STANDING ALONE BUT NOT TALL

I've dreamed that the stand alone Tasmania and North Ballarat might add a Cinderella page to the VFL finals. Tasmania, currently in the top four and with the possibility of two home finals, remains a chance. However, Port's demolition of the North Ballarat Roosters leaves me wondering whether either side will have the fitness and skill under AFL style pressure to reach, or win a grand final. The Roosters have played some inspiring and skilful football, but there was no mistaking the superior strength, poise and fitness of their opposition. Shaune Moloney, who has taken on all comers at full-back had no answer to the height and strength of veteran Corey McKernan. Instead of providing the Roosters with dash in the back half he was left to scramble against the one time Kangaroo star.

Maybe it was just one of those days. I remember losing to Williamstown by 66 points in the 1989 at Port then not losing another game before talking the flag against our arch rival by 27 points. The problem is that after matching Port in a torrid first quarter the Roosters couldn't maintain the intensity. Coach Stevie Wright will probably explain the defeat by way of the number of star players - Brent Tuckey, Shane Hutchinson, Andrew Eccles, Craig Biddiscome, Djaren Whyman - who didn't have an influence on the game.

Wright will need an infallible game plan if the Roosters are to make it to the grand final and not fumble in the shadow of an aligned club. Should they play Port again, having Moloney tied down by McKernan can't be part of the game plan. Nor will the placement inside fifty of the relatively inexperienced big man, Hugh Foott, be on the agenda. The return of Stephen Jurica might overcome that problem, and if Brent Tuckey plays to his ability the whole equation could change. However, for now the question mark flashes like a neon sign at North Ballarat.

THE LION ROARS

With wins against the Devils in Tasmania and Sandringham at home Coburg is now a genuine premiership contender. Although they lost to Port in Round 13 by 29 points when both sides had a comparable mix of AFL/VFL players, Coburg had more scoring shots. After more than a decade in the doldrums - season 2002 aside - Coburg is bursting with life. And its VFL list, arguably equal to Port in skill and character, will be critical to its chances. With the best tall defender in the VFL - Dean Talbot - Coburg has a player capable of handling quality AFL players of the caliber of Port's Corey McKernan. And with games against the Bullants, Bendigo Bombers (ABC TV at Windy Hill) and Werribee (ABC TV at Coburg) to come, Coburg should hold its spot in the top four.

Making predictions can be a flawed practice. However, dreamers would know that Coburg and Port haven't played in a grand final since 1980. And what a grand final it was? After leading all day we were overrun in the last ten minutes to lose by 11 points in front of 22,000 at the Junction Oval. It's not so easy to talk about traditional rivals in the evolving VFL. Nevertheless, it's hard to imagine that a Coburg-Port grand final wouldn't capture the imagination.

DREAM, DREAM, DREAM

And while I'm dreaming, who'll ever forget the Dandenong-Port epics of the past and the role of the great Eddie Melai? The likes of Frosty Miller, Bill Swan, Fred Cook, Ian Rickman, the Goss brothers and I were privileged to play in an era when VFA grand finals rivaled the atmosphere and emotion at Skilled Stadium on Sunday. And with the finals came the characters. Eddie Melai played in two premierships with Dandenong (1967/71) and was as happy giving lip as raising his hands, as he did with great effect against Port's Bob Profitt in the 1976 grand final. But he was no thug or mug. After 6 VFL/AFL senior games and many more in the reserves, Melai crossed to Dandenong without a clearance. He was a great VFA player. Stevie Wright would have loved to have had him at the first bounce last Saturday. It's truly sad that a man who seemed indestructible would die of a stroke at age 63.

AND THE NUMBERS SAY

Those AFL officials who raised an eyebrow at the VFL's decision to limit VFL finals teams to 12 AFL players should run their eye over the latest figures. After round 14, AFL listed players had notched up 1686 games and VFL players1108 games or about 40 % of the spots available. And while they may not dominate the games tally VFL players have a fair purchase on the pine, with only 1 AFL player and 27 VFL players starting on the interchange in round 16. In the same round only 26 of the VFL's 73 first year players were selected. Given two of the teams with byes were Port and Sandringham it's unlikely we'd have reached the 30 figure. With an average of 4.8 games each, first year players were hardly an institution after round 16. Suggests the VFL is on the right path in setting limits on AFL players.

SATURDAY

GEELONG v Bendigo Bombers - ABC TV
COBURG v Northern Bullants
NORTH BALLARAT v Springvale Scorpions

SUNDAY

Frankston v BOX HILL HAWKS
Werribee v SANDRINGHAM
PORT v Tasmania