NON-PLAYING coaches who forcefully ask their players to go to the edge of their capabilities and beyond often suffer a credibility issue if they haven’t done it themselves. It was therefore heartening to see the example set by Warrnambool's Adam Dowie after his side’s second semi-final defeat last Saturday in heavy conditions at Gardens Oval, Port Fairy. Knowing his team had to front up again this weekend in the preliminary final, Dowie asked his players to postpone hot showers for a recovery session in the chilly Southern Ocean at nearby East Beach. To heighten the sense that the Blues’ finals campaign was a shared experience, he joined his players in the water. While full-forward Jason Rowan revealed he was warmer in the water than out, Terang Mortlake coach Damian O’Connor declined his players’ urging to join them for a beach session after Sunday’s first semi-final victory over Koroit. When told his former coach Dowie had jumped in the day before with his players, O’Connor laughed off the pressure applied to him from his muddied players.
WHILE arch rivals Warrnambool and South Warrnambool were doing battle in the second semi-final last Saturday, a Rooster and a Blue were working together in a finals campaign up north. Former South Warrnambool player Jason Bourke and ex Blue Kurt Niklaus were members of Southport Sharks which scored a 67-point win last weekend in a semi-final against Mt Gravatt in the QAFL competition. The pair will line up on Sunday with the Sharks in a preliminary final against Morningside.
THE significance of Nirranda’s first under 17 premiership since the Blues joined the WDFNL in 1992 almost went by unnoticed with coach Allan Wallace admitting he was unaware the club had never won one before Saturday’s triumph. It’s not surprising the feat almost slipped under the guard, when the club last played in an under 17 grand final, all of the Blues’ players wouldn’t have been aged over 10. The success also erased WDFNL executive member Carey Hackett from Nirranda’s history books as the most successful Blues under 17 coach. He was in charge when Nirranda lost the 2001 final to Russells Creek. Hackett, who was at the match in his capacity with the league, was jubilant his old club had tasted success but the 2001 loss still haunted him. “We got done by eight points,” he lamented.
MERRIVALE stalwart Russell Gleeson, a former president and long-serving player, got a present about six weeks out from the finals this year from Tigers reserves coach Jade Kelson. Kelson presented Gleeson with a Tigers scarf. Gleeson was honoured to receive the gift which Kelson revealed he had pinched from Gleeson in the euphoria after the Tigers won the 1996 senior premiership. Kelson, a teenager in those days, told Gleeson that the scarf was his lucky charm and that he could have it back only if he wore it to every match for the rest of the season. Standing with the scarf draped around his neck after Merrivale’s under 14 and 1/2 win, Kelson, who was preparing for the reserves match, ran past and touched the scarf for good luck. Sure enough, Kelson’s side claimed the reserves flag and Gleeson was proudly celebrating the feat with the scarf still in tact. “I had gone and bought another one,” Gleeson revealed. “I couldn’t even remember losing it.”
THE Kelson name at Merrivale must carry legend status. While Jack is a Merrivale legend, his sons Stephen and Jade have now followed in his footsteps by becoming Tigers premiership coaches. With Jack (under 17s) and Stephen (seniors 1996) having coached sides to flags, Jade revealed after the reserves triumph last Saturday that he was a relieved man. “Now I can sit at the table as a premiership coach,” he laughed. But he wasted no time in retiring, a raucous rendition of the club song was still echoing around the home team changerooms when he told his players he was done. He said he would continue as a player next season. “I don’t know how many more games are left in the body,” he said.
MOMENTUM is an amazing commodity in football. The winners of each of the four WDFNL grand finals last Saturday had all came through the preliminary final. The four teams that had enjoyed a week off, all lost. Who said a week’s break is beneficial?
THE preliminary final showdown between Warrnambool and Terang Mortlake has added spice for opposing coaches, Adam Dowie and Damian O’Connor. The good mates (a bond fostered while Dowie coached O’Connor at Terang Mortlake) watched the elimination final between Koroit and Cobden together. But when the ball is bounced on Saturday, there will be no thoughts of winning bragging rights with their sides chasing a grand final berth.
AS league-switching continues become more popular, two Warrnambool players have been invited to a screening test for potential NFL punters in America. Warrnambool forwards Jason Rowan, the league’s leading goalkicker, and teammate Travis Graham received invitations to show off their kicking prowess at a session in Melbourne in October. The pair received invitations to attend after being identifi ed by punting talent scouts. The success of former Geelong captain Ben Graham and ex Collingwood and North Melbourne forward Sav Rocca in American football has created lots of interest in possible AFL recruits.
FORMER Warrnambool resident and ex-South Rovers player David Nolan is excited about his one day in September — in Germany. Nolan, whose parents Chris and Jan reside in Warrnambool, will line up with in the AFL Germany grand final this weekend with Rhineland Lions. Nolan’s Lions are aiming for their fourth consecutive flag when they clash with Munich Kangaroos in Berlin. Nolan, who lives in Cologne, revealed his team had only six expatriate Aussies, with most of the 30-member squad natives of the Cologne area.
THE search is on to find a replacement for Hampden interleague coach David Cassidy. The league tomorrow starts advertisements looking for a coach to oversee the league’s Victorian Country Football League championships campaign next year. Chief executive officer Stephen Soulsby said the league was also looking for nominations to take the helm of the under 18 team. Applications close on October 1.
FORMER local Shaun Mugavin, a cousin of Brisbane captain Jonathan Brown, has been caught up in Brendan Fevola’s alleged latest indiscretion. Fevola is alleged to have exposed himself after being invited by Mugavin to an event to promote his business. Mugavin has publicly said he had received no complaints about Fevola.
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