A ROUNDED CLUB

Only a year ago in this column I expressed my disbelief that Williamstown coach Brad Gotch had let Magpie Jarrod Molloy spend the first part of a VFL game in the gym before entering the fray. It had, I argued, the capacity to demean the competition and was fodder for those who demean the VFL with the tag 'reserves'.

David Cloke (right of screen) keeps an eye on his son Cameron in the huddle at Willi.

A year on, the Seagulls are emerging as a model for VFA/VFL clubs. On Sunday I was a guest speaker at Trevor Monti's pre match president's lunch.
Still larger than life, 50s premiership icon Gerry 'the monster' Callahan told of his love of the blue and gold jumper. The one and only Max Papley, Terry Wheeler, the man who began Willi's last renaissance in 1984, and the hero of 1990 and emblem of the Seagulls, Barry Round; they were all there. So too was multiple VFL grand final umpire Bill Deller, members of the local business community, former VFA and Willi president John Grieve, the mayor of Hobsons Bay and the Seagull faithful, whose abuse in the 80s still rings in my ears. It was a full house. I haven't laughed as much for a long time.

As the competition evolves, the role of history and of VFA club identities has never been more important. As we saw with Eddie McGuire's passionate defense of the black and white jumper, history has become one of the most powerful modern marketing tools for clubs such as Collingwood and Williamstown. In the warm glow of an exhilarating centenary team extravaganza at Crown the Seagulls are on a roll. On Sunday, in windy conditions, they played with rare poise. Given their capacity to draw people to finals matches this is a godsend for the VFL. With crowds up on last year, the prospect of 4,000 plus at the finals at Port and 15,000 at Optus is a serious possibility.

THE SMILING ASSASSIN CHASING A FLAG?

Brad Gotch, a VFA premiership coach of renown, may be diminutive of stature, but I'm reliably told that he's no 'yes man' to Magpies coach Mick Malthouse. As always Malthouse was a conspicuous figure - alongside CEO Greg Swann - in the Floyd Stand on Sunday. As always, unlike some AFL coaches, he didn't walk to the huddle, visit the rooms or offer his assistant any words of advice. With Anthony Eames, 1991 VFA Liston Medallist and current Magpie runner, and 1982 Port premiership player and long time Willi man Bruce Davis at his side, Gotch has his magnetic board under control.

Although Gotch took a dozen Magpies (two more AFL players than Coburg) into the match on Sunday, his VFL contingent is as good as any. As the stitches under his right eye confirmed, 33-year-old midfielder Adrian Fletcher has lost none of his love for the cut and thrust of the midfield. Because of Fletcher, the dynamic Josh Mahoney, the irresistible Troy West and the likes of Brad Lloyd, Scott Taylor, and Craig Smoker, there's an unmistakable Seagull spirit at the Point. Ultimately it's this spirit and the presence of legendary figures around the club that will build a vibrant competition. And yes, those - Round, Deller, Papley, Callahan and historian Marc Fiddian et al - in support of reverting to VFA, the name the competition carried for more than 120 years, had the numbers.

A DOG DAY AFTERNOON

As Port Melbourne prepares to announce its centenary team before 1000 people at Crown on August 2 the faithful are eyeing July 13 with a burst of wonderment. Like Carlton and Collingwood at the MCG, Port v Williamstown with the aroma of the soap factory in the air and the fire burning in the belly of our two oldest clubs, is a rare event. And when the respective presidents, anti dog Peter Saultry (Port) and Trevor Monti are warring over the latter's right to have his dog barracking at the Port ground, you have the ingredients of an epic.

IT WOULD BREAK A DEVIL'S HEART

Tasmania desperately needs a win. But two wins from eight starts doesn't do justice to Matty Armstrong's team. Among those losses are a 19 point defeat by the Hawks, a four point loss to Willi, a two point loss to Sandringham and a 13 point loss on Sunday to Geelong at Skilled Stadium. Throw in a draw against the Bombers and you have a season potentially ruined by an inability to win the close ones. The prospect of the Devils hosting a final and drawing a massive crowd has some people in high places praying they have a change of luck. This Saturday the Devils meet Springvale in the ABC match of the round televised live into Victoria from North Hobart. It's must win for the locals.

Selections

SATURDAY

NORTHERN BULLANTS v Geelong
Coburg v PORT
TASMANIA v Springvale (ABC TV)
WERRIBEE v Nth Ballarat

SUNDAY
BOX HILL HAWKS v Bendigo Bombers
Sandringham v WILLIAMSTOWN

This Saturday Mick Erwin - Collingwood and Richmond player, Coburg and Prahran premiership coach and the man who replaced Tom Hafey at Collingwood in 1982 will be my guest at the Coburg president's luncheon.