MARCUS: Well boys, it’s getting cold outside, and that can only mean one thing – footy is taking over! We’ll kick off as we always do, with Best Action. Dave, what caught your eye this weekend?
DAVE: We had a young girl come in to the Pakenham women’s team, Aiesha Kolaritsch, who kicked seven goals. What a wonderful effort – you don’t see too many female footballers kick seven goals, but she dominated, for such a young girl. She’s a smooth mover, she’s not going through the Coates Talent League this year but I think that girl will move through the ranks via a different path. She was a bit unlucky to not make it into that talent program; winning a best and fairest when there was a whole heap of other girls who have made it into that program. She took a couple of strong overhead grabs which you don’t see a lot of in local women’s footy and converted, but she also swapped between ruck rover and half-forward, so she’s got the ability to play midfield; good below her knees. Also, in the game between Garfield and Dalyston, three players took absolute hangers in the space of five minutes in the last quarter – Ben Tenace-Greenall, Jett Pickering and Jaxon Foon. It was great to see blokes having a crack and flying for their marks with the game on the line.
JONTY: I’ve got a few nominations for Best Action. I’ll start with Bonnie Williams. Gippsland Power really needed a goal in the second quarter against Sydney, and Sydney kicked one right on the quarter time siren which was the first goal of the game. Early in the second quarter, she came to life. She hadn’t really done much to that point, but she got a really clean gather below her knees, broke a few tackles and snapped from 40, and it carried a couple of players on the goal line as well, showcasing her really penetrating boot. Brandon Osborne did really well to keep Tom Bellchambers goalless in Cranbourne’s loss to Port Melbourne. Port Melbourne was far too good for the Eagles and it was quite one-sided, the Colts had a flood of entries, but Bellchambers didn’t get near it. James Harmes and Jake Melksham were watching and getting stuck into Bellchambers from the sidelines, which was quite funny, because they probably didn’t know how highly regarded Osborne is. He was giving away 10 centimetres and 20-25 kilograms, but he positioned himself incredibly well.
DAVE: Brandon Osborne is such a good footballer. You look at guys like Tom Stewart for Geelong or Dane Rampe for Sydney. Stewart got dragged out of local footy to play for Geelong, and Osborne could have done the same, I’m sure of it. He’s so good, so quick.
MARCUS: My Best Action goes to Berwick Springs forward Jaxon Knight. He kicked a running goal on the weekend where he and an opponent converged on a loose ball, but he got there first, and tried to kick it off the ground to go and regather it. But he inadvertently kicked it into the Pakenham defender and the ball fortuitously rebounded back into his hands, and he was able to goal on the run as a result. At full speed it looked like he’d managed to kick the ball up to himself on the run, like Irish players do in Gaelic Football. So well done to Jaxon.
FOOTY VIBES
MARCUS: We’re a few weeks into local footy now and after a long summer in shorts and t-shirts at the cricket, footy season is well and truly back. What have been some sights, sounds, things we’ve missed over the summer and are enjoying rekindling with? For me, I’m loving tucking into a hot roast beef roll with gravy. It’s the perfect hot snack to fill up on before a game, and there are not too many places where you can get one for $6/7, like cafés and things.
JONTY: Every time I cop a whiff of deep heat, it signifies the return of footy, in my opinion. You walk past the rooms or go down to training and the smell of deep heat is something that’s so synonymous with footy. It’s omnipresent in footy environments. And Dave, you’ve spoken about the feeling of having mud on your shoes after a day at the footy and feeling like you’ve gone into battle like players. I love going onto the ground before a game to speak to someone and having wet grass or rain/dew end up in your socks. It’s a similar concept.
DAVE: I was putting some stuff in the boot on Saturday with my back to the game, and heard someone yell ‘open your eyes, umpire!’ That’s a classic; there are so many different ways to have a crack at the umpires without going over the top and that brought a smile to my face. It felt like being back at the footy. Then there’s the ‘doof doof’ music that gets played before a game. I’m going to sound old here, but I don’t know how the Pakenham girls’ eardrums survive with how loud it is in there. The push and shove and the verbals after a yellow card is shown, too, they’re all classic local footy things for me.
JONTY: ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC/DC always gets me in the mood for footy.
MARCUS: A couple more nominations from me. Dogs wearing club coloured collars or jackets…
DAVE: The Stewart Chambers special! He’s a master of finding those for Footy Shorts.
MARCUS: Couldn’t agree more. But I also enjoy seeing the faded old jackets and club merchandise from past players and supporters that signify a long association with their club. You can tell they wear it every single week.
‘HE COULD BE ANYTHING’
MARCUS: Bailey Stiles at Pakenham is one guy who I watch and think, ‘he could be anything’. He’s not the height of a traditional key forward, but he’s got all the athletic traits, he’s strong overhead, he’s powerful and moves well. His coach Paul Carbis wanted to play him in the middle during preseason but said that he played too well up forward during practice games, that he had no choice but to leave him there. I’d love to see him get a full run at things, without injury or anything holding him back, to see how far he can go. Who are some guys in your competitions you’d put in the same bracket?
JONTY: Alex Canal at Devon Meadows is one that Ryan Hendy has been talking up during the preseason, and with the highlight reel he’s got, you can understand why. It makes you think that, once he puts the work in, which he’s starting to do, and realises his potential, that he can be the top 10 player in the competition that his coach thinks he can be. He kicked four goals from the midfield the other week and is starting to make a name for himself. A couple of Pakenham basketballers fit the bracket too. Jarred Small’s shooting ability is really good, especially from behind the three-point line. He shot 8/13 on his three point shots on the weekend, and is one of the best in the league from there. Callum McNiff is another from the Big V Youth League who I think can go places. He’s a game-breaker and stands up when the game is on the line, like he did in round one. The coaching staff talks about wanting to capitalise on the minutes when he’s on the court and maximise his talents, because he’s the sort of player that can win you games.
DAVE: The Dusties have got a former Essendon Next Generation Academy (NGA) player Anthony Munkara. He played in Warragul’s first game of the year against Phillip Island and kicked three, showing glimpses of brilliance. He’s missed the last couple of weeks due to personal reasons, but he’ll be back shortly. The ‘Dusties’ are missing seven players from their best 22 but once they get everyone back and they start feeding the forward line, I think Munkara will slide to the third of fourth forward spot, and he’ll be really dangerous. Brayden Fowler and Mason McGarrity will both come back from injury shortly, and they’ve been filling the gaps in the forward line with defenders, but they’ll get three back all at once. Then Tex Marsham at Nar Nar Goon, he’s 6’3” and can take a grab. Lewis Hill from Tooradin, he’s seen his best mate Jimmy Trezise go to Richmond and I think Lewis, still in his early 20s, can still get to VFL level or higher. Lastly, Cora Lynn’s Lachlan Coverdale. He came from nowhere last year; he’d played six games of footy in his junior career and was selected in their seniors. I think over the next couple of years, once he learns what the game is all about and he learns how to use his speed and power and brute strength, he could be something special. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can become; he’s got a bit of Mark Ricciuto about him.
MARCUS: Jesse Davies from Narre Warren is another one for this conversation too. There’s a spot open at centre-half-forward with Jake Richardson leaving the club and there’s a chance for Davies to make that spot his own. He was one of Narre Warren’s best in round one.
ANZAC DAY GAME
MARCUS: There’s few occasions on the AFL calendar that carry as much weight as the Anzac Day clash, and we’re uniquely positioned to talk about it here, given our Essendon/Collingwood split. It’s the classic ‘doesn’t matter where they are on the ladder’ contest, they’re generally gripping affairs and live up to the spotlight. What are some memories that come to mind when you think of this fixture?
JONTY: I don’t have to go back too far, given Collingwood have won a couple of classics in the last couple of years. When Steele Sidebottom kicked that goal as the Magpies came back from 28 points down and celebrated, I think that brought the MCG to its knees. But the David Zaharakis goal is one of the biggest footy highlights of the century, almost. The commentary, the pelting rain, the moment…that was iconic.
MARCUS: I was in Adelaide that year for my Great Grandmother’s 95th birthday, full of Essendon supporters, and not a TV in sight in the nursing home. We eventually found one in a store room and caught the final two minutes, so we saw the goal and the finish, but nothing else all game.
DAVE: I can trump that, I was working in Dubai. I couldn’t believe it, the ‘Pies were up the entire game. Names that come to mind for me on this day are Saverio Rocca, kicking nine goals in the 1995 draw. Scott Pendlebury and James Hird have collections of Anzac Day medals that you couldn’t jump over. Zaharakis will always be synonymous with Anzac Day, Dane Swan had a day out one day, but the one that flies under the radar is a googly-eyed Mark McGough. It was a heavy track at the MCG in 2002 and in his second game, the 17-year-old won the Anzac Medal. But credit to local clubs, Tooradin and the ‘Dusties’ have got their own tribute game with a plane flyover.
JONTY: I’m not a huge fan of stacking games on Anzac Day. I think Anzac Day is the most culturally significant day in Australia and I don’t think we should play any old game on the day, unless they do it justice. GWS and Brisbane on the Thursday night, I don’t think that’s appropriate.
MARCUS: There were a few classic battles between Joe Daniher and Darcy Moore, but obviously those days are over. The game I still can’t shake is in 2019, when the umpires swallowed their whistles at the end of the game and the players had no idea why free kicks weren’t getting paid. It was as bad as it gets, the players were so confused and it spoiled a classic game.
JONTY: I don’t think you’re in a position right now to be talking about questionable umpiring at the end of games, Marcus…
DAVE: Yes! What about Sam Draper falling on the ball at the end of the game on Friday night?
MARCUS: Taylor Walker knocked the ball back underneath him, and the umpire’s decision is final.
DAVE: If you were an umpire, and you had to make that decision, how many times out of 100 are you giving it?
MARCUS: 100, but there’s a good reason I’m not an umpire. So who wins?
DAVE: Have a look at the ladder, the ‘Pies are definite underdogs (smirks). Let’s hope they can make a game of it (rolls his eyes).
JONTY: Agreed.
MARCUS: I’m feeling good about the Bombers but I can’t help but feel the same thing is going to happen again, where we’ll play better for three quarters but you’ll be better when it matters. So that’s two saying Collingwood, and one saying Essendon. We’ll see how it goes this week!
DAVE/JONTY: Go Pies!
