I DON'T BELIEVE IT
In a decision that will shock a few punters, the VCFL Appeals
Board has knocked back a clearance for a footballer who says he
did not want to stay at the club because his brother had been
sexually assaulted by a man with an association to that club.
The accused was found guilty and received a suspended sentence.
When I tended a written opinion on behalf of the player the Chairman
allegedly muttered something less than complimentary. Stay tuned.
FACT OR FICTION?
The form of VFL draftees Aaron Davey, Stephen Kenna and Adrian
Deluca in the AFL should be cause for celebration in VFL circles.
Apart from confirming the importance of the VFL to national football
it should give clubs increased confidence when seeking better
financial deals from their AFL partner. Although some VFL clubs
- Williamstown, North Ballarat and Port Melbourne - are flush
with money, the same can't be said of those clubs that don't have
poker machines. They need the AFL's support.
So significant is the VFL that at the VFL season launch former
Hawthorn recruiting manager John Turnbull said Hawk officials
didn't even watch the VFA/VFL in the mid 90s but now see it as
a prime source of players. Whilst VFL clubs might appreciate being
told they're relevant they need to keep the praise in perspective.
Turnbull is right to suggest that by 1995 the VFA was on the road
to oblivion and had lost its relevance. I combined the presidency
of Coburg with a seat in the federal parliament in 1995, and despite
my love of the old VFA, like every other president I knew VFA
clubs had to build bridges with the AFL.
The only problem I have with John Turnbull's assessment is that
it might lead people to underestimate the magnetism of the old
VFA and the number of quality VFL/AFL players it produced. Sure,
let's move on. But let's not write bad history. Aaron Davey is
one of the most exciting players to cross to the VFL/AFL in recent
times. But he has a long way to go to match the likes of Greig
and Schimmelbusch (Brunswick-Kangaroos), Johnston, (Prahran-Carlton),
Ezard (Cob-Essendon), and King (Port-Kangaroos).
ROCCA BYE BABY
With half a VFL side made up of AFL players it was inevitable
that the standard of football would be far better than what we
were watching in the mid 90s. Ask people on the terraces however,
and they'll tell you the challenge facing the VFL is to find identities
and recreate tribalism. Saturday's ABC match between Box Hill
and Port offered some encouraging signs that tribalism, attitude
and personality can be fostered in the VFL. Twenty-two-year old
Box Hill Hawk Michael Osborne led the way with bountiful aggression
and, one suspects, plenty of lip.
This and the likes of the mountainous Sav Rocca kicking eight
goals is what the VFL needs. Naturally Sav wants to play with
the Kangaroos. However, at 30-years-of-age his opportunities are
limited. In the old VFA football former VFL/AFL champions such
Bob Johnson, Rex Hunt, Peter McKenna and Mark Jackson added colour
to the competition in their twilight years. Rocca could do the
same. We've had only one 100 goal kicker (Shayne Smith in 1997)
since 1990 and he was hardly a household name. Whereas, in the
twenty-two seasons between 1969 and 1990 a player topped the ton
on no less than seventeen occasions.
It was a shame the Hawks didn't have a more experienced player
in the back half to take Rocca on. Eighteen-year old former Cannon
Zac Dawson tried hard but had neither the strength nor the experience.
Neither did any other Hawks. Nevertheless, if we can attract the
likes of Rocca and Ryan O'Connor to a VFL goal square it'll bring
life to the football. If Sav does go on to kick 100 goals he'll
be the first name player since Jamie Shaw (1990), and before him
Ian Rickman (1989), to do so. Just for the record Port's Fred
Cook kicked 140 goals in 1982. It's in football's interest to
keep the likes of Rocca playing football at VFL level just as
Hunt and the others did. Let's hope it happens.
WILLIAMSTOWN vs. Box Hill Hawks Burbank Oval 1.10pm ABC TV
BENDIGO BOMBERS vs. Geelong QE Oval 1.00pm
TASMANIA vs. Sandringham Hobart 2.00pm ABC TV Tasmania
NORTH BALLARAT vs. Northern Bullants Northern Oval 3.00pm
PORT vs. Frankston TEAC Oval 2.00pm
COBURG vs. Springvale Scorpions Coburg City Oval 2.00pm
Werribee Bye
