ONE ex-local to celebrate a grand final victory interstate was former South Warrnambool key forward Shaun Mugavin, who kicked four goals in Morningside’s 22-point win over Labrador in the QAFL season-decider last Sunday. Mugavin’s side did it the hard way, giving up a 14-point half-time lead to trail by 15 points at the last change, before unleashing an eight-goal final term. It was the fourth flag Mugavin has played in with Morningside since heading to the Sunshine State. Labrador featured a number of familiar names among AFL supporters, including Tim Notting (four goals), Aaron Shattock and Trent Knobel. It’s been a big couple of weeks for Mugavin, who had organised the event where Brisbane Lions forward Brendan Fevola was alleged to have exposed himself, prompting a flood of calls from the media trying to get his views on the subject. Mugavin’s success continued an extraordinary run for grandchildren and relatives of south-west residents Pat and Kath Harney. Grandson Stephen Harney was a member of Kolora-Noorat’s Warrnambool and District league flag. Power coach Ben Kenna is also married to the Harneys’ granddaughter Anna Moloney. Anna’s sister Maddy Moloney collected a flag with her Kolora-Noorat 15 and under netball teammates. Anna and Maddy’s brother Xavier Moloney (formerly of Terang Mortlake) missed out on premiership glory, playing a significant role with Swan Hill, which was beaten by Kerang. Still on the Morningside-Labrador final, Warrnambool’s Royal Hotel owner John Bonney was also at the match. The St Kilda supporter flew to Brisbane to see his son Damien line up for the eventual victors.

BRISBANE Lions captain Jonathan Brown made a flying visit back home last weekend to support his old club South Warrnambool in its quest to win the Hampden grand final. With his brother Tim sidelined following hamstring surgery at the start of the year but working as an assistant to coach Nigel Kol, Jonathan had more than a passing interest. While his sister Gabrielle was celebrating Koroit’s A grade netball flag, Jonathan was only too happy to have “one kick” at half-time in a bid to land the Sherrin in the back of a ute to raise money for Peter’s Project. Now Brownie, regarded as one of the most penetrating, accurate kicks in the country, had the crowd on edge for his attempt from 50 metres out, directly in front. Kicking with the aid of a breeze, he trotted in deep in concentration and then … stubbed his toe, sending the ball skidding along the grass for about 20 metres. With MC, 3YB personality and publican Matt Stewart, a noted JB fan, in control of the microphone, all the crowd could hear was Stewie’s belly laughing. Brown, too, had a laugh at his own expense, before reloading and getting a kick airborne, albeit slightly off target. Being a true competitor, he then had another shot and came perilously close to hitting the spot. Brown was one of about 500 people who packed South’s clubrooms on Saturday night for the post-grand final function. While Brown’s kick had tongues wagging, another high-profile participant was Cobden export, Sydney Swan Gary Rohan, who was enjoying the day in the crowd, only to be called into the middle for a shot. Like Brown, he had a crack, but also missed. Warrnambool Toyota chief Gary Askew, who donated the ute for the competition, got a laugh from the crowd when he cried “what about the damage” when a kick missed the tray and hit near the roof. Given the huge interest in the contest, should the AFL adopt a similar exercise tomorrow?

THE pain of a grand final defeat can resonate far and wide. In the case of Warrnambool expat David Nolan, it has been felt on the other side of the world. Nolan, who now lives in Cologne, was part of the Rheinland Lions which went down to the Munich Kangaroos in the AFL Germany decider. Nolan’s side, which was aiming for four consecutive premierships, was four goals down at half-time. “We thought we would be able to outrun them,” he said. “However, it was not to be as they were at the top of their game.” The Roos bounded to a 54-point win. “The Lions are now looking forward to the 2011 season, where we hope we can regroup and go one better,” Nolan said. Nolan, whose parents Chris and Jan reside in Warrnambool, was one of six expatriate Aussies in the Lions side, which contested the grand final in Berlin.

FORMER Roosters player Shane Bourke, who went north to join Southport in the QAFL this season, may have missed out on South Warrnambool’s rise into the grand final but he went one better. Playing with Southport in the QAFL reserves grand final, Bourke was one of his side’s best players in a 45-point triumph over Morningside.

GRAND final medals will reach a wider group of participants next season in the Hampden Football Netball League. In addition to players, umpires, runners and the winning coach, HFNL president Bob Guiney yesterday confirmed timekeepers and head trainers would receive medals in 2011. It is a decision which will be well received by timekeepers, who often feel a little taken for granted.

NORTH Warrnambool Eagles teenager Marcus Darmody is hoping his second invitation to the state draft combine could help him win a spot in the AFL next year. Darmody said he was “pretty surprised” to get the invitation to next week’s screening camp. “It was a good shock,” he said. “I had an average season, nothing special. I went there last year, hopefully I can do better and improve.” Darmody, who has worked at Ballarat High School as a gap year between VCE and university studies, said timing could be on his side. “With two new AFL clubs it gives more opportunities for more people at the Melbourne camp. I hope I’m one of those people. It’s a bit of a long shot.” He said that if he wasn’t picked up by an AFL club, he would study commerce at university next year and possibly return home to Warrnambool and play with the Eagles.

NORTH Ballarat Rebels plans to announce its new coach in the first week of October, after the AFL national combine. Rebels regional manager Phil Partington said the search for a new mentor was going well. It comes after Glenn Wilkins stepped down after two years.

THREE long-serving South West District League central umpires were recognised after the season showdown in Portland earlier this month. Brian Frost, Rob Murphy and Bob Chandler received life memberships to the league after years of commitment to the game. Media officer and award recipient Chandler said the triple celebration was a fitting part of the post-grand final festivities. He said the league was still buzzing after collecting record gate takings of more than $19,000.

IT’S tough being an umpire. Supporters always think they get it wrong and the pundits always love to query their thinking when it comes to best and fairest voting. Now 3WAY-FM commentator Gerard Auld, who has never shirked from rating the performances of the men in orange this season during his calls, has picked a team of players who didn’t got a vote in this year’s Maskell Medal. Auld’s no-vote team, which would be handy on the park, includes the league’s official team of the year members Chris McLaren (Koroit), Luke Clarke (Camperdown), South Warrnambool’s James Hussey and North Warrnambool’s Matthew Wines. It also features two of the key players in South’s surge from seventh in 2009 to grand finalists — Matt and David McVilly. Auld’s team of zero-votes is:

• Backs: Hugh Mahony (Warrnambool), Brendan Murfett (Cobden), Chris Baxter (Terang Mortlake)
• Half-back : Chris McLaren (Koroit), Greg Tongs (Cobden), James Reicha (Terang Mortlake)
• Centre: Ricky Sullivan (Cobden), Matthew Wines (North Warrnambool Eagles), Ash McCorkell (Warrnambool)
• Half- forward: Jeremy Parkinson (North Warrnambool Eagles), Josh Baxter (Terang Mortlake), Alister Porter (South Warrnambool)

THE ideal scenario for umpire Shaun Ryan in tomorrow’s AFL grand final is to not get noticed. But the Warrnambool export explained that sometimes, being invisible is simply impossible. Ryan was one of the whistleblowers of the Geelong-St Kilda qualifying final three weeks ago when Cat Cameron Mooney was controversially penalised by umpire Matt Stevic for a push in the back to Saint James Gwilt. “You have the instance in the game in the first week of finals with the in-the-back decision in the last minute,” Ryan said. “It was a free kick and it had to be paid and unfortunately that means you get noticed. But if it wasn’t paid, you would still get noticed.”