VAFA ROUND 2.indd - Victorian Amateur Football Association

PREMIER C
Di Langton
UP, UP AND
AWAY
If the Hunt and Folau experiments are a sweet
confection dreamed up by the AFL - designed to
lure us with sugary promise but thus far yet to
satisfy - then behold a potentially far more meatand-potatoes
type seduction going on in amateur
football, where ruckmen and big key position
players are as rare as they are handy. In a world
of vertical challenges, enter the lateral thinker -
Fitzroy Football Club - who rotated the ruck last
weekend with not one, but two ex-Australian
Volleyballers. Yep, those of the bandy-leggedleapin’
variety, that spike, dig and kill their way
through five sets of jousts, blocks, cut shots and
shanks. Jess Cameron-Wootten started with
the Roys in 2010 at the ripe old age of 26, while
his 32-year-old mate Matt Coad made his senior
football debut last weekend against AJAX in the
season opener at Brunny Street. At 201cms (and
a vertical leap of 76 cms) Coad was one of the
best blockers in the volleyball game, and almost
had a fairytale first footy stat with a kick on goal
that (unsurprisingly) didn’t allow for wind factor.
Let’s hope this new kind of cross-pollination
experiment works, just don’t get muddled and
start chatting to your Sherrins fellas, they’re no
Wilsons.
Bernie Sheehy assumed his favourite pozzie up
in the heritage-listed grandstand, overseeing the
AJAX lads register a solid seven goal first round
win with captain Gary Blieden best on ground,
appearing under every pack and leading the
tackle count. Jake Lew (8) led strongly and David
Fayman (4) made a solid return from his nasty
collarbone injury. In only his second senior game,
last year’s U/19 B & F winner, Michael Cussen was
best for the Roys, while Will Pickering (7) stood
strong amongst the dour Jacka backline.
Old Camberwell travelled down to Soldiers Reserve
to test the Werribee hype; and found it anything
but, demolished by a well-organised outfit still
riding the momentum of last year’s devastation
of D1. The Wellers were uncharacteristically
undisciplined, which didn’t win them any friends
either, but Greg Tolson’s defensive pressure was
impressive, as was Jack Le Cerf in a key defensive
role. Sean Rusling was rusty in his first hitout,
recovering from a virus. For the Tigers, Rowdy Lee
was in vintage form, Nathan Black bagged five
and the Taylor and Pelar clansmen are back to
declare war on Premier footy.
Paddy Steinfort was relieved to get his first win
out of the way in a nervous 10-point win over
Ormond at Central Reserve. After a fairly dominant
first half, Chumma Jayaweera (5) and Tavis
Vallance were outstanding, Luke Russell and
Tom Buckley best for the visitors who lacked the
impact of newly installed captain Matt Martinov
out with injury.
The Unicorns headed up the Tulla to challenge
Rupo at the Home of the Ashes (sounds kinda
mystical doesn’t it?) and conjured up a little magic
in the last 20 seconds via Dylan Hamilton-Ho (4)
to pinch victory by 5 points after a final quarter
end-to-end battle. Best for the visitors were Brain
and Taft, with Harper mopping up well across
half back, while Luke Baddeley provided great
drive out of defence for Rupo, delivery into Leroy
Brennan (4) superb especially early on.
The other Home of the Ashes, the windy Frearson
Oval, looked to be thoroughly bombed by Old
TODAY
Selections in BOLD
OLD CAMBERWELL v AJAX
MHSOB v MONASH BLUES
OLD ESSENDON v MAZENOD
ORMOND v RUPERTSWOOD
FITZROY v WERRIBEE
6 THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2011
SPORTS INJURY CASUALTY - Get back in the game