Seagulls galore, but any Magpies?

The Seagulls were too good for the Box Hill Hawks in Saturday's grand final replay, but did Magpies coach Mick Malthouse like what he saw? Despite there being thirteen Collingwood listed players in the Williamstown colours few look capable of having a major immediate effect on the Magpie fortunes. Although Ben Kinnear and Luke Mullins tried hard and won plenty of the ball and Andrew Williams won the TXU man of the match, they don't strike me as match winners. The Shaw boys, Brayden (son of Tony), and Heath (son of Ray) are, along with Cameron Cloke, only teenagers so it's difficult to gauge their future progress. Only one player, the dashing David King, despite an ordinary game, looks capable of adding some spark.

Given King was under serious consideration for the AFL grand final last year it's time he was given a serious chance. Ironically, his direct opponent in last year's VFL grand final, Stephen Kenna, has already made a splash with Carlton and King looked every bit as good in that game. By contrast, a number of Hawthorn players with Box Hill - Ben Kane, Harry Miller, Lance Picioane, Adrian Cox, Luke Brennan, Chance Bateman, and Luke McCabe - look like dead set AFL players. This is on top of Brad Sewell and Michael Osborne who were elevated to the Hawks lineup after playing for Box Hill in round one. Notwithstanding Hawthorn's loss to the Power on Sunday the immediate future looks promising.

So much for the big smoke

Essendon surprised many people (but not me) when they forged a partnership with Bendigo a year ago. Without Essendon it would have been curtains for the Diggers. Seven wins and a draw in 2003 and a 37-point victory over Geelong at QEO on Saturday, has breathed new hope. A thriving Bendigo and North Ballarat - the latter thrashing the Bullants by 70-point on Saturday - is exactly what the VFL needs. The sight of 198 centimetre, 19-year-old Jason Laycock banging through seven goals against the Cats must have Kevin Sheedy smiling. With David Hille rapidly solving the ruck problems for the Bombers, Laycock's progress is a godsend. The fortunes of the AFL aside, nothing could breathe more life into the VFL than a surge in interest in Ballarat and Bendigo. Let's hope.

No bite in the Bullant?

After the appearance of a season preview in the Herald-Sun in which I was said the Bullants might struggle due to a problematic partnership with Carlton a Bullant official emailed the VFL to express his disquiet. Despite thrashing Geelong by 85-points in round one, the Bullants could manage only four goals against the stand-alone Roosters and went down by 84-points in Ballarat on Saturday. Does this prove that I was right? No. My comments have to be taken in the context of public criticism of Carlton by the Bullants last year and the official Carlton line that winning VFL games is secondary to blooding young players. So whilst the Roosters have recruited well - Craig Biddiscome, Jim Plunkett, Andrew Eccles, Marty McGrath, Djaren Whyman - with Carlton's resurgence in the AFL how could they lose so badly against a stand alone club?

A Retirement Village?

I swear this is the last time I'll discuss this matter. I have a very good working relationship with VFL CEO Ken Gannon and respect the work he did to ensure that Coburg's relationship with Richmond was cemented. However, the comment in last week's VFL Record that 'no longer is the VFL viewed as a retirement village or a competition that can be taken for granted' has no place in the official editorial.
Even if it were true, which it isn't, it would do nothing to lure former VFA players back to their clubs. Why repeat the utterances of fools?

Williamstown's grand final team last year included Adrian Fletcher (33 years), Troy West (32 years), Mark Richardson (30 years), Scott Freeborn (29 years) and Jarrod Molloy and Rupert Betheras (27 years). The oldest player in our 1979 Coburg premiership team was 28-years-of-age. Among the youngsters was twenty-year-old Brad Nimmo, who at thirty-years-of-age was the oldest player in our 1989 premiership team. Two youngsters - Tim Rieniets and Adrian Basset - were subsequently drafted by Carlton.

Contrary to the derogatory 'retirement village' quips, those VFL stars who drifted to the old VFA before or around age thirty were very much in the minority. Ironically, when this supply dried up in the early 90s the standard of football soon hit rock bottom. If Ken Gannon doesn't believe the 'retirement village' claim is true I'd respectively suggests he says so. It he thinks it is true I'd like to see the facts, then I'd ask that he alter the rules to stop ageing AFL players filling the ranks of current VFL premiership sides.

TIPS ROUND 3

SATURDAY
Bullants v WERRIBEE (ABC TV)
Williamstown v COBURG

SUNDAY

SANDRINGHAM v Springvale
NTH BALLARAT v Bendigo
TASMANIA v Geelong
Box Hill, Frankston, Port (byes)