Why are Port playing Geelong at Willy, or has climate change taken over and North Port Oval is now seaside?
If anyone gets sick of watching Fark Carlton the SANFL game on C7 is Norwood v Glenelg.
I’m down there now, soaked and freezing but some good footy at times. Grigg copped a nasty head knock but has just come back on
Port Melbourne vs Geelong here
You can watch either online by entering a post code for either state
Silly me…I was watching on the TV.
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Latest of the “debuted” articles for bye week:
The 23-year old Collins got his long-awaited VFL call-up from coach Dan Jordan to debut in Essendon’s Round 10 clash with Coburg. It came after not only playing seven games this season for his local NFL club Montmorency but also being listed at the Casey Demons and the Northern Blues prior coming to the Hangar.
“It’s a weekly push to keep playing the best footy I can to make sure I’m ready to play for Essendon when the time’s right,” says Collins, who came to Essendon during the off-season.
“It’s been about going over previous training sessions and speaking with [forward line coach] Nick Daffy to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
Collins certainly had every reason to smile after his debut: he was presented with his guernsey by deputy vice-captain Danny Younan in front of the playing group before the first bounce, the Bombers romped home by 94 points and the first-gamer played up forward and iced the cake with the final goal of the game.
Although his debut is the culmination of steady grind and improvement, Collins is not resting on his laurels. He says he is “reasonably happy” with his 13-disposal, five-tackle maiden performance at VFL level and is ready to keep climbing the ladder after the Bombers’ Round 11 bye.
“I made a couple of good efforts and felt quite comfortable,” says Collins of his match against Coburg. “I’m keen to keep working hard and pushing for more game time.”
The years of patience and dedication are just starting to pay off for Collins. Now, his way forward beyond his first steps in VFL will be defined by the truth he has learnt over the course of his career.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work and commitment. It’s just your mindset to keep pushing and playing the highest standard of footy you can and have that aim in your head.”
By Callum O’Connor
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Sandy still haven’t kicked a goal after their two goes with the hurricane.
Jack Lonie drowned in the centre square…standing up.*
- mnbt
Sandy don’t look like scoring this qtr either.
Two to the power of 6 versus Two cubed.
All square.
Anyone with any idea why North Port Oval isn’t being used? The common potatoes keep staing that they don’t know where Port will play but not say why?
Sandy now 3 squared.
Guy lucky to score from 10 metres out.
Damn it. Why did no one tell me there was a game at Willy, today of all days?!?
(The wind sounded interesting on the telly, but it doesn’t look that vicious… by Willy standards. Nice black mud in the middle, though.)
Willy 11.11.77 defeats Sandy 0.9.9, bwahahaha.
Will be used in 2 weeks. I guess given it gets a heavy workload in finals etc, preserving the surface is a wise move
Sounds like the ground must have pretty poor drainage, and sub optimal turf … despite the shitload of money they get having exclusive rights to the Finals.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/port-melbourne-has-again-been-punted-from-north-port-oval-over-problems-with-the-grounds-surface/news-story/e7c6b67ac6b25f30ffd39163a7517549?nk=0d9907f5b6cc4b94d9dd810e3dc8d63e-1529222473
Port Melbourne has again been punted from North Port Oval over problems with the ground’s surface
Paul Amy, Port Phillip Leader
April 4, 2018 10:30am
REIGNING VFL premier Port Melbourne will lose a home game and thousands of dollars in revenue after North Port Oval was ruled unfit to host Saturday’s Round 1 grand final rematch against Richmond.
AFL Victoria officials and an independent turf consultant inspected the ground on Tuesday afternoon and ruled the surface unsafe for players.
The fixture will now be played at Punt Rd.
The Gary Ayres-coached Borough’s Round 2 match against Collingwood will also be moved elsewhere.
The switches will strike at Port Melbourne’s bottom line, denying it income from memberships sold early in the season, gate takings and merchandise sales.
A pre-match lunch planned for Saturday had attracted 130 people and will be scrapped, as will the unfurling of the premiership flag.
Port will now have to wait until Round 6 to show off the flag.
Trouble with the surface has dogged the ground in the past few years and the latest problems emerged in January when grass died off.
The North Port Oval surface in February.
Borough officials were adamant it had been cut too short ahead of forecast hot weather.
Port Phillip Council has been doing “remedial work’’ on the ground and told Leader a few weeks ago that it expected North Port to be ready for Round 1.
“Yes. The significant work we have done and continue to do will help prepare the ground for the football season,’’ mayor Bernadene Voss said in a statement to Leader.
But concerns about the centre wicket area prompted AFL Victoria to take Port’s first two home games elsewhere.
“Overall, this is a very disappointing outcome for our club and beyond our control,’’ Borough president Michael Shulman said on Tuesday night.
“We thank the AFL for the time they have provided to us to make the centre wicket a safe playing surface, however despite recent efforts of the council, the oval-centre wicket has been deemed unsafe.
“Player safety and welfare is of course of utmost importance at all times, hence we respect the decision that has been made.’’
Shulman said the issue raised questions about the ground’s ability to host football and cricket.
Port Melbourne Cricket Club is a cotenant of North Port Oval.
“(It) reconfirms questions previously asked to the council about North Port in terms of the need to redevelop the surface totally, and whether it can truly sustain mixed usage given the cost and time required to maintain turf wickets,’’ Shulman said.
The flag unfurling will be delayed until Port’s match against Footscray Bulldogs on Saturday, May 12.
Port Melbourne lost two home games in 2013 and another two in 2016 owing to problems with the ground.
Shulman will meet Port Phillip Council officers on Friday to discuss plans about the redevelopment of the playing surface.
The council said in January that it was planned for next year.
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And in case you missed the times: that’s because they’ll be on the telly.
Note that the VFLW game on June 30 now starts at 11:30 – it was always going to be a double-header, but they’ve reversed the order.
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Now that you’ve explained the ramifications… that’s great news!!!
Claiming the scalp of the fifth-placed Hawks on their home deck after a final quarter with four lead changes was a validation of the improving skill and mettle of Dan Jordan’s side.
And according to vice-captain Aaron Heppell, the Bombers are building to be better week by week both on-field and off – because each will assist the other.
“The win was massive for our season,” said Heppell, who finished with 18 touches to go with a goal in his side’s pivotal second-quarter burst against Box Hill.
“We were sitting level on points with Box Hill and now it’s put us a game clear of the pack … we definitely did pump ourselves up for this game to really make our mark on the competition.
“We need to keep driving our standards and keep on performing to keep that buffer off the pack.”
The gritty win puts Essendon in third place on the ladder, tied with fourth-placed Geelong on 24 points with Richmond and Casey a game clear in first and second spot respectively.
The Bombers will play the Demons and the Tigers in the next two weeks before taking on sixth-placed Collingwood at Windy Hill in round 16.
Challenging? Absolutely.
But as Heppell says, his side wants to play the sort of footy that will make outsiders share the belief in the boys in red and black.
“We’ve seen over the years since I’ve been at the club that we’d drop a lot of these games in the first half of the year by a goal or two goals and then later in the year that would come back to bite us when we were pushing for top four or finals spots,” recalls Heppell.
“The thing we’ve really noticed this year is that real desire to win and close out games amongst the group.”
After debuting for Essendon in 2014, Heppell was voted vice-captain for his fifth season in the VFL system. He readily declares that he’s “really enjoying” his position in the leadership group and says that the culture being fostered by his side has translated into Essendon’s strong start to the season.
“Our on-field performance definitely reflects the culture we’re building,” he said.
“The little things we work on in building our culture – catching up for a feed with AFL and VFL boys and watching the AFL game together, going for breakfast after training together – little things like that bring the boys together and makes it that much more enjoyable.
“I’m definitely proud of the culture we’re building amongst the VFL system. This is the best we’ve been sitting mid-season since I’ve been part of the club.”
Essendon will play the Casey Demons in round 13 at RAMS Arena from 2.10pm on Saturday. The match will be broadcast on Channel 7.
By Callum O’Connor
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Essendon-listed Kalan Huntly (yet to play a game with us) and Joel Ottavi are named in the third and final “Young Guns” match this weekend.
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