FROM the day she was christened, Natalie Wood was destined to be a star. Not on the silver screen but on the lush, green fields of Melbourne's football ovals.
When she's not playing for Melbourne Uni in domestic competition, the 30-year-old midfielder is representing Victoria at the national women's championships, which this year were played in Perth.
The former Naringal girl capped a successful carnival by sharing in a seventh title triumph with Victoria.
Wood first wore the big V in 1998 and in the ensuing 12 years punctuated her representative career with one appearance for the Northern Territory - in 2005 while teaching at Taminmin High School, Humptydoo.
Now ensconsed at Brunswick Secondary College, where she teaches maths and physical education, Wood also returned from Perth with her third selection in the All-Australian side.
Despite being the oldest Victorian player at the national carnival - an honour she stresses was only foisted on her by two late withdrawals - the veteran winger is keeping her options open after an aborted retirement in 2007.
Wood revealed she broke her wrist a week before playing in a club grand final.
"I came back from that and I was keen to have another go,'' she said.
"I've learnt never to say never. I'm just going to play and see how it unfolds.''
Fitness is unlikely to restrict Wood's football future. She ran in the Canberra Marathon, clocking three hours, 47 minutes, six weeks before playing at the week-long national championships.
Despite Victoria's 14-year mortgage on the national title, Wood says the gap is being closed by the other states.
"Western Australia is getting closer and Queensland aren't too far behind them.''
One of Wood's regular teammates in the Victorian team is former Port Fairy woman Anna McIlroy, who missed the 2009 titles with a broken thumb. Wood has also represented Victoria at the national cricket championships. She triumphed with the team in 2002-03.
TERANG Mortlake runner Jack Crawley has discovered it's a small world, despite travelling far and wide to support his son Jake's involvement in the Victorian primary schools football team selection process.
One of the support staff for the state team introduced himself to Crawley after discovering he was from Terang.
Crawley was pleasantly surprised to learn he was 1967 Terang premiership player Don Stanley.
The Evergreen Hampden books records Stanley as the rover in Terang's grand final team. He kicked two goals and was named Terang's third best player in a 12.5 (77) to 8.8 (56) victory against Mortlake at Reid Oval.
EAST Warrnambool playing coach Joey Chatfield is looking forward to re-connecting with football in Mortlake on Saturday.
The widely-travelled football veteran says it would be at least 10 years since he's played a game at D. C. Farran Oval.
"There are a lot of good memories,'' Chatfield said ahead of the WDFNL round 11 encounter with Deakin University.
Deakin plays four "home'' games in Mortlake, acknowledging its new junior connections to the town.
RAPID promotion within a football structure can bring a range of challenges, not the least of them becoming acquainted with new support staff.
South rookie Tom Clancey isn't ashamed to recall an embarrassing anecdote which stemmed from his round four debut this season against Port Fairy.
Clancey found one vaguely-familiar selector particularly helpful as he prepared to step up from under 18 ranks and was moved to ask another young teammate after the match "who is that guy?''
It was none other than club legend Leigh Marris, who played 317 games for the red and white and is not long in playing retirement.
In Clancey's defence, he played his early junior football with Old Collegians and is only in his third season at Friendly Societies' Park.
ANOTHER week, another member of our ever-growing group of footballer who are a greater danger to themselves off the field than on it.
Dartmoor captain Jason McCrae is the latest edition after a close encounter with an axe. McCrae spent time in an Adelaide hospital after accidentally chopping his shin - through the bone - but is back home and helped out coach Peter Lang on the bench in last Saturday's home win against Heathmere.
TERANG football identity Pat Vaughan is seeking public support in his quest for a special grand final memento.
Vaughan has been asked to source a team photo of Terang's 1972 under 18 team, which lost the decider to South Warrnambool. He can be contacted on 0418 587487 or email neat@westvic.com.au.
HEY WOOD Football Club has signalled its intentions for 2010 by advertising for a high-profile coach on the VCFL website. The club is seeking a former AFL player to lead its WBFL campaign next year ''as a playing or non-playing coach, an individual who demonstrates knowledge of modern day training and match day coaching techniques''.
FORMER Warrnambool footballer Daniel Weymouth can be forgiven for thinking he's at a HFNL interleague reunion when he attends the first VCFL squad training in Melbourne.
Weymouth, who now plays with Lake Wendouree in the Ballarat Football League, represented the Hampden league in 2007 alongside Joe McLaren and Simon O'Keefe, of Koroit, and Cobden's Ricky Sullivan.
McLaren, O'Keefe and Sullivan have also been selected in the Victoria Country training squad.
Email a friend