Sat’dy arvo at the footy…

What a great Saturday of footy is in our backyard here in Melbourne this weekend – no excuses for not getting to enjoy a game somewhere in your region. Even the AFL has a suburban Saturday highlight with the real Western Derby taking place at Kardinia Park; although, despite it being an easy train trip down and ripper place to watch footy, it is getting more difficult to squeeze in amongst the adoring fans.

Instead, consider grabbing the tranny for footy and racing updates and taking in one of the myriad options – invariably free – in local leagues.

For those in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the former Diamond Valley League (now the NFL!) offers a cracking battle at Bundoora, where the undefeated home side, led in attack by Gary Moorcroft and Cameron Cloke, are visited by the vastly improved Greensborough. Full preview at http://www.nfl.org.au/Football-Division-1/mightys-match-preview-round-8.html

If you get off the 57 tram at the Maribyrnong River, you could cross the road for a meeting of the top two sides – Marby and Abers – in the strong EDFL. Aberfeldie had their much publicized “Aker” day last week (http://www.abers.com.au/senior_football ), but this Saturday they face a very serious test against an undefeated team with a firing full-forward in ex-Blue Luke Livingstone who has consecutive bags of 12 and 10 in the last fortnight. Mal Michael might be his first opponent and, despite Aberfeldie also having Damien Peverill and Hayden Skipworth in the middle of a star-studded team, the Lions will be marginal favourites at home.

In the EFL, pacesetters Blackburn host  third placed Scoresby, whilst in the WRFL perhaps the Port Colts and Altona game could be the most interesting of the round (http://www.wrfl.org.au/).

In the Ammos, the mighty Royboys still breathe in C Grade and play at home (the “spiritual” Brunswick St) on Saturday – Kevin Murray is the special guest at the lunch function (scroll this page for nostalgia http://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/).

There’s also a good sprinkling of VFL matches on Saturday, with games at North Port (Port v Werribee), Vic Park (Collingwood v Bullants) and Box Hill (v Geelong).

For those looking to leave the ‘burbs (or already there) the GVFL has a top-of-the-table clash at Mooroopna (v Rochy) and my Maldon mate Wadey insists that his trip to Newstead this Saturday will be worthwhile.

So much to look forward to.  Happy to hear from anyone with their expectations or invitations for a top Sat’dy arvo at the footy.

Comments

  1. Richard Jones says

    AND Crio, adding to Wadey’s submission about district league footy, there’s major league country action, too.

    At Gisborne’s Graveyard (aka the Gardiner Reserve) the home town Dogs take on the South Bendigo Bloods, whereas a little further up the Calder the Kyneton Tigers host the Maryborough Magpies.

    If you want to hike all the way to Bendigo, you can see the Strathfieldsaye Storm host the Sandhurst Dragons. That’s at the huge, open Tannery Lane oval.
    Good thing about the Storm is that they wear the blue and white hoops. Isn’t it great to see in your own hometown major league a club going around in the famous blue and white guernsey.

    Albeit with a whopping great lightning bolt logo on the front !!

  2. Mic Rees says

    Crio.

    James Condos, coach of undefeated WRFL DIV2 team Deer Park has 67 goals in 7 games. This weeks opponent is Nth Sunshine. Could get ugly, early.

    MCR

  3. Thanks Richard – that’s the stuff we are after.
    Wadey’s a big wrap on a day at Maldon for the footy, so that is on my list for 2011.
    Mic, looks like Condos could win the coveted “first to the ton” this season? Daff’s our man for that!

  4. Richard Jones says

    MIC n Crio: Jimmy Condos played for Kyneton in 2010. Kicked a heap of goals early before injury cut him down.

    Also played in the Bendigo inter-league team last May which beat Gippsland by 9 points. Jimmy only kicked the one goal under lights that evening, with ‘Harry” Maddern (who snagged 6 for the Bendigo Bombers in last Sat’s. VFL clash against Geelong) and Golden Square’s Grant Weeks the main contributors.

    Check out Jimmy’s pedigree, Mic. I have an inkling he was on the Whitten Oval rookie list a few seasons back.

  5. Mic,
    That game @ the Deer Park ground on the Western Highway?
    Awful memories of Tommy’s midget U12s getting monstered out there one morning!

  6. Mic Rees says

    Richard – Yes, he was on the Dogs list (rookie) in 2003. Pretty sure he kicked double figures at Kardinia Park one day, not sure whether it was the year he was on the Dogs list or when he was playing as a Werribee listed player. 66 goals in 12 games is a pretty good return

    Crio – Tomorrows game is at Dempster Park – the mighty Crows original home ground after they were admitted to the VFA in the late 50’s/early 60’s prior to moving to Skinner Reserve. Can’t see home ground advantage shortening the odds of the Roadrunners knocking off Deer Park .

    MCR

  7. The Roadrunners?…fantastic

    Mic – Why would the Dogs bother with nurturing a key forward/goal kicker?

  8. Alovesupreme says

    Mic,
    I played against Sunshine teams at Skinner Reserve (one day in a hail storm), but also at a ground whic, iirc’ was then called Selwyn Park or Reserve. Are Selwyn Park and Dempster Park the same ground?

  9. Mic Rees says

    Crio – Nth Sunshine were originally known as Crossroads – I’m guessing that’s the genesis of the Road Runner (Velocitus Tremenjus) mascot.

    Alovesupreme – You are correct sir, I got my Dempsters & my Selwyns mixed. Many apologies, I’ll try to not let it happen again. One of the Sunshine sporting teams played at Dempster – Baseball ? – If so 1996 WS hero Graeme Lloyd may have graced that area.

    MCR

  10. Big day tomorrow in A Grade Ammos. 1 vs 2 at St Bede’s postage stamp, 3 vs 4 at Toorak Park and 8 vs 9 at Trinity with loser odds on to head to B Grade.

  11. ahhh….Toorak Park. Great memories of trudging to the huddle through ankle deep mud to hear Barge Taylor berate his Two Blues. Is it still a bog on the western wing? Ripper footy venue.

  12. Alovesupreme says

    Crio,
    I know nothing about grasses – witness my wilderness which most people describe as their garden. About three years ago I umpired a match at Toorak Park and there wasn’t a blade of grass evident, I presume as a consequence of some treatment of the surface. It’s certainly a great store of memories of matches played, many more matches watched.

  13. not to mention some fantastic district cricket…the ground tended to recover OK.

  14. Chalkdog says

    Mic
    I think Selwyn got taken over by one of the local Soccer teams in the late sixties. George Cross or nthe Polish one I think. I played [errr made up the numbers] for the primary school footy eam against the team from Albion on the rectangular ground at Selwyn in about ’71.
    No locals today but a chance of seeing the Vampires tomorrow.

  15. Mic Rees says

    Crio – Toorak Park still a terrific district cricket venue – have you (or anyone for that matter) heard anything about a proposed re-development of the Toorak station/Waterboard building end of the ground ?

    Chalkdog – Was the other local team you were thinking of Green Gully Ajax ?

    Condos kicked 19 out of a team total of 45 today.

    MCR

  16. James Condos now has 86 goals this season from his 8 games.
    He trails only Omeo’s Macy Hambrook (90 from 7) in the race to the ton!

  17. Richard Jones says

    SIXTY-six must be an omen number for Jimmy Condos, Mic.

    He kicked 66 for Kyneton last year, in an injury and honeymoon riddled year. I hasten to add the honeymoon safari cut 2 to 3 weeks off his weekend appearances in the yellow and black of Kyneton.

    Coaching must have been his long-term goal, tho. I recall covering one 2010 match for the Bendy Advertiser when injured Jimmy did a fair bit of the coaching from the sidelines.
    It was a Queen Elizabeth Oval match against Sandhurst, I think. Even tho senior Tiger coach Paul Houston was alongside him, it appeared as if Jimmy was calling the shots, sending out the runner and making the positional switches.
    Jimmy was extremely vocal that day.

  18. He’s got 86 so far Richard

  19. Mic Rees says

    Richard – The Lion safari was just up the road from Jim’s current home venue at Deer Park.

    The story I was told was Deer Park wanted to make a long term appointment, someone who could coach them when they returned to Div 1 and Condos was their man. I can’t see them losing a game in Div 2. They’ll need to recruit to be competitive next season – if they’ve got the cash they’ll be fine.

    Crio – Next opponent for DP is once mighty Braybrook (18 June) at home. You’d assume he’ll bring up the ton then.

    MCR

  20. Richard Jones says

    CRIO, we have to remember Jimmy’s playing in the WRFL Div. 2 comp.

    Not the greatest footy comp. going around, you wouldn’t think.

    I regularly take 2 of our granddaughters to the playground adjacent to the home of the West ‘Scray Roosters. Pretty piddly little ground, but I have a feeling the Roosters might be in Div. 1 of the WRFL.

  21. Richard Jones says

    NOPE, as it turns out. West Roosters are in Div. 2 as well !!!

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