From the Ballarat Courier
Reoported by David Brehaut
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NORTH Ballarat will take momentum into the mid-season break after maintaining its domination over Bendigo Bombers at Essendon's Windy Hill in the Victorian Football League yesterday.
The Selkirk Roosters withstood a late charge to out-last Bendigo by six points.

North Ballarat has now won 18 of its 19 clashes with Bendigo in the VFL.

Just as Williamstown did against North Ballarat the previous week, Bendigo worked its way to an eight-point lead in time-on in the last quarter.

Not to be denied though, for the second week in a row the Roosters' resolve enabled them to regain control - this time 15.14 (104) to 15.8 (98)

A healthy start with a five-goal first quarter helped North Ballarat maintain a small, but handy enough lead for the first half.

From Bendigo Advertiser
Reported by Luke West
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A FRUSTRATED Bendigo Bank Bombers chairman David Joss has branded the Queen Elizabeth Oval the “laughing stock” of football in country Victoria.
Joss’ stinging comments yesterday came after, for the second time in as many seasons, the QEO surface was deemed unsuitable to host VFL football.

The Bombers were scheduled to meet country rivals North Ballarat at the QEO in round 10 this Sunday, but following an inspection by both clubs yesterday morning, the game has been switched to Essendon’s Windy Hill after surface concerns.

In a further blow for the Bombers, the shifting of the game has forced the club to postpone its Team of the Decade function on Sunday night.

Although at this stage it’s just this Sunday’s match that has been transferred, there’s no guarantees the Bombers will be back on the QEO this season.

From the AFL.COM.AU website
Reported by Jennifer Witham
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THE ABC enjoyed a ratings bonanza on Saturday afternoon with more than 90,000 Melbourne viewers tuning in to watch Gold Coast debutant Karmichael Hunt face the Coburg Tigers at Craigieburn's Highgate Recreation Reserve.

The rugby league convert drew the biggest audience for a VFL game this year, with the figures nearly two-and-a-half times larger than the season average.

The next best audience was in round one when almost 66,000 tuned in to watch Collingwood versus Williamstown.

VFL CEO Peter Schwab said the game provided terrific promotional value for the competition.

"There was certainly an enormous media interest in the game and the crowd out at Craigieburn was excellent - over 4000 people," he told afl.com.au.

LEADERS BOARD

After 9 rounds old Moorabbin supporter Rick Dennis has retained his lead with 6 winners to take his tally to 49 winners for the season. Rick leads Williamstown diehard Don 'Cgull' Quayle and old Coburg Lions supporter Daniel Bourne by 2 tips who are both on 47 winners. Sitting in equal fourth spot are 'Ashtray Dave', Bananaman, Port diehard Bobby Borough, Paul Amy and Oakleigh devil fan from the old days Peter 'Willo' Williamson. Willo use to watch the likes of Keith Battersby, Ian Todd and Wes Hillard when he was cheering for the Oaks.

The are each on 46 winners and not far of the leader Rick 'The Moorabbin Relic' Dennis.

GEOFF LANGDALE WINS SEVEN WINNERS

There were several tipsters that selected seven winners with Geoff Langdale being nearest the aggregate score for the Coburg v Gold Coast clash from Craigieburn. Geoff picked 196 points and was 3 point shy off the 199 points. Geoff collects $60. Another $30 will go to the tipster who picks seven winners for Round 10. If more than one tipster picks seven it will go to the tipster nearest the aggregate score for the Williamstown v Casey clash. If no tipster picks seven winners it will jackpot to $60 to the following round.

AGGREGATE SCORE WINNER FOR ROUND 9

This weeks aggregate score winner is old zebra faithful Adam Moffat who has a keen interest in North Ballarat and Werribee. Adam picked 200 points for the clash between Coburg v Gold Coast match played at Craigieburn. The aggregate score was 199 points therefore Adam collects $40 which he will no doubt spend at this weeks Puffing Bill Footy Day at Emerald.

Source: Herald Sun

THE State Government and North Melbourne Football Club are on a collision course with the AFL over plans to play matches in Ballarat.

Premier John Brumby trumpeted a $1 million upgrade of Ballarat's Eureka Stadium as the first step towards playing AFL matches there by 2013. An AFL spokesman said it had no intention to move matches from Etihad Stadium or the MCG.

From localfooty.com.au
Reported by Simon McEvoy
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GOOD mates Simon Goosey and Gary Ayres shook hands and wished each other luck before Sunday's VFL clash between Frankston and Port Melbourne at Kars St.
Coaching against each other for the first time in a "real game" since working together at the Borough last year, they both hoped like hell they could win.

Three hours later when they caught up for a quiet drink, it was Ayres who had the widest smile.

Ayres' Port Melbourne took until the third quarter to shake off a feisty Frankston, skipping clear to win by 30 points.

Scores were level at half-time but a seven-goal third term thrust Port Melbourne ahead.

From the Ballarat Courier
Reported by David Brehaut
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COACH Gerard FitzGerald says a fighting win over VFL premiership favourite Williamstown has the potential to set up North Ballarat's season.
The Roosters scrambled their way to a four-point win over Williamstown - 15.11 (101) to 14.13 (97) - in Ballarat on Saturday.

North Ballarat was staring down the barrel for a large part of the day after letting Williamstown open up a 27-point lead in the first quarter.

But not even the presence of Western Bulldogs champion Brad Johnson, on his way back from injury, was enough to help the Seagulls stay in front in a desperate finish.

"This is a significant moment," FitzGerald told his players post-match.

"When we looked like we couldn't win it, you didn't lose your belief.

"This belief got us home," he said.

"We beat the best team in the competition the hard way.

From The Age
Reported by Will Brodie
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Gold Coast rugby league convert Karmichael Hunt has kicked two goals in his first seven minutes of AFL football, before reality, and sore legs, set in.

The former Australian international rugby league star started at full-forward for the expansion team in its clash against Richmond's VFL affiliate Coburg at windswept Craigieburn.

Hunt laid a tackle inside the first two minutes, which won him a free kick for holding the ball in the forward pocket. His first kick at goal went out on the full.

"He wouldn’t have tackled someone from behind very often," ABC commentator David Rhys Jones noted.

However, four minutes later, the Queenslander ran on to accept a handball and converted from the goalsquare. He was bowled over by Tiger-listed half-back Jordan McMahon and received another free kick, directly in front, in the goal square, which he converted.

From goldcoastfc.com.au
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Karmichael Hunt to Debut

Former rugby league international Karmichael Hunt will make his long awaited VFL debut when he lines up at full forward for GCFC against Coburg Tigers on Saturday.

Hunt played 11 rugby league test matches for Australia between 2006 and 2008 and has only just returned home following a successful stint with French provincial rugby union club Biarritz. He is now looking to become the first ever footballer to play rugby league, rugby union and AFL at elite level.

Hunt will not be the only first gamer on Saturday. Joining him are exciting 18 year-olds Josh Toy and Tom Nicholls. Both are products of the AIS/AFL Academy.

Other inclusions this week are Charlie Dixon, Rex Liddy, David Swallow, Liam Patrick and Roland Ah Chee.

The full team is:

B: Mitch HARLEY Michael GUGLIOTTA Josh TOY(debut)
HB: Taylor HINE Charlie DIXON Roland AH CHEE
C: Trent McKENZIE Marc LOCK (c) Joey DAYE
HF: Luke RUSSELL Danny STANLEY Sam ILES
F: Rex LIDDY Karmichael HUNT (debut) Alik MAGIN
R: Zac SMITH Daniel HARRIS Brandon MATERA

INT: Tom NICHOLLS (debut) David SWALLOW Liam PATRICK
Piers FLANAGAN Maverick WELLER
EMG: Jack STANLAKE Matthew SHAW Hayden JOLLY

In: Toy, Dixon, Liddy, Hunt, Nicholls, Patrick, Ah Chee, Swallow
Out: Jolly, Rees, Steven, Coad, Ablett, Thompson, Moss, Shaw

From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Jon Ralph
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KARMICHAEL Hunt faces the prospect of being tagged in his first game of football, with Coburg VFL coach David Newett warning he would not receive a free ride.
Rugby League convert Hunt will make his VFL debut against Coburg at Craigieburn on Saturday afternoon, the first game in a short stint before being spelled again by the Gold Coast.

Newett admits he has no idea what sort of player Hunt will be, or even where he will play. And while he will target Gold Coast veterans Sam Iles and Daniel Harris, he said he would have no hesitation latching onto Hunt if he starts winning the ball.

"We have no idea where he's going to play. It's really hard to get a gauge on where he's at with no footage, and no prior games to review, so we will go in with an open mind, and take him on board like any other opposition player. But if he's causing trouble we will be accountable for him," he said.