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From Frankston Standard Leader
Reported by Paul Amy
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FRANKSTON'S latest recruit has come a long way to play in the VFL - all the way from Jacksonville, Florida.

Alex Starling, who was scouted by the Sydney Swans two years ago, arrived in Melbourne on Saturday, being collected at Tullamarine by Dolphins coach Simon Goosey and assistant Bob Keddie.

Starling, 24, 196cm and 93kg, is a college basketballer who was signed by the Swans in 2012 under the international scholarship scheme.

But a stress fracture of the leg prevented them from listing him as an international rookie this year.

However the injury hasn't extinguished Starling's dream of playing football.

From Bendigo Advertiser
Reported by Travis King
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THE Bendigo Gold will hope the saying 'be careful what you wish for' doesn't ring true after the VFL fixture was released on Tuesday.

The Gold got the home draw it wanted, with five bumper clashes against AFL clubs' standalone teams.

But Bendigo will also face a challenging away fixture.

The positives include QEO clashes against Geelong in round one, Essendon on Good Friday evening and Footscray on Anzac Day night.

Richmond on a Saturday night and Collingwood to kick-off the final round are other highlights.

From Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Nick Wade
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THE winds of change that howled through Geelong's AFL team have continued down to the Cats' VFL side.

The VFL Cats are in the midst of a changing of the guard as they look for Troy Selwood's replacement as captain and someone to step into the midfield role vacated by best-and-fairest winner Mark Corrigan.

But the expectation for next year is very much the same and the Cats believe they will be around the mark again as they chase a third straight grand final appearance.

From Ballarat Courier
Reported by Michael Pollock
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NORTH Ballarat is set for a blockbuster start to the 2014 Peter Jackson VFL home and away season, with the club learning yesterday that it will play four stand-alone VFL sides in the opening five rounds.

The release of the 2014 fixture has seen a fan-friendly draw for the Selkirk Roosters, who will open their season on March 29 against Collingwood for the second straight year.

North Ballarat Roosters football manager Marg Richards is excited about the potential of the draw to bring supporters to games, but is also keen to see how the club adapts to the changing competition after cutting its development league team earlier this year.

From www.vfl.com.au
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The Peter Jackson VFL 2014 fixture has been released today, with the competition returning to 16 teams for the first time in over a decade.

The competition will expand with alignments between Williamstown/Western Bulldogs and Coburg/Richmond having come to a close at the end of last season, and all four clubs fielding standalone sides next year.

Coburg will return to their traditional nickname of the Lions, while the Western Bulldogs will play under their traditional name of Footscray (Bulldogs).

Current club training venues for Richmond and Western Bulldogs will to host VFL matches, with games for competition points to be held at Victoria University Whitten Oval for the first time since 1997and ME Bank Centre (Punt Road Oval) since 1964.

From www.richmondfc.com.au
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Richmond officially launched its VFL team today, confirming that football will return to Punt Road Oval, at the ME Bank Centre, in 2014.

The Tigers will enter its own team in the VFL competition from next year, after ending its alignment with Coburg at the end of the 2013 season.

The number of games to be played at Richmond’s home base will be confirmed when the 2014 VFL fixture is released later this month.

The outstanding support of the Fighting Tiger Fund (FTF), and significantly improved business performance, has allowed the Club to establish its own VFL team

From Bendigo Advertiser
Reported by Travis King
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THE Bendigo Gold's coffers should be boosted by a dream home draw for the 2014 Victorian Football League season.

The Gold will play many AFL clubs' VFL teams in Bendigo next season.

Bumper night games against Essendon on Good Friday and the Footscray Bulldogs on Anzac Day are highlights.

Bendigo will kick-off its season underlights at the QEO on Friday, April 4 against Geelong.

The match will be a measuring stick for the Gold's pre-season improvement under second-year coach Aussie Jones.

From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Paul Amy
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PORT Melbourne has been numbed by the death of recruit and former West Coast Eagles rookie Michael Mascoulis.

The 20-year-old died in a car accident on Friday.

Coming out of the Northern Knights, Mascoulis spent 2012 on the Eagles' rookie list and played with West Perth this year.

Returning to Victoria, he signed at Port Melbourne three weeks ago.

"I got told at 11 this morning," Borough coach Gary Ayres said on Saturday.

"You just freeze. We saw him at training on Friday night, full of beans and energy and high hopes, and the following day we're told he's no longer with us.

"It's a terrible tragedy. He was a lovely kid coming back here to make a bright and brand new start and was keen to do well.

"You heart goes out to his family and his friends."

Former teammates and friends took to social media in an outpouring of grief to pay tribute to Mascoulis.

From Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Nick Wade
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GEELONG VFL captain Troy Selwood has retired from football content with his career's achievements after calling time on his playing days today.

The 29-year-old, who captained the Cats' VFL flag last year, weighed up the decision late in the season but said he was moving on confident the VFL program was in good hands.

Selwood played 75 games for the Brisbane Lions between 2005-2010, before signing on as the Cats' VFL captain in 2011, when he also accepted a job in the football department.

His expanding football operations role has made it difficult to balance both playing and work, and he is expected to take on a match-day role with the Cats' AFL side next year.

From Leader Newspapers
Reported by Paul Amy
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SCOUTS who cover the VFL say draft prospects are thinner on the ground this year.

But AFL Victoria VFL Academy coach/mentor Darren Flanigan expects up to 10 players to advance to AFL lists through the national and rookie drafts.

The state league produced nine draftees in 2012, most notably Western Bulldog Brett Goodes, Magpies Sam Dwyer and Kyle Martin and Demon Matt Jones.

Former Geelong ruckman Flanigan is confident a similar number will be taken this year, saying AFL clubs will look to the VFL to fill specific needs on their lists.

He believes Port Melbourne midfielder Chris Cain, Werribee big man Ben Brown and Northern Blues on-baller Kane Lambert are the best chances to go in the national draft.