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Bedevilled by a thrashing

By Robbo May 13, 2007
From Sunday Tasmanian
Reported by Brett Stubbs

THE Devils wore their white away jumper for the first time yesterday, and then flew the white flag.

A pathetic, uncompetitive Devils were belted and humiliated to the tune of 114 points by Werribee, 31.14 (200) to 12.14 (86).

Werribee had never been defeated by the Devils and kicked their highest score against Tasmania -- and only 33 points less than its highest VFL score -- as it inflicted their third heaviest defeat in the Devils' history.

After winning their opening game, the Devils have now lost their past five. But yesterday's performance was clearly the worst and left new coach Daryn Cresswell struggling to find answers for the lack of fight in his listless side.

Passion and pride was for so long the trademark of this team, and factors which kept fans coming back even in defeat. But yesterday those factors were decidely absent.

When asked if the players were hurting after the game, Cresswell said: "No, I don't believe they are.

Big VFL squad for WA clash

By Robbo May 12, 2007
From Herald Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

THE VFL will name a squad of 40 players on Monday for its interstate clash against Western Australia at Port Melbourne on Saturday week.

VFL team coach Mark Williams said the full squad would train on Tuesday.

Williams, coach of Sandringham, said the squad would be cut to 25 the following Monday.

There would then be further training sessions on the Tuesday and the Thursday before the match.

Williams would not be drawn on whether selectors would focus more on young players than veteran VFL performers and ex-AFL players, saying they would pick "the best possible side".

Young Hawks step up

By Robbo May 12, 2007
From Herald Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

BOX Hill Hawks have won only one match, but coach Damien Christensen is optimistic about their prospects for the rest of the season.

The Hawks had to wait until last weekend's Round 5 before breaking the ice but Christensen says they are well on the way to overcoming early problems and should gradually develop into a solid combination.

Apart from the standout teams - last season's grand finalists Sandringham and Geelong - Christensen sees no reason why Box Hill can't match the rest.

The Box Hill coach is particularly excited about draftee Mitch Thorp, named to to play his first game today at home against the Northern Bullants.

The Tasmanian teenager, taken at No .6 in last year's national draft, has been a late starter, but has been training strongly for several weeks after recovering from a hip problem.

Tigers coach hopes they're hitting their straps

By Robbo May 12, 2007
From The Age
Reported by Sean Cusick

FINALS stalwart Werribee has been a model of consistency since the beginning of the '90s. In the age of the football club yoyo, where teams regularly shoot up and down the ladder, the Tigers have almost been the immovable object entrenched in September action.

The boys from Chirnside Park haven't missed a finals series since 2000, and even more impressively, have missed only twice in the past 17 seasons, though they have won only one flag in that time, knocking over Port Melbourne in 1993.

Big things were tipped for the Tigers this season, but after four rounds they were still winless

Werribee coach Simon Atkins believes, however, that his team can build on its maiden victory last week — a 100-point mauling of North Ballarat on the road.

"We've been working on the smaller things that haven't been working out for the first four weeks," Atkins said.

Bombers under the pump

By Robbo May 12, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser

THE Metricon Bendigo Bombers face a difficult task to get their VFL season back on track tomorrow when they take on one of the form sides of the competition in Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

The Bombers have lost their past three games, while the Cats have won their past four games by an average of 61 points to be sitting in second position on the ladder after five rounds.

"Geelong has a healthy list right across the board and no doubt they have some quality players in their VFL team," Bombers coach Matthew Knights said yesterday.

"When you look at different parts of the ground and you see Charlie Gardiner and Todd Grima up forward, then in the midfield you see a Steven King, Mathew Stokes and and James Byrne, and in defence you see a Tim Callan, Josh Hunt and Max Rooke and players like that.

"The quality in their line-up suggests they are going to be very hard to beat, but in saying that, we played the best we had for the whole year last week against Williamstown.

Roosters need to boost efficiency against Port

By Robbo May 12, 2007
From Ballarat Courier

CAN you believe it?
North Ballarat had more of the football than Werribee and yet was still crushed by 100 points.

That is the way it happened for the Selkirk Roosters in their forgettable Victorian Football League round five assignment on Sunday.

For coach Gerard FitzGerald, this statistic added to an already frustrating outcome as North Ballarat slipped to two wins and three losses.

But it should make the problems which led to the hiding easier to fix.

Well, in theory anyway.

Efficiency is always a focus for FitzGerald and this is where the Roosters must pick-up against Port Melbourne at Port Melbourne today.

Last chance to hit form

By Robbo May 12, 2007
From Hobart Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

PLAYING Werribee at Bartercard Oval today represents the "Last Chance Saloon" for a number of experienced Devils and their finals chances.

Devils' coach Daryn Cresswell said yesterday if his side loses today, slipping to a 1-5 win-loss record for the season, it is time to put a line through the season and rebuild for the future.

"The guys realise how important the game is," Cresswell said.

"If we can't win this week we will just have to play more young kids and probably the older guys will get overlooked because we just have to start developing.

"If we don't win this week, our chances of making the finals are pretty slim so we will have to start looking to the future. Blokes like (Ben) Fagan, (Sam) Fielding and (James) Charlesworth will get more opportunities to play at this level."

North suspends Hardy for breaking rules

By Robbo May 11, 2007
From Ballarat Courier

NORTH Ballarat Football Club has suspended young ruckman Justin Hardy for one match on disciplinary grounds.

Hardy will miss tomorrow's clash with Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League at Port Melbourne.

Selkirk Roosters football manager Marg Richards said Hardy had broken team rules.

However, she was not prepared to elaborate any further on what Hardy had down to feel the wrath of the match committee and player leadership group.

Hardy is in his first season with the Roosters after graduating from the North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup under-18 competition.

He has played in all four senior matches, making a significant impression with performances in the ruck, and at centre half forward and centre half back.

He told The Courier in the leadup to Sunday's heavy loss to Werribee that he was determined to get a second chance in an AFL draft after missing out last year.

Coach Gerard FitzGerald said Hardy had let down himself and the team.

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