GEE, it’s tough being an AFL footballer. Just ask Cobden’s Gary Rohan. The Sydney Swans picked up the 188cm redhead at number six in the AFL draft and he followed up his early pre-season promise by kicking a goal in his AFL senior debut against Geelong on Sunday. But he was quick to return to the Harbour City as winter made an early appearance across south-west Victoria — and who could blame him. While the rest of us have had to endure a week of freezing temperatures, rain and even hailstones, Rohan was snapped at Swans training on Tuesday enjoying the balmy weather Sydney has to offer at this time of year. Teammate Rhyce Shaw even stripped down to his shorts to work on his tan. Being sunsmart — and perhaps because of his red hair and fair skin — Rohan sensibly kept his top on.
CAMPERDOWN’S new social clubrooms were swinging after the Magpies’ first win of the season in HFNL round-five competition. The atmosphere was later heightened by a reunion of the club’s 1985 and ’86 under 18 premiership teams. Apart from the obvious benefits of a post-game social venue at Leura Oval, club officials are also reporting unprecedented community support. Thursday night meals at the clubrooms are booming, with a club source revealing up to 220 diners lining up for the $12 offerings and an average of about 180. It contrasts with an average of 45 at the old Pike Street facility. If the Magpies can convert diners into supporters, members or sponsors the two-way community benefits will be significant. Meanwhile the body shapes were larger and hair thinner as members of the Magpies’ 1985 and ’86 U18 premiership teams gathered for a reunion last Saturday at Leura Oval. Joint organiser Gary
O’Neil, one of eight players involved in both flags, revealed 43 past players and team officials assembled at the club’s new Five Star Function Centre. “It was a great night,”
O’Neil said. “I think everybody made an effort to come to it. You could see it meant a lot to (coach) Pat Meade.” O’Neil said 90 per cent of the players were still living in the south-west, although apologies were received from Andrew
Douglas (NSW), Darren Everard (Queensland), Glen Bateman and Darren Turner (WA). There were also some unexpected surprises, with the attendance of Jason Corrin and Peter Horner, of Melbourne. O’Neil said Corrin only spent 18 months in Camperdown, while Horner missed the ’86 grand final after a serious accident. “He (Horner) had one of his original jumpers,” O’Neil said. “That was a pretty fair effort.” At the end of an entertaining reunion function,
jumpers were produced for an attempt to re-enact team photos. Further silliness ensued when wigs materialised, including some mullets.
COLAC’S Jonathan ‘Joffy’ Simpkin has been tearing it up for the Geelong VFL side and has attracted some attention from AFL clubs. He is averaging about 30 touches a game this year and has also been dangerous in front of goals. Simpkin was previously on the Sydney Swans rookie list but was delisted without having played a senior AFL game. With the new Gold Coast side gaining all the prized draft picks next season, the other 16 established clubs are expected to raid the VFL for talent, hence the keen interest in Simpkin.
FORMER local Daniel O’Keefe has been sidelined from Geelong’s VFL team with an ankle injury. O’Keefe, who was picked up by the Cats, missed last week’s game after sustaining the injury the previous week. He is expected to
miss tomorrow’s trip by the Cats to the Gold Coast.
VETERAN South Gambier ruckman Mick Ryan sets a new record for senior games played in the Western Border league when he notches up his 383rd appearance tomorrow. Ryan, a 10-time premiership player with the
Demons, including one as coach in 2005, has a bulging resume. He has represented the league 11 times, been named the league’s best and fairest once (1996) and won four club best and fairests.
JOSH Walters rarely makes mistakes on the football field but the Warrnambool onballer was probably more than happy to hear of an error on Hampden League’s results last
weekend. Results The Standard receives weekly showed that Walters managed to kick nine goals in the Blues’ annihilation of North Warrnambool Eagles. His surprising bag of majors rocketed him to third spot on the league goal-kicking list. The leader on the list was teammate Jason Rowan. What was more suprising than Walters’ haul is that according to the results, Rowan finished with no majors in the encounter against the Eagles. A phone call to Blues coach Adam Dowie confirmed there had been a mix-up, with Rowan — as expected — slotting the nine goals, not reigning Maskell medallist Walters.
FORMER North Melbourne and Adelaide Crows star Wayne Carey was a guest speaker at Colac last Saturday before the Tigers’ home game against St Mary’s. By all accounts Carey spoke well at the function and impressed the large
crowd in attendance. What was less than impressive was the result of the senior game. Having shot out to a handy five-goal break midway through the second term, Colac lost momentum in the second half and eventually succumbed to a 19-point defeat. It was the Tigers’ third
loss in a row, leaving them two games outside the five.
VCFL chief executive officer Glenn Scott is excited about the upcoming revamped interleague. ‘‘I think people sometimes forget that for many players, this may be the highest achievement these players will ever get in footy,” Scott said. To be able to represent their league, and in turn represent their club and local community, is a great
honour.’’ He said most leagues, such as Hampden, had a bye next weekend so local footy fans could witness matches. ‘‘What you get at interleague football is a standard of footy that goes to another level — that’s one of the things that I think everyone notices,” Scott said. "People might follow one club in their own league and that’s the natural thing to do. On the weekend of the championships, they see all the guys who are the leading players in their league come together and play in the one team, pitting their wares against an opposition league."
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