PORT TIGHTENS THE GRIP

It may have been a walk in the park for Port against the Tassie Devils on the weekend but the real devil was in the detail. Five goals to David Pitt, four to Nick Gill, and two to fellow VFL listed player Ryan McMahon who, along with Ben Schwarze were named in Port's best players, reflects the depth of the Borough. I think it's good thing that Corey McKernan and Sav Rocca (5 games each) probably won't qualify for the VFL finals. It's no reflection on the two former AFL greats to say it will be more honourable and fairer if Port's fortunes are determined by young talls, Joel Perry (6 VFL senior and 10 reserves) and Chad Jones (16 VFL), and Port's VFL contingent.

On Sunday, Port had 12 AFL players -the maximum for finals under the new rules - and with Steve Lawrence injured and captain Brett Rose on the way back has a powerful VFL list. Lawrence, Gill, Schwarze, Rose and Pitt play with attitude and passion. It's this, not AFL players dreaming about past glories, which has the potential to make the 2004 finals the most colourful for many years. All the platitudes about pathways and the VFL status as the best domestic competition mean nothing to people who go to the games or watch it on ABC TV. They just want real, nor reserves football. That's the challenge for the VFL.

Although there are many who remain cynical about the direction of the VFL, and the 800 at Port on Sunday is nothing by comparison with the 5,000 that regularly filled the ground up until the early 80s, president Peter Saulty continues to fight for his club's identity. When Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley questions team selection at Port, Saulty's answer is simply; you leave your players with us and we'll look after them. It's the message many VFL clubs are increasingly sending to their AFL partner and one that has Port looking like the power of old.

CRICKET IN AUGUST

While the Borough cruises, its old enemy, Coburg, is fighting on two fronts. In Saturday's Age, Greg Baum suggested that Coburg was somehow enlisting the support of the top end of town - the AFL - to bludgeon the Coburg Cricket Club off the City Oval. While his article was going to print the anti football spray was going to work on the ground. I like Greg's articles, however on this occasion he wasn't on the money. He surely knows that VFA clubs have entered into AFL alignments that threaten the culture of the VFA. As a premiership player and dual premiership coach with the Coburg Lions I find it impossible to call Coburg the Coburg Tigers. Should we become Tigers because someone at Richmond thinks it's a good idea? Most VFA people were hurt by the changing of the VFA's name to an antiquated and confusing VFL. VFA clubs have relinquished plenty in the modern setting. If Coburg had control of the Coburg ground 12 months of the year it would have far more influence over any AFL partner and be better able to serve its VFL constituency. Coburg shares its ground with the Calder Cannons. Why can't the Coburg Cricket Club share Gillon Oval (a beautiful, former VFA ground) with Brunswick?

WILL WINDY HILL ROCK?

The Bendigo Bombers victory over Geelong makes this Saturday's ABC broadcast match between Coburg (3rd) and Bendigo (9th) from Windy Hill a must watch game. With Geelong (8th) taking on the rampaging Box Hill Hawks (7th), a win by the Bombers - who have Tasmania at home in the last round - would leave then favourably placed for the top eight. Coburg on the other hand is playing great football and will be desperate to grab a top four spot.

An intriguing question is whether a local derby, played for the Kevin Sheedy Cup and promoted with a lunch at Windy Hill on Friday will draw a crowd. It's surely an occasion when the AFL's marketing arm should swing into operation. The opportunity to see a game at the very famous and iconoclastic former venue of one of the AFL's most powerful clubs should be seen as special to Australian Rules. As anyone with children knows, Essendon's magnetism in the northern suburbs is quite remarkable. With a modicum of promotion - a mention on the Footy Show and a page in the Football Record - this game could easily attract 5,000 people, which given Windy Hill's reduced capacity would be a sight to behold. Just for the record, I've sent a note to Andrew Demetriou and will be co-hosting the luncheon with John Barnes. Coburg will wear its new away strip - red jumper with a navy blue sash - on Saturday.

SATURDAY

Geelong v BOX HILL HAWKS
Bendigo Bombers v COBURG (Windy Hill ABC TV)
NORTHERN BULLANTS v North Ballarat

SUNDAY

TASMANIA v Frankston
Williamstown v WERRIBEE
Sandringham v PORT MELBOURNE