From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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THE five-year sequence of VFL flags held true for Geelong.

The Cats were premiers in 2002, 2007 and now 2012 after they battled past a game Port Melbourne in Sunday's grand final at Etihad Stadium.

There was little between the teams until the last quarter, when the Cats, despite a rash of misses, booted four goals to one to ease to a 33-point victory and send retiring veteran David Wojcinski out on a premiership high.

He received the biggest cheer of all when called to the dais to receive his medal.

In truth, Geelong should have won by more: it wound up with 24 behinds. But the telling statistic was in the scoring shots: 38 to the Cats and 20 to the Borough.

Port Melbourne was brave - it always is - but it was unable to go with Geelong when it lengthened stride late in the game.

The Port players slumped to the ground after the final siren, crestfallen they were unable to repeat last year's drought-ending premiership and deliver the club its 17th flag.

VFL

Port Melbourne
B H. Sandilands D. Noonan S. Brewer
HB C. Hinkley S. Pleming M. Johnston
C C. Cain J. Baird (c) S. Valenti
HF S. Dwyer B. Burstin R. Gale
F M. Dillon D. Galea A. Bonaddio
R W. Skipper T. Pinwill M. Wooffindin
Int(from) J. Scipione J. Williams* J. Bruest M. Woods A. Bentick H. O'Farrell T. Langford C. Johnston M. Pitt

Geelong Cats
B C. Eardley T. Gillies J. Bews
HB J. Murdoch A. McLean D. Wojcinski
C S. Byrnes T. Selwood (c) S. Hogan
HF J. Simpkin J. Walker J. Sheringham
F D. Gleeson M. Brown J. Schroder
R O. Stephenson G. Horlin-Smith J. Stringer
Int(from) D. Simpson S. Kersten G. Burbury R. Bathie J.Hollmer M. Corrigan J. Hamling
M. Blicvas D. Holden*

TAC CUP
Gippsland Power
B J. Huts R. Hall J. Cashman
HB A. Tipungwuti J. Johnstone A. Heppell
C L. Nash S. Lange B. Kearns
HF N. Graham J. Scott D. Jackson
F M. Northe T. Membrey S. Deery
R J. Leslie T. Fusinato W. Hams
Int(from) L. Channing D. Irwin B. Hillard J. Drew T. Muir N. Paredes E. Morris

Oakleigh Chargers
B K. Nolan S. Collins D. Vizzarri
HB J. Ashby T. Cutler N. Papaleo
C A. Franetic R. Exon M. Barton
HF J. Kennedy-Harris K. Jaksch J. Macrae
F J. Billings N. Walmsley J. Toohey
R C. Prowse L. McDonald J. Collopy
Int(from) T. MacMillan W. Maginness C. Vearing D. Heath J. Stewart M. Donoghue J. Ernest S. Raru

From www.richmondfc.com.au
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Former Richmond development coach Tim Clarke will resume his position in the Tigers’ coaching department, after a year away from the Club.

Clarke, who has spent the past 12 months overseas, is returning to Tigerland as a development coach, a position he held for two years (2010-11).

He will also take over as senior coach of Richmond’s VFL affiliate, Coburg Tigers, in 2013, replacing Adam Potter.

Richmond will break from its alignment with Coburg at the end of next season, forming a stand-alone team in the VFL competition from 2014.

That decision was brought forward by a year, thanks to the outstanding support of the Fighting Tiger Fund.

From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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CASEY Scorpions have been jolted by the resignation of senior coach Brett Lovett, who was halfway through his two year contract.

Lovett, judged the VFL coach of 2012 after steering the Casey Scorpions to the minor premiership, told the club yesterday that he would not be going on.

The former Melbourne star said this morning that the demands of the part-time role were too great.

He said he’d stood down for family and work reasons, “in that order”.

“It’s just getting to that stage of life where I need to dedicate a bit more time to other, more important things in my life,” Lovett told Local Footy.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by James Podsiadley
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THIS is the stage where the next Jimmy Bartel, the next Steve Johnson and the next Gary Ablett are born.

On Sunday, our VFL side has the chance to emulate the feats of our 2002 and 2007 premiership teams when it faces powerhouse Port Melbourne in the VFL grand final.

This is the last opportunity for Cats fans to get their footy fix for the next six months.

What a great opportunity to get along to Etihad Stadium and watch the blue-and-white hoops battle it out for some silverware.

I know at Geelong, any form of team achievement is cherished. The guys who played in the 2002 VFL premiership still talk about their triumph a fair bit around the club and it's the subject of a lot of banter.

From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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VFL grand final coaches Gary Ayres and Matthew Knights were at Essendon when they last sat together. It was October, 2007.

..Knights had just been appointed to replace Kevin Sheedy and Ayres was a senior assistant.

Not for long. Offered a role in "opposition analysis'', he declined and moved to Port Melbourne.

"I worked with Matty for a couple of years at Essendon until he gave me the arse,'' Ayres said yesterday, light-heartedly, as he and Knights took questions at a press conference at Etihad Stadium.

Five years on, the former AFL coaches and champion players are eyeing the VFL premiership, Ayres with his spirited, stand-alone Borough and Knights with Geelong.