Western Border Football League - Part 2

[small footy on big footy]

there has been some talk about clint playing in the next few weeks.
you add james imbi and daniel sturzaker who only played a half or something like that and the tigers are shaping up nicely again

 

[outsiderlookingin]

there has been some talk about clint playing in the next few weeks.
you add james imbi and daniel sturzaker who only played a half or something like that and the tigers are shaping up nicely again

Yeah by the looks of it they are playing great footy. Great article in the Sunday Age on Winis Imbi and the Portland side.

 

[BIGANT]

WTF...Casterton beating North !? troubling times at north....Millicent were'nt impressive over west....won very ugly; as i heard they did over at heywood. That means the saints are in the five does it !?
Thats flattering for them...lack spark down there & kpp's are carrying injuries and need a rest.

 

[sam42]

Check out Max Rooke's Best 22 on the AFL website under Features. Names some of his old cats players and a south boy in his best 22.

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Be a damn good team to watch, very impressed with Lithgow getting a gig plus the amazing Collard and 'keg on legs' Rioli

 

[sam42]

Be a damn good team to watch, very impressed with Lithgow getting a gig plus the amazing Collard and 'keg on legs' Rioli

Shame we didn't see Collard and Lithgow at the higher level. I think Lithgow had some contact with Geelong. I believe Collard made a VFL team of the year then headed back out to the sticks.

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Yeah i think Lithgow went in some pre season draft one yr but injuries kept him from wearing Cat colours in the big leauge

 

[sam42]

This thread appears to have died in interest. Is this a reflection of the interest in the WBFL at the moment?

 

[small footy on big footy]

This thread appears to have died in interest. Is this a reflection of the interest in the WBFL at the moment?

Would seem so. Especially considering most of the posters here live well outside the wb region

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Kinda sux, WBFL stories dont seem to be as pumped up in the Border Watch without Brad Gray putting all of them in which i noticed while visiting the other week. The one on leading goalkickers was interesting though, wonder why a few of those guys had missed games? Work im guessing, and the editor can spell Macsowiack too(which i prob stuffed up!!)

 

[sam42]

I thought the Hampden thread was very inactive considering the strength of the comp but this thread is low to the lowest atm.
The interest is ney but like every1 else across se aust, we do live lives....i do try and spark some interest but i too get sick of the grade two talk !!!!
Here's something to go out on the evening too, another s aust club to be looking for another coach by years out !! and w already 3 clubs within the league on the outlook for coaches this clubs inept FOO better listen to his comittee and make some inroads soon or else he'll be left wanting blinking & nodding his head not only worrying about his own position but looking for a damn coach.

Be Interested in your opinion Bigant where you think the WBFL is heading. I think Portlands dominance has turned unhealthy for the league. Need more teams to be seriously competitive, especially come finals time. I've lost interest partly due to the fact that there are very few competitive games by teams against Portland.

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Do Bundy cans still go for 5 bucks at McDonald park? Now thats an important question

 

[BIGANT]

Be Interested in your opinion Bigant where you think the WBFL is heading. I think Portlands dominance has turned unhealthy for the league. Need more teams to be seriously competitive, especially come finals time. I've lost interest partly due to the fact that there are very few competitive games by teams against Portland.

I read a snippet in the 'weekly times' recently where Ham Spec journo Holmes questioned that the league is no longer viable !? he said Portland, Hamilton & Imps to join the Hampden; Heywood to the SWDFL and Millicent and the four MtG clubs to a restructured s/e competion with Casterton more than likely to follow it's sth aust neighbours.
A number of key points would be of biig discussion;

• Do Portland & Hamilton share the same desire as Imps in joining the Hampden !? from an outsider looking in, regardless of there domination in this comp the last 5 years they seem to me like that there quite happy in this league !?
• As much as the four mount clubs, millicent & casterton would be privvy to a new se league, i doubt the MSEfl would entertain the idea of re-structuring s/e footy. There are two many ego's and dislike between msefl & the sa side of the wbfl officials.

Personally i like the league as is...but there needs to be alot of work too be done for the bottom sides outside the finals to lift there competitiveness to the levels of the Portland, Souths & Easts.

 

[little footy battler]

There has been a lot of discussion in the media recently about the restructure and almost all of it has seen the demise of the Western Border. It seems like a lot of the discussion about the Western Border being unhealthy centres on some teams, Millicent, West Gambier, Casterton and Heywood, not having the level of success on the field in their senior grades as the likes of Portland, South, East etc. While that is true, those sides have not enjoyed as much success in senior grades, I don't think that means they are not successfully clubs and as such do not deserve to be in the league. I think you can also measure the success of a club on how financially viable it can remain, how successful it has been in developing and promoting junior talent, how strong its culture is and its worth to its community, not to mention the other half of the league, how strong its netball component is.
Millicent, West and Heywood all boast very successful netball histories, Casterton, Heywood and Millicent are certainly vital parts of the social fabric of their communities and from what I understand all are kicking along quite healthily on a financial basis.
Casterton and Heywood have both promoted a senior, quality player into AFL ranks in the past decade and regularly push young players into TAC Cup levels.
Many of these things would change if those clubs dropped down to become a part of a district league and I think some people are forgetting that when they weigh into this discussion. Do those sides need to win a senior football premiership if they are to be valuable members of the Western Border structure?

I read a snippet in the 'weekly times' recently where Ham Spec journo Holmes questioned that the league is no longer viable !? he said Portland, Hamilton & Imps to join the Hampden; Heywood to the SWDFL and Millicent and the four MtG clubs to a restructured s/e competion with Casterton more than likely to follow it's sth aust neighbours.

A number of key points would be of biig discussion;

• Do Portland & Hamilton share the same desire as Imps in joining the Hampden !? from an outsider looking in, regardless of there domination in this comp the last 5 years they seem to me like that there quite happy in this league !?
• As much as the four mount clubs, millicent & casterton would be privvy to a new se league, i doubt the MSEfl would entertain the idea of re-structuring s/e footy. There are two many ego's and dislike between msefl & the sa side of the wbfl officials.

Personally i like the league as is...but there needs to be alot of work too be done for the bottom sides outside the finals to lift there competitiveness to the levels of the Portland, Souths & Easts.

 

[small footy on big footy]

There has been a lot of discussion in the media recently about the restructure and almost all of it has seen the demise of the Western Border. It seems like a lot of the discussion about the Western Border being unhealthy centres on some teams, Millicent, West Gambier, Casterton and Heywood, not having the level of success on the field in their senior grades as the likes of Portland, South, East etc. While that is true, those sides have not enjoyed as much success in senior grades, I don't think that means they are not successfully clubs and as such do not deserve to be in the league. I think you can also measure the success of a club on how financially viable it can remain, how successful it has been in developing and promoting junior talent, how strong its culture is and its worth to its community, not to mention the other half of the league, how strong its netball component is.
Millicent, West and Heywood all boast very successful netball histories, Casterton, Heywood and Millicent are certainly vital parts of the social fabric of their communities and from what I understand all are kicking along quite healthily on a financial basis.
Casterton and Heywood have both promoted a senior, quality player into AFL ranks in the past decade and regularly push young players into TAC Cup levels.
Many of these things would change if those clubs dropped down to become a part of a district league and I think some people are forgetting that when they weigh into this discussion. Do those sides need to win a senior football premiership if they are to be valuable members of the Western Border structure?

Are you saying that these clubs directly had a hand in developing these young players?
Because that would be totally wrong, otherwise those 2 clubs would be much better than they currently are.
They were merely a carrier for them and any club in the entire VCFL could do the same thing so that shouldnt and cant be a basis in this type of discussion

 

[sam42]

I read a snippet in the 'weekly times' recently where Ham Spec journo Holmes questioned that the league is no longer viable !? he said Portland, Hamilton & Imps to join the Hampden; Heywood to the SWDFL and Millicent and the four MtG clubs to a restructured s/e competion with Casterton more than likely to follow it's sth aust neighbours.

A number of key points would be of biig discussion;

• Do Portland & Hamilton share the same desire as Imps in joining the Hampden !? from an outsider looking in, regardless of there domination in this comp the last 5 years they seem to me like that there quite happy in this league !?
• As much as the four mount clubs, millicent & casterton would be privvy to a new se league, i doubt the MSEfl would entertain the idea of re-structuring s/e footy. There are two many ego's and dislike between msefl & the sa side of the wbfl officials.

Personally i like the league as is...but there needs to be alot of work too be done for the bottom sides outside the finals to lift there competitiveness to the levels of the Portland, Souths & Easts.

I like the League as is to Bigant. Football clubs especially in the smaller towns like Casterton, Heywood and Millicent are a vital part of their social fabric. If the League lost Casterton for instance boy would the leagues coffers take a hammering. Casterton are also competitive on the field. I do worry about Heywood. Need somehow to get them more competitive.

 

[BIGANT]

Saint's finals aspirations to stay alive or end this next fortnight - beat Casterton (away) & North (home) and could may well come down to Millicent having a slightly easier run home then North.

Mill >> Cast (away), North (home-centenery celebrations game), South (away), Heywood (home), Hamilton (away).

North >> Hamilton (home), Millicent (away), East (home), Portland (away), Imps (home)

 

[requestingtalent]

gday guys. have been hearing much about this nick johnstone. think he plays for heywood. heard he would be a quality asset to any side? worth a look at?

 

[footballnut]

gday guys. have been hearing much about this nick johnstone. think he plays for heywood. heard he would be a quality asset to any side? worth a look at?

definitely worth a look at, quality player, good level headed bloke. he plays in a team that hasnt won a game for a while, but he consistently plays at the same level. good athlete and uses the ball very well. probably the best young bloke in wbfl. would get a game in any wbfl team.

 

[SNOUTER]

very good player......

gday guys. have been hearing much about this nick johnstone. think he plays for heywood. heard he would be a quality asset to any side? worth a look at?

 

[small footy on big footy]

Gday lads. I had a read of an article in the Herald Sun inregards to the Heywood fc. Can anyone enlighten me as to why the club hasnt had success recently?
Also, what type of culture does the Heywood fc currently represent? Is it lack of number's, comittee, geographic reason's e.t.c, as to why they havnt been competative.
Any opinion, good or bad, would be great.

unfortunately all of those things you mentioned are reasons why they havent been competitive.
culture - not very good, the players are young and think they are actually good players (they MIGHT turn into good players but seriously look at some of the players they have been selecting the last cpl of years) and the supporters are just full of grumpy people that complain all of the time and blame everyone else for heywoods misfortunes.
numbers - hasnt been very good this year couldnt get an under18 side but other years this hasnt been a problem
committee - have their hearts in the right place just a pitty everything they do seems to be for personal or family gain
geographic - this is only a problem locally. people wont travel to heywood because it is not a good club to be at right now. players for far away though do seem to travel. it is all about the culture and atmosphere
there are plenty of other things to cover but i thought i would get the ball rolling.
that was the bad stuff coz to be honest there isnt any good stuff (yeah yeah the playing list is young but heywood have been saying this for how long?)
but the attractive thing about heywood is if you turn the culture around and bring a fair few players you will have success
and when that success comes there might not be a better club to be around next year or the year after if they get rid of the bad apples off field

 

[wotdoiput]

Well a great game for the centenary celebrations at Millicent yesterday, Millicent kept their finals chances alive with a great come from behind victory. I wrote them off late in the last quarter but they came back from the dead to record a great victory. Chris Murray snagged another 6 goals to take his season total to 66 and guys like Agnew, Hosking, Bennett, Haggett where very good. So it all comes down to the last 3 games where Millicent have South, Hamilton and Heywood whilst North have East, Portland and Imps. On ladder postions Millicent should make it, but I wont believe that until after the final round.

Was a very big crowd at Millicent. Was the biggest I have seen there for a long time, a lot of old players making an appearance and the shed was choc a bloc full and really rocking. Was a great atmosphere, especially in the last quarter.

 

[Aint 25 no more]

unfortunately all of those things you mentioned are reasons why they havent been competitive.
culture - not very good, the players are young and think they are actually good players (they MIGHT turn into good players but seriously look at some of the players they have been selecting the last cpl of years) and the supporters are just full of grumpy people that complain all of the time and blame everyone else for heywoods misfortunes.
numbers - hasnt been very good this year couldnt get an under18 side but other years this hasnt been a problem
committee - have their hearts in the right place just a pitty everything they do seems to be for personal or family gain
geographic - this is only a problem locally. people wont travel to heywood because it is not a good club to be at right now. players for far away though do seem to travel. it is all about the culture and atmosphere
there are plenty of other things to cover but i thought i would get the ball rolling.
that was the bad stuff coz to be honest there isnt any good stuff (yeah yeah the playing list is young but heywood have been saying this for how long?)
but the attractive thing about heywood is if you turn the culture around and bring a fair few players you will have success
and when that success comes there might not be a better club to be around next year or the year after if they get rid of the bad apples off field

Interesting to read an outsider's view on our club, particularly the flaws of our club. It is pretty unhealthy and gets you no where to stick your head in the sand and not listen to or learn from the way the outside world views you, so your feedback is handy. And you know what, you're right on a number of fronts.
Our list is obviously not up to scratch right now to be a threat in the Western Border, the ladder tells you that quite clearly. And you are spot on about the club saying hanging its hat on the list being young for a long time. People at the club were doing that when I joined the senior group, and I'm well past my prime now. The reason those young lists over the years have not eventuated into successful ones has been the small groups of quality players we have brought up out of our junior ranks have tended to leave town at young ages through study or employment opportunities. Again, spot on with some of the committees over the years, but the best thing they have done in the last decade it employ current CEO Shane Evans to take care of the business side of things, because so far he has been able to see past some of those family issues that can be hard to avoid in a communitiy club from such a small community.
There are certainly some players in the senior group who are probably not realistic about their playing capacity, but that is not all of them and it is foolish to think that because a player is being asked to play senior footy that that player autimatically thinks he is a champion. Some of those guys are good clubmen who know the club is down right now and doing what they have to until the list gets better.
So yep, Heywood has clearly got some issues facing it. But the beauty of our club is what happens when it starts to turn around, and clubs like Casterton and Millicent I am sure would expereice a similar thing. The town and surrounding communtiy rally behind the club better than pretty much any other team when it gets up and running. It is a strange thing about smaller towns competing against larger towns, the underdog factor kicks in. Anyone with a memory stretching back a little more than a decade will remember the massive crowds and local support, playing and otherwise, that followed the club last time it played senior finals.
The next coach will have some work to do, no question, but the rewards could be massive if that person goes about it right.

 

[hansie]

Interesting to read an outsider's view on our club, particularly the flaws of our club. It is pretty unhealthy and gets you no where to stick your head in the sand and not listen to or learn from the way the outside world views you, so your feedback is handy. And you know what, you're right on a number of fronts.
Our list is obviously not up to scratch right now to be a threat in the Western Border, the ladder tells you that quite clearly. And you are spot on about the club saying hanging its hat on the list being young for a long time. People at the club were doing that when I joined the senior group, and I'm well past my prime now. The reason those young lists over the years have not eventuated into successful ones has been the small groups of quality players we have brought up out of our junior ranks have tended to leave town at young ages through study or employment opportunities. Again, spot on with some of the committees over the years, but the best thing they have done in the last decade it employ current CEO Shane Evans to take care of the business side of things, because so far he has been able to see past some of those family issues that can be hard to avoid in a communitiy club from such a small community.
There are certainly some players in the senior group who are probably not realistic about their playing capacity, but that is not all of them and it is foolish to think that because a player is being asked to play senior footy that that player autimatically thinks he is a champion. Some of those guys are good clubmen who know the club is down right now and doing what they have to until the list gets better.
So yep, Heywood has clearly got some issues facing it. But the beauty of our club is what happens when it starts to turn around, and clubs like Casterton and Millicent I am sure would expereice a similar thing. The town and surrounding communtiy rally behind the club better than pretty much any other team when it gets up and running. It is a strange thing about smaller towns competing against larger towns, the underdog factor kicks in. Anyone with a memory stretching back a little more than a decade will remember the massive crowds and local support, playing and otherwise, that followed the club last time it played senior finals.
The next coach will have some work to do, no question, but the rewards could be massive if that person goes about it right.

Shane Evans is a tremendous operator, I remember him well from my days at Belconnen. Good bloke too - I wish him all the best! He will get you some results.

 

[cantplay]

Shane Evans is a tremendous operator, I remember him well from my days at Belconnen. Good bloke too - I wish him all the best! He will get you some results.

Yes he probably will get results if he doesn't get undermined by people on the committee who are only on the committee for their own interests