VAFA ROUND 21_Col.indd - Victorian Amateur Football Association

FOR THE LOVE OF
Six VAFA players have been chosen to tour South
Africa later this month as part of the Australian
Amateur Football Council team. Jack Watts
(Uni Blues), Trent Zimbachs (Collegians) , Grant
Baldwin (Old Carey), Ryan Semmel (Hampton
Rovers), Paul Florance (Bulleen Templestowe)
and Jack Hellier (St Bede’s Mentone Tigers)
(pictured below) will take part on this trip which
will encompass football, coaching and community
work in the townships of Johannesburg. The team
will be coached by Mick Dwyer and includes
representatives from SA, WA and Tasmania.
Is this it? Old Paradians play in the Div 2
Preliminary Final today against Glen Eira. This
week, one of its greatest sons Peter Brabender has
announced that he will retire after the finals. For
his sake, let’s hope he squeezes in a game next
week to add to his 420 plus already on the board.
All of Peter’s games have been in the U19s or
seniors. He’s never played a Reserves game. His
career has unfortunately coincided with the slide
of Paradians from Premier down through the
grades. A Grand Final and a premiership would
be a dream exit for the great man. I’m sure even
Glen Eira would agree, but that won’t stop them
trying to fulfil their own ambitions.
The weather is playing havoc with the VAFA
finals schedule, with more games transferred this
week. VAFA GM of Football Operations Jeremy
Bourke has been working around the clock to find
grounds and it is taking its toll as these pictures
illustrate. First we see JB a month ago, happy
after his assistant coach role with the Vic U23s.
Then last week, when he trampled through the
mud at Central Reserve, then this week when the
rain kept on coming, causing more reshuffling.
Happy Fathers’ Day, Bourkey.
42 THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2010