Vics thump WA in state game

By Robbo May 26, 2007
From AFL Website
Reported by Chris Pike

VICTORIA humiliated Western Australia on Saturday in an interstate game at TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, handing out a mammoth 119-point hiding.

The WAFL representative side never looked capable with matching its VFL counterparts, falling 25.11 (161) to 5.12 (42).

The wind at the Port Melbourne ground was tricky, and its small size did not help a WA side used to a free-flowing game.

The Mark Williams-coached VFL side had stars all over the field. Nick Sautner booted nine goals; 21-year-old Alister Neville received the Frank Johnson Medal as best on ground, and captain James Byrne, Simon Rosa, David Spriggs and Brett Johnson were outstanding.

WA had few players that could hold their heads high. Ruckman Adam Hay was awarded the Simpson Medal as best afield, Chad Jones was dangerous up-forward, but kicked 2.4, and Andrew Siegert, Theo Adams and Ben Colreavy tried hard.

WA got off to an impressive start, controlling play and the stoppages in the opening minutes. However, some sprayed shots at goal, and easy misses cost it dearly.

Chad Jones put through the first goal at the eight-minute mark of the game, but that was it for almost two quarters.

The Victorians got on the board through two goals from free kicks to Sautner and Justin Berry, before finishing the term with three soft goals that WA should have never allowed.

Rosa, Cloke to play in defence for VFL

By Robbo May 26, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser

PROVIDE plenty of run and dash out of defence - that's the message from coach Mark Williams to Simon Rosa and Jason Cloke ahead of today's representative match between the VFL and Western Australia at Port Melbourne.

Rosa and Cloke - the Metricon Bendigo Bombers' pair - have both been selected on half-back flanks for the VFL for its clash with Western Australia.

'‘They will both play as defenders and we hope they can play nice and tight on their opponents," Williams said yesterday. '‘They are both in really good form and it was fairly easy to select them.

‘‘Jason has been playing in a multitude of positions for Bendigo and Simon is one of the premier small defenders in the competition, and by being selected for Victoria it's a great reward for them.

‘‘We will be looking for them to provide a fair bit of run out of the back line, be nice and steady and beat their opponent." Rosa, who has played 94 VFL games, is in his first year as captain of the Bombers and has been in career-best form this season.

Big V to tackle the best of WA

By Robbo May 26, 2007
From The Age
Reported by Sean Cusick

THE Big V makes a timely return today, as the best players from the VFL tackle the West Australian Football League's finest in a representative clash.

As the National Rugby League's state-of-origin juggernaut rolls on, some AFL superstars including Jonathan Brown and Matthew Pavlich have throwN their support behind an origin relaunch.

In the meantime, like-minded footy fans have their chance to send a message by supporting today's match at Port Melbourne.

In what promises to be an intriguing contest, the Black Swans arrived in Melbourne this week looking to square the ledger after the Vics knocked them over by 11 points in their previous encounter in Perth in 2004.

Brownlow medallist Shane Woewodin returns to play his first match in Melbourne since August 2005, as captain of the WA team.

Devils' pact grows shaky

By Robbo May 25, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

FOR the first time since agreeing to the "semi-marriage", AFL Tasmania is questioning the future of its controversial partial alignment with AFL club the Kangaroos.

As a stand-alone VFL club, the Devils played five seasons for a 46 per cent winning return, and made the finals from 2003-05.

However, since entering the alignment, the Devils have won just eight of 25 games at 32 per cent, missed last year's finals, and are currently sitting at the bottom of the VFL ladder.

Asked if the VFL continued on its present format next season -- subject to the AFL's review of the second-tier competition -- whether the Devils would still be partially aligned, AFL Tasmania general manger Scott Wade said: "Good question, and that is certainly something we need to consider as part of this whole process.

"The sole reason we have tried it and are trying it is to win this competition (because) you need access to AFL players or you need to spend a significant amount of money on recruiting players to Tasmania -- money we haven't got.

VFL vs WAFL (Official Teams) UPDATED FRIDAY 12NOON

By Robbo May 24, 2007
Victoria vs. Western Australia
Saturday 26th May
TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne at 1.10 PM

Victoria

B Baird Livingston Obst
 (Port Melbourne) (Port Melbourne) (Port Melbourne)
HB Rosa Smith Cloke
 (Bendigo Bombers) (Box Hill Hawks) (Bendigo Bombers)
C Davenport Byrne Neville
 (Geelong) (Geelong) (Coburg Tigers)
HF Poyas Crowe Berry
 (Sandringham) (Sandringham) (Frankston)
F Valenti Sautner Podsiadly
 (Sandringham) (Sandringham) (Werribee)
R Cartledge Robbins Spriggs
 (North Ballarat) (Port Melbourne) (Port Melbourne)
Int Biddlecombe Castello Eames
 (Sandringham) (Werribee) (Frankston)
 Height Houlihan Johnson
 (Box Hill Hawks) (Northern Bullants) (Williamstown)
 Summers   
 (Sandringham)   

Western Australia

B Holmes Warren Bossong
 (Subiaco) (Claremont) (Perth)
HB Roberts Parker Colreavy
 (Swan Districts) (Subiaco) (Claremont)
C Haines Woewodin Siegert
 (Peel Thunder) (East Fremantle) (South Fremantle)
HF Longmuir Maplestone Ballantyne
 (West Perth) (Subiaco) (Peel Thunder)
F LangeC. Jones A. Jones
 (Swan Districts) (Claremont) (Claremont)
R Newick Webb Crabb
 (Subiaco) (Subiaco) (Claremont)
Int Adams Fleay Hay
 (East Fremantle) (West Perth) (South Fremantle)
 McNamara Salecic  
 (East Fremantle) (West Perth)

Alistair Pickett has withdrawn this morning replaced in the squad by Adam Lange

Field Umpires: Heath Ryan(VFL-Victoria), Shane Stewart(VFL-Tasmania), Greg Bandy(WA) Emergency: Jacob Mollison

Vics pick Rosa, Cloke

By Robbo May 23, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser

METRICON Bendigo Bombers captain Simon Rosa and key recruit Jason Cloke have been selected in the Victorian Football League's squad to tackle Western Australia this Saturday.

Rosa and Cloke were yesterday named in the final squad of 25 to take on WA at Port Melbourne.

A first-year captain of the Bombers, Rosa has played 94 matches in the VFL.

He moved from Warrack Eagles to play for the Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC Cup under-18s competition before kicking on to play with Carlton `twos' in the VFL before returning to the red and black.

A skilful midfielder or on-ball player, Rosa is one of five VFL captains in this year's line-up.

Delisted by Collingwood at the end of last season, Cloke was quickly sought by Bombers' coach Matthew Knights.

A defender throughout most of his career with the Magpies, Cloke has played predominantly on a wing for Bendigo this season.

Victoria's final team of 22, and three emergencies, will be named tomorrow night.

WA squad trimmed to final 23: Bandy and Schofield out injured

By Robbo May 23, 2007
Reported by Michael Robinson

Daniel Bandy and Jarrod Schofield failed fitness tests at Fremantle Oval last night and will not play in the state game on Saturday.

With that news the WAFL have now named their final squad of 23 that will travel to Melbourne on Friday after a final training session at Subiaco Oval tomorrow night.

FINAL SQUAD OF 23

CLAREMONT - Michael Warren, Jaxon Crabb, Ben Colreavy, Anthony Jones, Chad Jones

EAST FREMANTLE – Shane Woewodin(Captain), Theo Adams, Jamie McNamara

PEEL THUNDER – Daniel Haines, Hayden Ballantyne

PERTH – Chris Bossong

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Adam Hay, Andrew Siegert

SUBIACO – Luke Newick, Aidan Parker, Marc Webb, Allistair Pickett, David Mapleston, Todd Holmes

SWAN DISTRICTS – Josh Roberts

WEST PERTH – Dion Fleay, Jason Salecic, Troy Longmuir

WA coach draws on interstate experience

By Robbo May 23, 2007
From West Australian
Reported by Ross Lewis

WA coach Ashley Prescott believes Daniel Bandy and Jarrad Schofield deserve the opportunity to play in Saturday’s clash with Victoria even though both have missed matches in the lead-up due to injury.
  
Schofield has not played for WAFL club Subiaco since April 28 because of an ankle complaint while hamstring soreness has forced Bandy to be overlooked for Claremont’s past two league matches.
  
However, both veterans were retained in the Black Swans’ 29-man squad announced yesterday and were considered strong chances of making the 23-man touring party that leaves Perth on Friday.
  
Prescott said the experience of 32-year-old Schofield and Bandy, 31, was invaluable to a WA team that would face a VFL combined side stacked with former AFL squad members and strong-bodied talent.

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