Media roundup of coverage of Sam Pleming reaching 200 VFL games.

From the Port Phillip Leader
Reported by Paul Amy
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IT’S as if his name is rusted to the Port Melbourne results.

In the past few years, more often than not S Pleming has featured in the Borough best.

When Sam Pleming played his 150th senior VFL game a couple of years ago, Port board man Les Quarrell reckoned the defender they call “Plum’’ had been in the list of best players at least 100 times.

Year-by-year results on the VFL website go back only to 2010, but they suggest Quarrell was close to the mark.

In 2010 Pleming has 13 mentions in the top six players. In 2011 he had 10 mentions. In 2012 it was 12. Last year he got up to 15.

The numbers bear out Pleming’s consistency. He has been a remarkably productive player for Port since joining it in 2006 after spending 2004 and ’05 on Carlton’s rookie list.

The sight of him taking intercepting marks across the half back line and turning defence into attack with canny disposal has been a staple of Port games for close to a decade. He reads the game as if it’s an alphabet book for kinder kids.

Durability is another asset: he’s missed only three matches in nine seasons, two with a finger he cut at work in 2008 and one with a rolled ankle in 2010.

Honours have piled up around Pleming: Port’s 2011 premiership, state jumpers in 2012-13, best and fairests in 2010-11, team of-the-year selections from 2010-13 and VFL life membership.

Port Melbourne have also released a highlights video capturing some of the Plemings TV highlights.

From the Official VFL website
www.vfl.com.au
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The VFL will play SANFL on Saturday May 31 at 1:10pm at North Port Oval.

2014 Peter Jackson VFL State Squad

Anthony ANASTASIO WILLIAMSTOWN
Mitch BANNER WILLIAMSTOWN
Nathan BATSANIS RICHMOND
Chris CAIN PORT MELBOURNE
Scott CLOUSTON WILLIAMSTOWN
Adam COCKIE SANDRINGHAM
Myke COOK SANDRINGHAM
Jesse CRICHTON WERRIBEE TIGERS
Ben DAVIES WILLIAMSTOWN
Ben DUSCHER ESSENDON
David FANNING PORT MELBOURNE
Peter FAULKS WILLIAMSTOWN
Lech FEATHERSTONE COBURG
KHAN HARETUKU FRANKSTON
Shane HOCKEY FRANKSTON
Ben JOLLEY WILLIAMSTOWN
Alistair KEFFORD ESSENDON
Ayden KENNEDY BOX HILL HAWKS
Marc LOCK BOX HILL HAWKS
Cameron LOCKWOOD WILLIAMSTOWN
Michael LOUREY FRANKSTON
Nick LOWER FOOTSCRAY
Alik MAGIN BENDIGO
Adam MARCON WILLIAMSTOWN
Nick MEESE WILLIAMSTOWN
Joshua MELLINGTON ESSENDON
David MIRRA BOX HILL HAWKS
Daniel NOONAN PORT MELBOURNE
Evan PANOZZA CASEY SCORPIONS
Toby PINWILL PORT MELBOURNE
Sam PLEMING PORT MELBOURNE
Nick RIPPON NORTH BALLARAT
Julian ROWE PORT MELBOURNE
Joshua SCIPIONE PORT MELBOURNE
Matthew SULLY GEELONG
Shannon TAYLOR FRANKSTON
Luke TYNAN PORT MELBOURNE
Shane VALENTI PORT MELBOURNE
Daniel VENDITTI COBURG
Jake WILSON WERRIBEE TIGERS

VFL State Squad by the numbers:
•9 players in squad from the final side last year that played WAFL
•16 players with VFL State experience
•Over 20 former TAC Cup players
•6 VFL captains in squad
•8 members of the VFL Team of the Year
•6 of the top 10 VFL listed goal kickers
•18 former AFL listed players
•6 players directly from AFL in 2013
•10 players selected did not play in VFL in 2013
•14 of 16 VFL clubs represented

Club by club breakdown
•2 clubs with 9 players each - Williamstown & Port Melbourne
•25 players from stand alone VFL teams
•6 players from AFL stand alone clubs
•9 players from aligned sides

SATURDAY MAY 17
Richmond vs Box Hill Hawks at Punt Road Oval 10:40am(3WBC)
Essendon vs Port Melbourne at Windy Hill 1pm
Williamstown vs Geelong at Burbank Oval,Williamstown 1:10pm(ABC1TV)
Sandringham vs Werribee at Trevor Barker Oval,Sandringham 2pm
(Development League match starts at 11am)
Collingwood vs Bendigo Gold at Victoria Park 2pm
(Dev League)Frankston vs Box Hill Hawks at Frankston Park 2:30pm

SUNDAY MAY 18
Coburg Lions vs Casey Scorpions at Piranha Park,Coburg 2pm(Casey Radio)
(Development League match starts at 11am)
North Ballarat vs Frankston at Eureka Stadium 2pm(VFL Radio)

VFL Byes: Footscray,Northern Blues

Development League Bye: Northern Blues (Note: Port Melbourne vs Williamstown Rd 7 Dev League match will be played as a curtain raiser to the state league representative match at Northport Oval on Saturday May 31)

TUESDAY MAY 6
(Foxtel Cup)Box Hill Hawks vs West Perth at Etihad Stadium 8:35pm(Fox Footy,3WBC)

SATURDAY MAY 10
Footscray vs Sandringham at Simonds Stadium 1:10pm(ABC1TV)
Northern Blues vs Casey Scorpions at Visy Park 2pm(Casey Radio)
(Development League match starts at 11am)

SUNDAY MAY 11
Frankston vs Williamstown at Frankston 2pm(VFL Radio)
(Development League Match starts at 11am(

VFL Byes:Bendigo Gold,Box Hill Hawks, Coburg, Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, North Ballarat, Port Melbourne, Richmond & Werribee

Development League Byes: Box Hill Hawks, Coburg, Port Melbourne, Sandringham & Werribee

From the Frankston Leader
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TICKING along nicely, Frankston Dolphins timekeeper Michael Robinson officiated in his 200th VFL game last Friday.

He still laughs about the day at Visy Park in 2010 when the siren and emergency siren refused to work and he had to take extraordinary measures.

“We ended up sitting in the Northern Bullants’ vicepresident’s car honking the horn,’’ Robinson chuckled.

“The car was driven into the driveway in between the two stands and we just sat in the car.

“Originally we sat in Bryan Mace’s van and then at half-time the vice president came over and we used his car because it had a louder horn. It had comfy seats.’’ Robinson said being a timekeeper had a serious side – “concentration is the key’’ – but it was also a fun job.

“We have a lot of fun up in the box during the day. It’s not all serious,’’ he said.
He said he especially enjoyed working alongside of the timekeepers from Port Melbourne, Sandringham and Williamstown.

In his time at Frankston, Robinson said his top five Dolphins were Daniel Clarke, Michael Hibberd, Paul Kennedy, Aaron Edwards and Mark Baguley.

From localfooty.com.au
Reported by Chris Cavanagh
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LONG-TIME local football rivals Northern Blues and Coburg are preparing for another hute “Battle of Bell St” clash in the VFL this weekend.

The Blues and the now stand-alone Lions will meet for the 150th time at Preston City Oval on Saturday at 1.10pm, both chasing the fictional “Bell St Cup” victory.

Remarkably, from 149 ­encounters between the sides heading into the Round 5 match, the ledger is split at 73 wins with three draws since the teams first met in 1925.

Northern Blues general manager Garry O’Sullivan said both sides always looked forward to this clash, and the fact Coburg was a stand-alone side again this year meant there would be extra spice in this one.

“We always enjoy our ­rivalry with our neighbours,” he said.