AT: You've been on the money lately. Three weeks ago you predicted Jack Kelson would be coach of Merrivale and this week the club made the announcement that he will be the coach for the next two years. Well done.
TA: Enough of the back slapping. We did mention in this column a few weeks ago that Bob Guiney will take over as the president of the Hampden Football Netball League for next year. The annual meeting of the league is next month but sources say the league had a club meeting out at North Warrnambool and have already ticked off Guiney as the head honcho. Great move. Guiney understands clubs. I reckon one of the first things he will look at is the sponsorship deals which the league has in place. Have you got any gossip?
AT: The big news in the street is Camperdown's James Gellie will be appointed as the Cobden coach this week. Apparently, Stephen Hammond and Wayne Robertson showed some interest in the job but Gellie will get the gig. I reckon he is a good choice. Have you heard anything on the South Warrnambool coaching job?
TA: Story goes South Warrnambool was disappointed when they missed out on Jordan Bannister. They have tried a few other blokes including a former Rooster player David Pitt who plays with Port Melbourne. One of its latest targets was a bloke from the Ballarat league who played with Redan but the big news centres on Danny Finn. How was the greyhound auction and how has the old man been behaving?
AT: The old man hasn't changed. He still won't shout a beer. We put in a few hours in a charter boat 20 kms off the Gold Coast. Happened to land a few snapper but I must admit I'm missing all my mates that frequent the court system in Warrnambool. Can't wait to renew acquaintances early next week. Any other footy news while I've been away?
TA: They're talking about Kelson taking over the job at Merrivale. Sources say the Tigers are ready to open up the wallet again and offer excellent money for the right sort of players in a bid to go up the ladder. Appears a few of its members are not happy that success has eluded them for a couple of years. Speaking of offering good money, in your role on the district league executive have you heard the news that one high profile district league club might have come across hard times?
AT: I heard a bit of gossip before I left Warrnambool about this matter. The whisper is some players might not have been paid for the second half of the season - talk is now that some players will retire and others are on the move. Let's forget about the footy for a minute and focus on the big spring racing carnival in Melbourne. What chance does Baughurst have if he gets a run in the Caulfield Cup?
TA: He faces a tough task if he makes the final field. Bill and Symon Wilde have done a great job with the old war horse but I reckon the wide barrier will be his biggest worry. I'll be having a small investment on the Kiwi mare Daffodil in today's cup. She's a great each way hope at odds around $10. I'll also be having a small wager on the veteran galloper Royal Ida in the sprint race at Caulfield today. Port Fairy's Victoria Hotel and Warrnambool's Flying Horse are kicking off a competition to see who the best punter is in the district. It's $20 entry which equates to $5 each meeting, pick a horse each race and get points for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Weekly point's winner receives a $50 venue voucher at the alternate venue to where they entered with overall point's winner receiving a slab a week for a year.
AT: I'll be entering that competition. A slab a week for the next year is a great prize. I've heard Port Fairy's Victoria Hotel will be putting its own beer on tap and are looking for people to come up with a name. "You taste it, now name it" is the slogan. The pub is offering a venue voucher to the person whose name they choose for the beer. The Flying Horse has the Dirty Angel so I reckon Port Fairy's Victoria Hotel could have the Boulevard of Broken Dreams beer.
TA: What a name for a beer. Where did you get that from?
AT: Think about it for a minute.
TA: I've thought about that and can't get it. I think we should acknowledge Fonterra.
AT: I noticed Fonterra's Cobden site picked up an award at the Royal Melbourne Fine Foods Awards for its Western Star Original Salted butter.
TA: What I'm talking about has nothing to do with butter awards - it's for rewarding its staff. Fonterra's Dennington site acknowledge long time employee John Keane with a gold watch and a substantial pay bonus for 25 years service during the week. John was proudly showing his new watch to all the people at the bingo in Koroit on Thursday night.
AT: Great to hear that work places are rewarding its employees for their efforts on the work front. I've got someone else that deserves an acknowledgment and that's former Port Fairy footballer Dean Dwyer. He took part in the Melbourne half marathon last Sunday and finished 14th out of 1800 in his age group. He ran the distance in one hour 21 minutes and 27 seconds.
TA: Bit of action at the indoor cricket grand final on Thursday night. Game finished as a tie and there was an immediate replay with Wayne Bellman's side, a hamstring injury and some big hitting from Eddie Richardson crippling South Rovers chances of winniing the title.
AT: Until next week, hooroo.
Email a friend