From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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IT was never easy. Williamstown, young and bold, afforded it no peace all afternoon.

But Port Melbourne fought past its great rival to win Saturday's VFL preliminary final at North Port Oval and progress to this Sunday's grand final at Etihad Stadium, where it will vie for a premiership to go with last year's perfect pennant.

The final margin was 34 points, suggesting a degree of comfort.

But a tense coach Gary Ayres and Port supporters could only relax at the 19-minute mark of the final quarter, when Steve Brewer, the man with the kick of a stallion, bombed a goal from outside the 50m arc.

Port could have taken it beyond doubt earlier in the term, but missed three chances. Adrian Bonaddio, playing his 100th game, sprayed two set-shots, but he atoned at the 12-minute mark to push the lead to 26 points. It was always going to be difficult for the Seagulls from there, and Brewer finally put them away.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 23
TAC Cup Grand Final
Gippsland Power vs Oakleigh Chargers at Etihad Stadium 10:30am
VFL Grand Final
Port Melbourne vs Geelong at Etihad Stadium 2:15pm (ABC1TV,SEN 1116(Aussie),K-Rock,3WBC, ABC Local Radio Victoria)

If you are outside Victoria you can listen to the VFL Grand Final at www.sen.com.au, SENiPhone/iPad App, Red Time Sport iPhone/iPad App, ABC Local Radio iPhone/iPad app (click to 774 ABC Melbourne icon).

From the Williamstown Star
Reported by Adem Saricaoglu
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WILLIAMSTOWN face old enemy Port Melbourne in this Saturday’s VFL preliminary final, after the Seagulls put the Casey Scorpions to the sword on the road on Saturday.

The Towners have now claimed the scalps of every team that finished in the top four as part of a remarkable winning streak that now stretches back two months, including a stirring 11-point win over the Borough in late July.

Club CEO Brendan Curry told Star on Sunday the even contribution of the 23 players who take the park each week has been the secret to Williamstown’s success during the second half of the season.

“We rely on 23 players, it doesn’t matter if they’re on the VFL list or Western Bulldogs list,” Curry said.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15
Development League Grand Final
Coburg Tigers vs Box Hill Hawks at Northport Oval 10:45am
VFL 1st Preliminary Final
Port Melbourne vs Williamstown at Northport Oval 2:10pm (ABC1TV,SEN 1116)

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16
VFL 2nd Preliminary Final
Werribee vs Geelong at Northport Oval 2:10pm (ABC1TV,SEN 1116,K-Rock 95.5FM Geelong)

From Port Phillip Melbourne Weekly
Reported by Daniel Paproth
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PORT Melbourne battled through to the VFL preliminary finals with a 22-point qualifying final win over Geelong on Sunday.

The match, played in glorious Spring sunshine at North Port Oval, lived up to expectations as the two highly rated teams put on a brilliant display of football in one of the best games of the season.

But Borough's victory by 20.12 (132) to 16.14 (110) did not come easily, as Gary Ayres' team had to fend off an intense final-quarter comeback by the Cats.

Geelong made the better start, kicking the first goal in the opening minute but Port hit back quickly as play oscillated between the two 50m arcs.

From the Port Phillip Melbourne Weekly
Reported by Daniel Paproth
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THE 1371 points kicked against Port Melbourne in the VFL's home-and-away season was the fewest in the competition.

And much of the credit for that miserly defence goes to assistant coach Peta Searle.

When she came on board late last year, beating male applicants for the role, she entered uncharted territory - no woman had ever coached at VFL level before.

Not that Searle has been too concerned with that feat.

"Coaching at any level is a

challenge," she says. "At the end of the day football is football, no matter where you're at."

From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Sam Landsberger
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DEAN Towers. Heard of him? Probably not. But if history is any guide you can lock the 22-year-old in for a promising AFL career destined to materialise come this year's draft.

The jet from North Ballarat took home the VFL’s Rising Star award on Monday night, and a quick glance at the honour roll exemplifies how highly rated the award should be regarded.

Last year’s winner? A kid called Ahmed Saad who quickly developed into one of the stories of 2012 as he cemented his place in the St Kilda forward line much faster than his 30-step set-shot approach.

The year before? Michael Hibberd, a staple in Essendon’s half-back line.

In 2009? A dashing Werribee midfielder named Michael Barlow, who somehow slipped through to Fremantle in the rookie draft before debuting in Round 1 in Brownlow medal form.