King Edwards of Samoa

One thing the VFA could do was produce goalkickers. While the names Cook, Miller, Rajojevic, Shaw and Rickman so easily roll off the tongue, VFL/AFL legends such as Ron Todd, Harry Nash, ‘Soapy' ‘Vallence and Bob Pratt amassed stunning VFA goal tallies in the 1930s and ‘40s. Fortunately, in the 70s and 80s the TV cameras were able to capture the mesmerising, open football created by a 16-a-side game that made flooding almost impossible. Fred Cook's 1336 goals, and Frosty Miller's 883 goals - at an average of 4.8 per game - made the pair more famous than most VFL/AFL footballers of the era. Ironically, Channel Ten's Tim Lane has recently asked whether 16-man-a-side shouldn't be introduced in the AFL to break the flooding game.

The return to 18-a-side football put an end to the days of the goalkickers. In the last fifteen years only one player, Springvale's Shayne Smith, in 1997, has kicked 100 goals in a season. In 2006 the VFA/VFL has a goalkicker to rekindle the memories. Born in Samoa 22 years ago, Frankston's Aaron Edwards is among the best VFL players I've seen over the past 20 years. At 185 cms he's more akin to the great ‘Frosty' Miller than the taller Fred Cook. As was the case with Miller, his balance and beautiful hands more than compensate for any deficiency in height. With goal tallies of 12, 10, 8 and 6 throughout the season and 9 against Port last Saturday he must surely be on the AFL radar. And with 88 goals to his name and Frankston to play Coburg in an elimination final at Frankston this Saturday 100 goals is not out of the question.

A local boy, Edwards played with the Stingrays and lives only 200 metres from the Frankston ground. Drafted three years ago by the Eagles, it was a despondent Edwards who packed his bags and headed home at the end of last season, injury and lack of opportunity appearing to have ruined his dreams. Whether he is drafted again probably hinges on how far Frankston goes in the finals. Although they will play my old side Coburg in the elimination final this Saturday I won't be too disappointed if the Dolphins win. How tantalising it would be to have Frankston on ABC TV the following week with Edwards needing a handful of goals to register the first ton since 1997?

Fred Cook was one of the most charismatic of footballers. Although he was clearly good enough to have continued in the VFL/AFL, he chose to be a big fish in a little pond. Aaron Edwards doesn't have Cook's gift of the gab and isn't playing in front of the adoring crowds that made ‘Fabulous' Freddie a genuine football legend. He's a quietly spoken boy with a radiant smile, who simply loves catching the football and kicking goals. Like Miller he plays with guile and poise. Lithe and athletic he knows how to use his body, kicks with precision and is deadly on a lead. Only once, when the Bullants flooded the back half in round 7, has he failed to kick a goal in a match. Two weeks ago, against the reigning premier Sandringham, he kicked 6 great goals, and in round 17 kicked 5 goals against Coburg. This followed 8 goals against another finalist, Werribee, in round 14. He can match it with the best. Should Frankston win a couple of finals the 2006 Frosty Miller Medal winner might well have etched his name among the great VFA goalkickers.

Chess or a Mess?

Football is constantly evolving and unless you adapt you don't survive. However, sometimes you have to wonder whether the flooding game has become a fad. Last week at Coburg we were treated to yet another game where there were so many players in the backhalf, at times no one could go anywhere. Although Coburg was undermanned it was truly puzzling to find a side incapable of kicking goals allowing the Bullant's Justin Crow to play loose in the backline. A fine, task-oriented player, Crow is most susceptible when he has to dispose of the ball under pressure. Yet this vulnerability was never challenged. The Bullants are a class act and it will take a smart strategy to stop them. A vigourous, carefully articulated, man-on-man approach with a loaded forward half, rather than a fundamentalist flood would be my option. It will be interesting to see what Willi's Brad Gotch comes up with this Saturday at Cramer Street.