a hit-out with the Doves,” he said.
“They won’t be at full-strength, but it should be a good match.”
With the two clubs halving the night’s bar takings, it also gives the teams a chance to boost pre-season cash flow.
“That’s just as important – it gives us a financial boost coming into the new season,” Price said.
In other football news, prized Doveton Eagles midfielder Russell Weeding has made the move to the Lyndale Pumas after former Eagles coach Paul Wilson recruited the speedy ball-winner to his new club.
Weeding will provide much-needed run through the Pumas midfield and has emerged as a player able to turn a game off his own boot.
After being sacked by Narre Warren Football Club for a serious misdemeanour on a recent preseason camp, Luke Hughes, brother of Doveton Eagles star Ben, might just end up playing at Power Reserve.
Eagles president Craig Price said the possibility of Luke wanting to play with his brother at the Eagles was something the committee had discussed and added that the recruitment door was always open to potential players.
The immediate future of the Dingley club rests in the hands of the MPNFL at a special board meeting tonight, as the club desperately seeks to join the SFL.
The Dingoes officially applied for an urgent transfer to the Southern Football League last week after players deserted the struggling club during the preseason.
SFL officials have said that they would likely look favourably on the request to join its third-division competition and the feeling around football circles is that the club would be better going than staying and maybe only fielding one side.
Noble Park looks likely to lose out to Beaconsfield in the race to sign former Pakenham young gun Ash Drake.
Drake has been training with the EFL club but he contacted the Eagles and asked for another chat with the Casey-Cardinia Powerhouse.
Powerhouse centre half-forward Adam Jago told Beaconsfield he will be playing with Geelong West in the Bellarine Peninsula League this year.
Both the Eagles and former club Devon Meadows were aiming to fill a key forward hole with the 2005 MPNFL interleague player.