From The Age website - Reported by Marc McGowan

Werribee VFL standout Shaun Mannagh still had not done enough to convince recruiters he was AFL-worthy when this year’s mid-season draft came and went.

Six months later – and after adding an extraordinary six-goal, 27-disposal grand final performance in a losing cause to his AFL pitch – Geelong made his dream a reality by taking him with the No.36 selection on Tuesday night.

Shaun Mannagh was best on ground in the VFL grand final.CREDIT:AFL PHOTOS

Geelong recruiting great Stephen Wells revealed afterwards they had made up their mind on the 26-year-old midfielder before that stupendous grand final display, which earned him the Norm Goss Medal. In fact, he joked they were a tad disappointed he played so well.

“Shaun’s a player we think deserves an opportunity on an AFL list, obviously,” Wells said.Marc

Full article - https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/vfl-gun-and-a-local-footy-bolter-fa…

From the Williamstown Football Club 

The memories you've made Ben Jolley. You will never be forgotten!

| Williamstown 2008-2018 & 2023 

| 306 VFL games (record holder) 

| 2015 Williamstown Premiership Captain 

| 233 Games for Williamstown 

| Multiple B&F’s 

| Multiple VFL Team of the Year

Fox Footy from Fox Sports

A national AFL reserves competition, or expanded VFL, could be on the cards in the coming years as West Coast flagged concerns over the club’s options in the west.

Code Sports reports Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett fronted the WAFL club presidents on Tuesday after his struggling club was granted list concessions following a winless season and third wooden spoon in a row.

He told the presidents West Coast had the possibility of following Adelaide and Port Adelaide in abandoning their state leagues and either joining an expanded VFL or full AFL reserves competition to develop their young players. 

The move would cost the WAFL $600,000 a year in license fees and $1 million if Fremantle did the same and abandoned their partnership with Peel Thunder.

The other options floated by Nisbett, to align with a WAFL club (most likely Perth Demons but this would be very hard to get across the line) or spreading their players across the league (which would be difficult to run and out-of-line with all other AFL clubs), were viewed as much more unrealistic by the presidents which is why they took the AFL reserves competition threat so seriously.

The Western and South Australian clubs are the only ones not involved in the expanded VFL, which holds the historic name despite featuring clubs in New South Wales and Queensland, including 2023 premiers Gold Coast.

Adelaide and Port Adelaide could be involved in an expanded VFL as soon as next season, according to the report, and a full AFL reserves comp is viewed as a possibility for 2027 - as long as the arrangements with AFL airline partner Virgin are changed so all team flights can be chartered.

The VFL currently features a whopping 21 clubs - 11 reserves sides for Gold Coast, Brisbane, the Western Bulldogs (Footscray), Collingwood, Richmond, North Melbourne, Carlton, GWS, Geelong, Essendon and Sydney, plus aligned sides Casey (Melbourne), Box Hill (Hawthorn) and Sandringham (St Kilda).

There are also seven stand-alone sides - Werribee, Williamstown and Port Melbourne who have financial advantages through pokie machines, plus Southport, Frankston, Northern Bullants and Coburg.

The uncompetitiveness of the latter three became a major concern last season with Coburg going winless while Northern Bullants finished with a percentage of 40.4.

Frankston Football Club Welcomes Jackson Kornberg as Head Coach for a Transformative New Era

The Frankston Football Club is thrilled to announce the appointment of Jackson Kornberg as Head

Coach for the next three seasons. This momentous decision marks the beginning of a new era for the

club, as Kornberg becomes our first full-time senior coach, committed to elevating our football

program to elite standards, and driving our success in the highly competitive VFL competition.

After an exhaustive seven-week search, conducted nationwide, to identify the ideal candidate to

lead our club forward, the selection panel, comprised of Grant Thomas, Donald McDonald, Fraser

Bayne, Marc Ablett, Brad Sykes, and Steven Icke, has made a resounding choice. Jackson Kornberg’s

exceptional qualities in building relationships, coupled with his track record of coaching teams to

success and his unparalleled skills in player development, set him apart from a pool of impressive

candidates.

‘We are very excited to appoint a full time Coach of Jackson’s high regard in the industry with many

successful experiences. I have spoken to Jackson to congratulate him who is thrilled to be part of our

new era we are going to create at our great Club. We are also delighted to have our highest

retention of existing players we have had in many years already signed up along with exciting new

talent wanting to join us’. David Friend – President Frankston Football Cub

Kornberg’s recent involvement with the all-conquering Gold Coast Suns VFL program has been

nothing short of spectacular. Serving as Head Coach in 2022 and an AFL/VFL Development Coach in

2023, he played a pivotal role in the Suns’ VFL Premiership victory. His determination to replicate

this level of success at the Frankston Football Club is palpable.

In addition to his role as the Head Coach of the VFL program, Jackson Kornberg will oversee our

growing women’s program and the VFL Academy. His unwavering passion for developing players is

well-known in the industry, and we are confident that the young talent on the Mornington Peninsula

and southeast region will benefit immensely from this appointment. As we expand and nurture our

academy, we aim to provide elite opportunities for aspiring players right here in their backyard at

Frankston.

Kornberg’s journey to this point has been a remarkable one. He spent a decade at the Sandringham

Dragons, progressing through various coaching roles, culminating as the Head Coach in 2021. He has

also been involved with coaching Sandringham NAB League Girls and served as an assistant coach

with both Carlton (2016-2018) and North Melbourne (2018-2019) in the AFLW programs.

‘I am really excited for the opportunity to coach the talented young list at the Club and humbled that

the Board have shown faith in me to do the role. I can’t with t meet the playing group and start

building towards the season’. said Jackson Kornberg

What truly sets Jackson Kornberg apart is his genuine care for all players, regardless of their position

on the list. His individual development programs are industry-leading and continue to shape the

Sandringham Dragons, while also influencing player development at the Gold Coast Suns.

Tim Taranto and Bailey Smith, prominent AFL stars, testify to Kornberg’s impact on their careers.

Tim Taranto (Sandringham Dragons website, 2021)

“He was very, very helpful for my confidence and skill work for the couple of years while I was with

him and he was a good bloke that was willing to give up his time. He loved the boys, was selfless,

loved the club and he’s come into his own as a senior coach the last few years”

Bailey Smith (Herald Sun, 2022)

“The amount (of training) we did one-on-one, off days, it was just that person who was there, and

even off-field. He’s been a massive influence. I don’t know what I would have done without him,”

As we embark on this exciting journey with Jackson Kornberg at the helm, the Frankston Football

Club looks forward to a new era of professionalism and success. We extend a warm welcome to

Jackson and are eager to witness the transformation he will bring to our club.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Fraser Bayne – Frankston Football Club CEO

ceo@frankstonfc.com.au

www.frankstonfc.com.au

VISIT FRANKSTON FC

Report Abuse

From the afl.com.au

BRISBANE'S Jarryd Lyons has won the 2023 J.J. Liston Trophy as the VFL's best and fairest player, becoming just the second player from a non-Victorian club to win the award.

Lyons polled 26 votes to finish two ahead of Southport midfielder/forward and former Port Adelaide goalsneak Boyd Woodcock.

Two-time Liston Trophy winner Tom Gribble from Werribee finished in a tie for third with Footscray skipper Lachlan Sullivan.

Lyons, 31, averaged 32.6 disposals, 8.2 score involvements and 7.6 clearances across 14 home-and-away matches to help guide the Lions to another preliminary final appearance.

He received votes in 11 matches, which included six best-on-ground performances.

Jarryd Lyons in action during Brisbane's clash with Gold Coast in the 2023 VFL qualifying final. Picture: AFL Photos

Meanwhile, the Lambert-Pearce Medal for the VFLW's best and fairest was shared for the first time with Box Hill Hawks teammates Jordan Mifsud and Akayla Peterson, and Geelong Cats onballer Charlotte Simpson finishing in a three-way tie.

Mifsud, Peterson and Simpson ended tied on 14 votes in a thrilling count where all three winners polled votes in the final round of the season.

From the Wyndham Star weekly. 

Matt Hanson in game 100. (Belinda Vitacca Photography)

Tara Murray

Werribee is now one game from a Victorian Football League grand final berth after a first up finals win on Saturday.

Entering the finals as the form team in the competition on the back of 15 straight wins, Werribee faced Box Hill for the first time this season in a qualifying final.

Werribee got out an early lead of 20 points before the Hawks steadied late in the first quarter. Not much separated the two teams after that with Werribee able to maintain its lead throughout on the way to an 11.14 (80)-8.12 (60).

Werribee coach Michael Barlow said it was a nice feeling to win through to the preliminary final for the first time since 2013.

The club at the time was aligned with North Melbourne and it was its third preliminary final in a row without making it any further.

Barlow himself is no stranger to a VFL preliminary final, having been part of Werribee’s team in 2008.

“It’s pretty cool seeing where we have come from and the way it is all coming together,” he said.

“We’ve got into a preliminary final now. We’ll get into it now and write on the white board how the next couple of weeks will look and how to plan it out.”

While Werribee entered the finals with not much finals experience at this level, Barlow said the group of leaders that have been about for a long time really led from the front.

He said the continuity of the group and the coaching group the last few years meant that they understood the important moments as a side, which they did on the weekend.

Barlow said Saturday’s game was one where they couldn’t really get away from Box Hill but did enough early in the first quarter to lead throughout.

“Box Hill is a good side and we knew that they would come for us,” he said. “At the start of the game neither side was dominant but we were able to make the most of our opportunities.

“After 15 minutes we were 20 points up and that was the margin in the end.

“They came from 27 points back to nine points, but our experienced players stood up. It’s really important to do the work early in finals.”

Barlow said they would take plenty of positives out of the game, as well as a number of areas that they still have to work on.

“We couldn’t get a handle on their game,” he said. “Both sides had moments they were good around the ball, the loose ball and really strong aerially.

“There were a few areas that we weren’t at a high level we would have liked. We had to win a little bit differently.

“There’s some good focus areas, two or three areas that we need to improve if we’re going to have a chance to win a preliminary final.

Kye Declase was the only multiple goal kicker for Werribee with three goals. Tom Gribble had 26 disposals, while skipper Nick Coughlan had 25 possessions.

Milestone man Matt Hanson had 21 disposals in his 100th VFL game.

Barlow said their backline led the way, especially early when they set up the match winning lead.

“Nick Coughlan got a lot of intercept marks,” he said. “Kye Declase on a wing was really good on a day where there was no dominant forward, he kicked three goals.

“Dom Brew in the middle did a defensive role and got plenty of the ball. Louis Pinnuck was also in the best three or four.”

Werribee now gets a week off ahead of the preliminary final where it will face either Williamstown or the Brisbane Lions.

For Werribee, a win will put it through to its first grand final since 2005 as the club searches for its second premiership, the other being in 1993.

Barlow said they would get five sessions in before the preliminary final.

“We’ll manage the loads and have more dedicated training,” he said. “We’ll look to have a circuit breaker and we thought about giving them a night off, but they have a thirst to want to be around each other.”