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Bombers hit target after slow start

By Robbo May 21, 2007
From The Age
Reported By Sean Cusick

BENDIGO overcame a sluggish start yesterday to outclass the Dolphins by 23 points at Frankston Oval. Boosted by some quality talls, including Kepler Bradley, Courtney Johns and Jason Laycock, the Bombers didn't gel as a team until midway through the second quarter.

Goalless and trailing by 23 points at the first break, the inaccurate Bombers allowed the Dolphins to extend the margin to 28 points before finally clicking into gear.

Bendigo suddenly switched from frustrating to fantastic. It kicked seven goals in a row to take the lead, and was good enough to maintain a three-goal buffer for practically the rest of the match. On the other hand, Frankston, which had looked dangerous early, struggled to match the Bombers for height and was let down by some average delivery into its forward 50.

Bendigo captain Simon Rosa did a fantastic job containing Frankston livewire Justin Berry. The Dolphin forward has been in superb touch but struggled to make an impact as Rosa wore him like a glove. Berry finished with three goals, but two of those came in the final quarter when the contest was all but over.

Bombers break drought

By Robbo May 21, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser

THE Metricon Bendigo Bombers yesterday halted their four-game VFL losing streak in what coach Matthew Knights labelled one of the most significant wins in his time at the club.

The Bombers defeated Frankston 13.16 (94) to 10.11 (71) at Frankston as the side finally got some reward for its good month of football.

The win – just their second in five visits to Frankston – lifted the Bombers (2-5) into ninth position on the ladder after seven rounds.

"Today's win was huge, and it was one of the team's biggest since I have been coach," said Knights, who has coached the Bombers since 2005.

"If we had copped another loss, you start to go too far back in the pack and it's a long way back.

"What we have done today is given our group a belief that we're going to have a strong second half of the year.

"That is no more prevalent than in the fact our last month of footy has been pretty damn good, without getting our just rewards," he said.

Roosters under threat

By Robbo May 21, 2007
From Ballarat Courier

AFL Victoria chief executive Peter Schwab believes North Ballarat's status in Australia's top state-based football competition is under threat.

Schwab said with some AFL clubs wanting to return of an AFL reserves competition, the survival of the Victorian Football League was far from secure.

Schwab said AFL Victoria wanted the VFL to retain its status, but admitted it would not be without change - a view shared by the Roosters.

"The biggest issue Victorian football has got at the moment is the second tier review," Schwab explained.

"The VFL is under extreme pressure because the AFL clubs are looking at whether they should revamp the reserves competition," he said.

"That decision will have huge ramifications, not only for the VFL, but for how they restructure the TAC Cup (under-18) system as well.

"AFL clubs want total control of their players and the only way they believe they can get that control is if they run their own team.

DOLPHINS SURRENDER TO BOMBERS

By Robbo May 20, 2007
From Frankston FC website
Reported by Michael Robinson

After a good first quarter Frankston kicked just 6 goals after quarter time and lost to Bendigo Bombers by 23 points at Frankston today.

Frankston dominated the first quarter kicking 4 goals to nil. It could have been better as the Dolphins had 135 possessions in the opening quarter.

Bendigo came out at the start of the 2nd quarter and domianted the Dolphins all over the ground as they added 7 goals to 2 and took the lead by 6 points at half time.

Needing a good start to the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins couldn't get that as Bendigo continued to dominate and Frankston became handball happy and couldn't get the ball up forward. By 3 Quarter Time the Bombers had set up a match winning 25 point lead.

The game came to a stand still in the last quarter as neither team were able to kick goals eventually Frankston won the last quarter 2.3 to 1.7 but Bendigo Bombers ran out comfortable 23 point winners.

Incredibly Frankston had 426 possesions (202 kicks, 224 handballs) for the game. Another disappointment was Marcus Marigliani was reported for Attempting to Trip Jason Cloke in the 1st Quarter.

Devil leaves postmark

By Robbo May 20, 2007
From Sunday Tasmanian
Reported by Adam Smith

TWO VFL players were lucky to escape serious injury at Bellerive Oval yesterday when a goalpost crashed to the ground during the Tasmania-Coburg clash.

Devils' half-forward Matthew Westfield, running back with the flight to try to mark the ball, crashed into the post at full throttle, snapping it near its base.

The falling goalpost hit Coburg youngster Luke McGuane who left the ground holding his left shoulder but he later returned to the field to finish the game.

The incident occurred 10 minutes into the final quarter.

The game was stopped for 15 minutes while officials hastily erected a replacement post.

Weighing just 90kg, Westfield surprised himself after the goalpost came off second best.

"The ball came in deep and I thought I was a fair chance for a mark," Westfield said.

"I wasn't aware of where the posts were, I just jumped and ran into something and didn't know what it was until I saw it (the post) on the ground.

Pickett, Robertson star for Sandy

By administrator May 20, 2007
From the Sunday Herald-Sun

Reported by Howard Leigh
Full article Click here

MELBOURNE'S troubled season is in for a boost if yesterday's VFL match between Sandringham and Williamstown was anything to go by.

pickettByron Pickett, Russell Robertson, Paul Wheatley and Clint Bizzell all had a huge impact in yesterday's match at the Trevor Barker Oval.

Robertson, 28, sidelined with a hyper-extension to his left knee since Round 2, booted 4.3 from 17 possessions and eight marks in Sandringham's 20-point win.

It leaves the Zebras unbeaten on top of the VFL ladder after the 16.16 (112) to 13.12 (90) win.

Robertson later declared he was ready to return to the Melbourne side for next Sunday's game against the Kangaroos.

Pickett had 16 touches and seven marks floating across the half-forward line and kicked two goals.

Persistence pays

By Robbo May 19, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser

GRANT Weeks endured a frustrating start to his career with the Metricon Bendigo Bombers late last year.

He had surgery on a stress fracture in his left foot early in the club's pre-season, and wasn't able to train properly with his new team-mates until mid-February.

But the strong-marking forward has put those frustrations behind him, and is set to make his VFL senior debut for the Bombers against Frankston tomorrow.

'‘It's good to get an opportunity," said Weeks, who helped run a football clinic for Year Eight students at Eaglehawk Secondary College yesterday.

‘‘It's a relief to get the chance after having surgery at the start of the pre-season - not being able to hit the track with the boys and having to watch training was frustrating.

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