Box Hill Hawks

Coburg Tigers

From Inside Football Magazine
Reported by Paul Amy

GAGS’ GIGS: David Gallagher is one of the best players in the VFL and among its more intriguing characters. 

When INSIDE FOOTBALL contacted the Sandringham flyer last year he was in a city music shop, trying to sniff out some obscure blues recordings. Last week a phone call to natter about his 100th game for the Zebras found him at a cafe off an alleyway off Little Collins St, slaving over some lyrics. The man whose head spins to “Gags” is an artistic fellow and formed a band 10 months ago. It is trying to create “the new sound of the time”. 

Gallagher plays bass and guitar and writes songs, which he says is infinitely harder than getting a kick. “It comes in sort of bursts,” he said. “If I can get a burst I can write a whole verse in two minutes. Other times I’ll be stuck for three weeks. Yeah, I dunno, I’ve got to sit down with it every day, keeping it rolling over, keep reading stuff at the same time.” The band has played a couple of undistinguished gigs. “We kind of lacked composures on stage,” Gallagher said. “We looked like 18-year-old footballers trying to play with men.” Gallagher has been a mighty player for the Zebras since joining them in 2003, winning the 2004 best and fairest and featuring in the 2004-05-06 premiership run. 

He’s also overcome adversity: a knee injury kept him out of the game for the best part of 12 months. Gallagher, 29 in August, said he was proud that he’d moved on from the disappointment of an unfulfilled AFL career (he played 26 games for Adelaide and seven for Carlton). “I was disheartened with the whole thing. To be able to keep on going and loving footy as much as ever, I’m pretty happy about that,” he said. “I heard someone say that it had to be the best two hours of your week and that’s definitely the case for me.”

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From Inside Football Magazine
Reported by Phil Cleary

Watching Frankston’s tooth and nail battle with the St-Kilda-aligned Sandringham on Saturday from the boundary line it was hard not to marvel at the spirit of the Dolphins.
Despite the Zebras having 12 AFL players, the game was in the balance until midway through the last quarter. At ground level Shannon Grant’s boys were as tough and fierce as the Zebras. Had they been blessed with a key forward of Nick Sautner’s class they could well have won the game. As Grant told me at three-quarter time, “I never question their intent.”

So fierce was the contest that Frankston players Byron Barry and Clinton Proctor were carried from the ground on stretchers and Marcus Marigliani collapsed after the game. So why is the AFL flagging funding cuts that would devastate stand-alone clubs such as Frankston and Port? Can anyone seriously argue that VFL football is an impediment to the development of AFL players? Is there anyone in AFL ranks prepared to put their head up and tells us the VFL doesn’t play a substantial role – financially and culturally – in the development of our indigenous game?

Frankston and Port have been revelations as stand-alone clubs. It’s quite remarkable that the Dolphins, with only local boys, are able to compete with AFL-aligned clubs. The team’s performances in last year’s finals were nothing short of inspiring.
And there’s no doubt that had Port not been hurt by injuries the grand final would have been much tighter. Without these clubs we’d lose yet another vestige of distinctiveness.

Unfortunately, it appears there might be a nest of second tier bureaucrats in AFL ranks who either lack a genuine grasp of the fabric of the game or are so fixated on the TAC Cup they are incapable of marketing the VFL.
Am I the only person who thinks it odd the AFL would fund a film – The Essence of the Game – that captures the fabric of the game in the suburbs, while simultaneously flagging funding cuts to VFL clubs?

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From Goldcoast.com.au
Reported by Terry Wilson
Full article Click here

THE Gold Coast Football Club may not necessarily be playing in the Victorian Football League next year.

The original blueprint for GCFC's ride into the AFL by 2011 had the league's 17th licence earmarked for the Victorian TAC Cup with their under-18 side this year, then progressing to the VFL in 2010.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Bradley Green
Full article Click here

GEELONG VFL coach Dale Amos said his side must get better at winning contested possessions after the Cats crashed to a heavy defeat against Coburg on Saturday.

The Tigers continued Geelong's winless start to the season with a 27.16 (178) to 16.8 (104) victory at Coburg's City Oval.

Patrick Kerins the diehard Kangaroos supporter has won this week's aggregate score selecting 135 points for the Frankston v Sandringham clash. Sandringham 84 d Frankston 54 for a total aggregate score of 138 points. Pat was a Dandenong Redlegs supporter in the days of Frosty Miller, Pat Flaherty and Lyle Henrickson. Since Dandenong's demise he has followed all the North Melbourne affiliates which started with Murray Kangaroos and has included Port Melbourne, Tasmania, North Ballarat and Werribee. He has a slight leaning to North Ballarat. Pat collects $40 which will no doubt go on some green cans at the footy. The next aggregate score match will be the Round 3 clash between arch rivals Williamstown v Werribee at Point Gellibrand.

Ten tipsters managed to pick all six winners for the Round. Tipsters with six included Don 'Cgull' Quayle, Chris 'Vossy' Authier an old Mustang, old Sunshine Crows supporter Con Milonas with an ex Oakleigh Devils fan Edgar Lee also snaring six winners. Laurie 'Hoggy' Holmes whose grand father played with Box Hill improved from a miserable one in the opening round to pick six. Casey Radio's Kain Pollard improved from his first round of 2 winners to pick six. Old Prahran supporter Kevin McIntosh who followed the two blues in the days of Ken Emselle had a good round with a perfect score. VFL tipping newcomers Inside Football journalist Paul Amy, North Ballarat diehard Digger and Werribee fan Casey Radio's Tristan were also happy with there six winners.

Con Milonas was nearest the aggregate score from all the tipsters who picked six winners and will collect $30. He picked 178 points for the Frankston v Sandringham clash. Another $30 will go to the tipster in Round 3 who selects six winners. If more than one tipster picks six it will go to the tipster nearest the aggregate score for the Williamstown v Werribee clash. If no tipster picks six winners ot will jackpot to the following round.

Con was a frequent visitor to Skinner Reserve to watch the crows in their days in the VFA. Players like Jumping John Benson, Alan Stoneham, Graeme Allan, Wayne Foreman and in later years Hugh 'Butch' Litchfield were favourites for the crows supporters.

Tristan from Casey Radio and a Werribee fan has picked all eleven winners to date and leads fourteen tipsters who are on ten winners and one behind.