Western Border Football League

[hanno_7]

WESTIES make there first finals appearance since 1998!!!
CASTERTON miss out on percentage
PORTLAND get the week off

END OF HOME & AWAY SEASON
HERE COME THE FINALS!!!!!

» Team Pld Won Lost Drawn Byes For Agst % Pts
» Portland FNC 18 16 2 0 0 2109 1103 191.21% 64
» North Gambier FC 18 16 2 0 0 2096 1268 165.30% 64
» South Gambier FC 18 13 5 0 0 2075 1450 143.10% 52
» West Gambier FC 18 10 8 0 0 1977 1700 116.29% 40
» East Gambier FC 18 9 9 0 0 1859 1551 119.86% 36
» Casterton FC 18 9 9 0 0 1521 1853 82.08% 36
» Millicent FC 18 6 12 0 0 1550 1803 85.97% 24
» Hamilton Imperials FNC 18 6 12 0 0 1454 1880 77.34% 24
» Heywood FC 18 4 14 0 0 1343 2159 62.20% 16
» Hamilton FNC 18 1 17 0 0 1094 2311 47.34% 4



:: Last Round Played: Round 18 Date: 26/8/2006


Home Team v Away Team
» South Gambier FC 18.14 (122) v » Hamilton Imperials FNC 13.9 (87)
» Heywood FC 15.7 (97) v » North Gambier FC 17.18 (120)
» East Gambier FC 13.7 (85) v » Portland FNC 16.24 (120)
» Casterton FC 14.14 (98) v » West Gambier FC 17.11 (113)
» Hamilton FNC 12.17 (89) v » Millicent FC 13.13 (91)



:: Next Round: Finals Starting Date: 2/9/2006


Home Team v Away Team Location Time
Elinination final: (Ladder Pos 4 v. Ladder Pos 5)
» West Gambier FC v » East Gambier FC BLUE LAKE SPORTS PARK Sun 3-09-06 at 2:00pm SA

Qualifying final: (Ladder Pos 2 v. Ladder Pos 3)
» North Gambier FC v » South Gambier FC MCDONALD PARK Sat 2-09-06 at 2:00pm SA

1st Semi final: (Loser of Qualifying final v. Winner of Elinination final)
[Loser of Qualifying final] v [Winner of Elinination final] .

2nd Semi final: (Ladder Pos 1 v. Winner of Qualifying final)
» Portland FNC v [Winner of Qualifying final]
.
Preliminary final: (Loser of 2nd Semi final v. Winner of 1st Semi final)
[Loser of 2nd Semi final] v [Winner of 1st Semi final] .

Grand final: (Winner of 2nd Semi final v. Winner of Preliminary final)

[Winner of 2nd Semi final] v [Winner of Preliminary final] .

 

[hanno_7]

Well who he had at millicent last yr, will follow Cotton, Woodcock at his stage ! plus a few others from over there ! ex west & millicent bench man slatter is doing the wheeling & dealing ! also north and maybe cast are clubs whispered interested in BROWN !

From what ive heard cotton is on this year id think hed wanna stay in tazzy.
yeah Mr abrahansom doesnt seem to have much respect at casterton, when your own players are telling you to F*#k off you no your in trouble.

 

[hanno_7]

who will win the MEDAL this year

My tip
SCOTT FLEET NORTH GAMBIER OR JAMIE CAMARANO PORTLAND

Anyone else have an opinion??

 

[hanno_7]

Can anyone see Portland getting knocked off

 

[BIGANT]

who will win the MEDAL this year

My tip
SCOTT FLEET NORTH GAMBIER OR JAMIE CAMARANO PORTLAND

Anyone else have an opinion??

Going on the few games i saw in the second half of the season Flett will be up there and having only seen Camorano last week in the 2nd semi @ heywood vs north but heard good raps on him over the year he should poll highly....Copping from south had a consistant season plus he has the record on the board previously w penola in the KNTFL.Don't discount Andrew Nitschke from the saints either,although a lean but promising year for the saints outside the 5,Nitschke is a proven votegetter (along w flett has 3 league b&f medals) when the saints have been in similar ladder positions in past years when nitschke has won.
As for the premiership....Portland should account for north or east,just so strong on every line.North have troubled them most (xcept the 2nd semi) but east may be the x factor...not saying north are soft but there frontrunners ! where as east may match em body size & toughness.It should be a great day at casterton....as it always is when they hold the GF plenty of crowd, plenty of food, plenty of eye candy & most importantly plenty of BOOZE in what should be a ripper of a day in a weeks time !

 

[hanno_7]

Jonathan Copping - 2006 Western Border Medallist


South Gambier's mercurial Jonathan Copping has won the Western Border Football Leagues Best and Fairest, the Western Border Medal, in his debut season at Western Border level.



Copping polled 22 votes to edge out two times Western Border Medallist Scott Flett (North Gambier) by 3 votes, who finished the night with 19 votes. 17 of Flett's 19 votes came in the period of rounds 3 to 9.



Third in the count was 20 year old Casterton young gun Tom McArlein with 17 votes, followed by Heywood's John Dunn and East Gambier's Josh Ransom on 14 votes each and Portland's James Imbi on 13 votes.



Jonathan Copping

South Gambier Football Club

Home and Away: 18 games, 49 goals

Finals: 2 games, 2 goals

Western Border FL (Interleague): 3 games, 2 goals

28 years of age

Recruited from: Penola, Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League

 

[hanno_7]

quite a few teams looking for new coaches any news on any of the clubs?

 

[BIGANT]

quite a few teams looking for new coaches any news on any of the clubs?

Only innuendo at the moment !?

• Ashleigh Brown to coach West Gambier next season with the blessing from there current or now previous coach Grant Russell...The appointment is still not a done deal yet !?
• If Russell does head back to Adelaide, the players that he recruited will go with him !?
• Heywood advertising for new coach ! 1. Heard wbfl gf day that current player & assist coach Andrew Ryan is going up2 darwin for the season 2. Unsure if he'll come back depending on you'll get the position & if he does'nt get the job himself, former coach Shane Keegan rumored to be coaching in the minor leagues with Tyrendarra next year !?
• Hamilton with plenty of coin in the purse !! rumored to be going all out again like they did a couple of seasons ago when they won the gf over North....why would you when you've got dominant u18's coming through !? saw a posting on another thread that they were speaking to former St.kilda player & Koroit favorite son Joel Mclaren.
• Casterton were/are talking to South Gambier rover a previous medalist Brent Howard....which seems interesting as the cats powers to be signed Abrahamson to two years when they appointed him this yr !? Heard he was'nt popular with them by the years end....
• North Gambier's an interesting one !? Have had dual coaching the last few yrs with Peter Collins/Stuart Telford combination seemingly working well with being runners up & preliminary finalists the last 3 years but have recently been advertised for coaches in all grades in The Border Watch.

 

[Grimmett]

Heathmere not Tyrendarra for Keegan. From the Portland Observer.

Secret no longer
...Heathmere signs coach Shane Keegan for 2007 South West season

6 September 2006

By DEAN MILLARD

THE Heathmere Football/Netball Club has confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in football this month by officially announcing former Heywood coach Shane Keegan as its coach for 2007.

Keegan was signed to the club late last week, with Heathmere president Peter Anson saying the powerful ruckman was the first step in what the club planned to be an extensive recruitment campaign in the coming months.

Anson said he expected Keegan to be a massive inclusion for the club in both a playing and a coaching capacity.

"We are expecting him to be very good for the Heathmere Football Club," Anson said.

"He has a lot of skills and experience to pass on to some of our younger guys, which will be great because we have blooded quite a few guys this year."

Anson said the club had looked to move as quickly as possible in securing the experienced coach to try and get some positive momentum going into next season.

With Keegan signed on for 12 months, and the possibility of an extension, the focus for the club will now shift to building a strong playing list for the new coach to work with.

Anson said the wheels were already in motion.

"We are certainly talking to some players, both locally and away.

"We have got a list of players that we are talking to, but at this stage I am not in a position to say anything more on that."

Keegan said the move from Heywood to Heathmere was an exciting one, as it presented him with an opportunity to take a fresh approach with a new club and a new league.

"It is closing a chapter for me in a way at Heywood, which is a bit sad I suppose because I have enjoyed my time there, but it's also exciting to be moving on to a new club at Heathmere and new challenges.

Keegan said he was yet to meet many people from his new club and said he was keen to get to know not just the players but also the people around the club in the coming weeks.

He said he was impressed with the club's desire to turn its form around as quickly as possible and added he was looking forward to helping the club to do that.

"From what I have heard, no one out there is happy with finishing last this year, and they want to do everything they can to get back to where they belong, which is at least top three, I believe.

"They are not happy with finishing second best, so the culture out there is really good."

With Heathmere losing many of its players to other local clubs in recent years Keegan said he would be trying hard to win those players back, while also focusing on retaining the talent already at the club.

He said while he had not seen a lot of South West football games in the past he did not expect it would take him long to adapt his game to the different style.

"I've only seen two games of South West footy, one was a final last year and one was Heathmere and Westerns this year.

"Both were pretty wet games, so it was hard to get a gauge, as a spectator, of the standard and style of the league.

"I don't think I will have any trouble adapting to the style though.

"I'm a marking player who tries to read the play as much as I can, which I think will suit the style of play in the league really well.

"My body of course is getting a little bit slower these days, but I think I should do okay."

Keegan said the chance to work with a young and developing list of players had been one of the main attractions to the job.

"One of the big pluses for coaches is watching young guys develop, so I am really looking forward to getting out there and working with the young guys and trying to develop them into good, senior footballers."

 

[BIGANT]

Heathmere not Tyrendarra for Keegan. From the Portland Observer.

Secret no longer
...Heathmere signs coach Shane Keegan for 2007 South West season

6 September 2006

By DEAN MILLARD

THE Heathmere Football/Netball Club has confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in football this month by officially announcing former Heywood coach Shane Keegan as its coach for 2007.

Keegan was signed to the club late last week, with Heathmere president Peter Anson saying the powerful ruckman was the first step in what the club planned to be an extensive recruitment campaign in the coming months.

Anson said he expected Keegan to be a massive inclusion for the club in both a playing and a coaching capacity.

"We are expecting him to be very good for the Heathmere Football Club," Anson said.

"He has a lot of skills and experience to pass on to some of our younger guys, which will be great because we have blooded quite a few guys this year."

Anson said the club had looked to move as quickly as possible in securing the experienced coach to try and get some positive momentum going into next season.

With Keegan signed on for 12 months, and the possibility of an extension, the focus for the club will now shift to building a strong playing list for the new coach to work with.

Anson said the wheels were already in motion.

"We are certainly talking to some players, both locally and away.

"We have got a list of players that we are talking to, but at this stage I am not in a position to say anything more on that."

Keegan said the move from Heywood to Heathmere was an exciting one, as it presented him with an opportunity to take a fresh approach with a new club and a new league.

"It is closing a chapter for me in a way at Heywood, which is a bit sad I suppose because I have enjoyed my time there, but it's also exciting to be moving on to a new club at Heathmere and new challenges.

Keegan said he was yet to meet many people from his new club and said he was keen to get to know not just the players but also the people around the club in the coming weeks.

He said he was impressed with the club's desire to turn its form around as quickly as possible and added he was looking forward to helping the club to do that.

"From what I have heard, no one out there is happy with finishing last this year, and they want to do everything they can to get back to where they belong, which is at least top three, I believe.

"They are not happy with finishing second best, so the culture out there is really good."

With Heathmere losing many of its players to other local clubs in recent years Keegan said he would be trying hard to win those players back, while also focusing on retaining the talent already at the club.

He said while he had not seen a lot of South West football games in the past he did not expect it would take him long to adapt his game to the different style.

"I've only seen two games of South West footy, one was a final last year and one was Heathmere and Westerns this year.

"Both were pretty wet games, so it was hard to get a gauge, as a spectator, of the standard and style of the league.

"I don't think I will have any trouble adapting to the style though.

"I'm a marking player who tries to read the play as much as I can, which I think will suit the style of play in the league really well.

"My body of course is getting a little bit slower these days, but I think I should do okay."

Keegan said the chance to work with a young and developing list of players had been one of the main attractions to the job.

"One of the big pluses for coaches is watching young guys develop, so I am really looking forward to getting out there and working with the young guys and trying to develop them into good, senior footballers."

Well thats one nugget put to bed !!

 

[hanno_7]

TEAMS BEST & FAIRESTS

SOUTH GAMBIER

Copping wins Demon Best and Fairest


Jonathan Copping, the 2006 Western Border Medallist has also won South Gambier's Best and Fairest award. The announcement was made after the Demons lost the Semi Final to East Gambier and bowing out of the 2006 Premiership race.

Copping is in his first year with the Demons, having been recruited from Penola where he was playing Coach. Copping made the move to South Gambier for the opportunity to play alongside brother Sam.

HAMILTON

Kenna voted Magpies B&F


Joe Kenna has capped a remarkable debut Western Border season by winning Hamilton's senior best and fairest count. Kenna polled 60 votes to win comfortably from captain Lachlan Crawford on 33 votes and young gun Archie Whiting on 28.

Paul Barnes won the Reserves Best and Fairest from Scott Ogle.

In the Sungold Milk Under 18s Chris Eales took out the prize with 53 votes from Ross McNaughton and Tom Osmond.

HEYWOOD

Dunn Pride of Lions


Courageous Heywood midfielder John Dunn has been crowned Heywood's Best and Fairest player for the 2006 season.

Dunn has had a stellar season for Heywood which includes the Spectator-Observer Footballer of the Year award and finished equal fourth in the Western Border Medal count, just six votes behind winner Jonathan Copping.

Dunn won the award with 73 votes from Andrew Ryan with 43.

In the A Grade netball count Hayley Carter was a popular winner from coach Lee-Anne Gibbins and Mirah Fraser who tied for second.

PORTLAND

Holt Tigers Best, Jefferies to continue


Portland captain Jarrod Holt has added the Portland Best and Fairest to his premiership medal. Holt was named Portland's B&F on Satuday night, compiling 44 votes to beat 17 year old Zac Edwards by the narrowest of margins, with only one vote separating the two.

Reserves captain Jamie Barlett won the reserves Best and Fairest and Daniel Sturzaker won the U18 Best and Fairest.

In the netball Lauren Hockley won the A Grade Best and Fairest from runner up Cathryn Shepherd. The A Reserves best and fairest was won by Casey Anson, Janelle Domburg won the B Grade, Melissa McDonald won the C Grade, Annie Wilmot won the 17 and Under award, Tayle Suiker won the 15 and Under award, with Sabrina Mahon winning hte 13 and Under award.

In other news from Portland, Mark Jefferies has committed to the 2007 season, as have star recruits David Neimann and Jamie Cammarano. Winis Imbi will continue as Assistant Coach for the next two seasons, whilst Reserves coach Troy Bannaom has also committed himself.

MILLICENT

Saints Soar High at Trophy Night


Andrew Nitschke and Jeremy Hales have tied for the Corcoran Medal, the Best and Fairest award for the Saints. Both players polled 50 votes, with Steven Duldig runner up on 44 votes.

Both Andrew and Jeremy had standout years for the Saints and were also the top vote getters for the Saints at the Western Border Medal count.

The reserves medal was narrowly won by Nathaniel Robbins with 44 votes from Andrew Pratt and Mark Bennett who finished with 42 votes. In the Under 18s Shaun Taylor took home the Best and Fairest after polling 50 votes, with Jeff Tucker runner up with 42 votes and David Hardy third with 41 votes.


MORE TO COME SOON

 

[Bernie L]

thanks hanno. absolute gun Jon Copping is. If Tony McGuinness wasnt coach of Glenelg at the time, he would have play a lot more league footy.

 

[bestyoucanget]

Just wanted to say thanks to posters in this thread. While I only had the opportunity to watch one game from the WBFL this season (due to locality), I have sincerely enjoyed finding out the "goings on" during the season from this thread.

If you get bored during your off season, check the NTFL thread - no doubt you will recognise more than a few names up there.

See you next season!!!

 

[VT#23]

hey i was just wondering wat Sam Lewis went like this year? would he get a gig in most 1st sides in the comp?

 

[hanno_7]

hey i was just wondering wat Sam Lewis went like this year? would he get a gig in most 1st sides in the comp?

hey champ who did he play for?

 

[hanno_7]

any word on how west gambier r going with their recruiting, inside word is that they have lost between 12-18 players with the appointment of ash brown. all of these players being starting 18 aswell!!!

 

[BIGANT]

any word on how west gambier r going with their recruiting, inside word is that they have lost between 12-18 players with the appointment of ash brown. all of these players being starting 18 aswell!!!

Unofficially Ashleigh Brown is touted as there new coach for next season,hearsay was that it was going (his appointment) to come down to a club board meeting vote, it is common knowledge around Mount Gambier & Millicent clubs that Brown is coaching but it's just a wait & see senerio to see what actually happens and when and if it will be official.
It will be interesting to see what happens as rumours are ajar that they are near shot financially to boot !There previous coach Grant Russell is rumoured in a local press article to be coaching Berri in the riverland, and all there Adelaide recruits are'nt meant to be coming back next year along with a few of there prized local players in Mark Krueger & Mark Bouchier etc.One would suspect that if Brown gets the job that they'll aim at a carload from over northern tassie way and that may include former Millicent Key forward & tassie import Justin Cotton.Won't that make the first meeting of Millicent West clash interesting in the home & away season next year !

 

[hanno_7]

Unofficially Ashleigh Brown is touted as there new coach for next season,hearsay was that it was going (his appointment) to come down to a club board meeting vote, it is common knowledge around Mount Gambier & Millicent clubs that Brown is coaching but it's just a wait & see senerio to see what actually happens and when and if it will be official.
It will be interesting to see what happens as rumours are ajar that they are near shot financially to boot !There previous coach Grant Russell is rumoured in a local press article to be coaching Berri in the riverland, and all there Adelaide recruits are'nt meant to be coming back next year along with a few of there prized local players in Mark Krueger & Mark Bouchier etc.One would suspect that if Brown gets the job that they'll aim at a carload from over northern tassie way and that may include former Millicent Key forward & tassie import Justin Cotton.Won't that make the first meeting of Millicent West clash interesting in the home & away season next year !

HAS THERE BEEN ANY WORD ON WHATS HAPPENING?

 

[BIGANT]

HAS THERE BEEN ANY WORD ON WHATS HAPPENING?

Yes...Ashleigh got the job !! It was in fridays border watch his appointment.The article was atleast a pge and a half.If anyone can cut & paste it into these threads it would be good.
As i'm sure there would be some interest & comment on it !!

 

[Ed Deline]

What are the other coaching appointments in the League?

 

[BIGANT]

What are the other coaching appointments in the League?

Portland - Mark Jefferies into 2nd season next year.
East Gambier - Simon Quinn to continue.
North Gambier - Just announced former Norwood/Port magpies u17/19's & past Nuriootpa premiership coach Ian Stafford (Barossa & Light fl) as non-playing coach.
South Gambier - Mick Ryan to go again..
West Gambier - Ashleigh Brown newly appointed.
Casterton - Gareth Abrahamson going into 2nd yr of appointment.
Millicent - Doug Lang re-appointed for 07'.
Imperials - Jason Muldoon re-appointed for 07'.
Hamilton & Heywood - Still to appoint.

 

[BIGANT]

Brown Excited
by challenge

As written by the Border Watch's
Pat Koopman


New senior coach Ashleigh Brown is set to spearhead a new and exciting era for the West Gambier football Club.
The 33 year old will be joined on the club's senior coaching panelby Mike Suto, who will again be in charge of the reserves, and Bill Ashby, who has also been reappointed as thirds coach.
Brown brings a wealth of football experience, but also a sense of professionalism in regards to how the Roo's will conduct themselves on and off the feild.
He wants the Roo's to earn the respect of the other Western Border clubs.Brown is looking forward to taking over the senior coaching reins, in what will be a non-playing capacity.
"I think it is going to be an exciting period for the West Gambier Football Club over the next five years', Brown told The Border Watch yesterday.
"I think we need to take a little bit of a new direction in that we don't have the amount of fly-in players.
"Not only is that very hard to sustain as a club financially, but the pitfalls in regards to having the players train here as a group and also add to the community, so it's just not on the feild, having the players here contributing to the club in other areas."
"So we will look at probably putting a cap on how many people we fly-in, if any, and really the new direction of the club needs to be in developing the youth within the area."
Brown was born and bred in Melbourne and grew up on a diet of Australian Rules football.
He played under 19's with Collingwood before moving onto the Diamond Valley Football League with Greensborough.
Brown also spent four years at Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley league and three years at Keilor in the Essendon & District football league, where he was a member of two premiership sides.
He then moved into the world of coaching for the first time at Finley in the Murray Football League and then coached Latrobe in the Northern Tasmanian Football League for four years, reaching the finals in every year while under his direction.Brown coached Western Border club Millicent in 2005 and returned to Tasmania this year where he coached Devonport.
Brown is presently speaking to as many as eight potential recruits from the Apple Isle & Melbourne."If we can get for or five of them to move here we will see that as a big plus, in adding some experience, some quality players for the youth of the club that already exist here to learn off and support them on the feild," Brown said.
There is certainly a possitive vibe at Malseed Park as the club prepares to tackle the 2007 season.The Roo's completed the 2006 season in fourth place, only to lose the elimination final to eventual grand finalist East Gambier.
"Obviously the clubs had a rise in fortunes in the last couple of years to where they were," Brown said.
How they've done that is obviously fly players in.
"I guess we're probably looking at trying to develope the youth that is in the area, so that we can train as a group and be togethor as a unit."
Brown already has an impressive base to work on in the youth area, including the likes of talented youngsters Rowan Fox, Brad Wilson and Clinton Cowell.Captain Jamie Croker and Adam Marcus are both relatively young, but have a lot of experience of playing at senior level.
Brown said it was important that initially the club did not get too far ahead of itself.
"It's going to be a long process, it's not going to be instant success," he said.
But how we gauge our success will be in other areas and thats in really having a push into the junior developement side of things and into the development of our youth over a couple of years.
"So were looking at down the track, however, that doesn't mean that we're not after good results first up."
Brown said the club was looking to devote a lot of time into developing the club's youth, as well as looking at recruiting players from within the area.
All clubs are busy on the recruiting trail and the Roos are no exception.
"Most certainly, as every club is," Brown said
" We're always looking to add quality players and people.
" We need some experience, maybe stronger, harder bodied players in the 25 to 30 mark that are going to be good leaders for the youth thats coming through."
The Roos are looking to appoint a playing assistant coach, while support staff will also be put in place to assist the senior coach.
The Club will host a barbecue and get-togethor on Sunday, November 26.
The day will be for current and prospective players, members, supporters and officials, and is designed to kick start the clubs pre-season campaign.
Brown said some exciting times were ahead for the club.
" There's an opportunity for young players to play senior footy."
A family orientated atmosphere was also an integral part of the clubs new era, according to brown.
Missing from this years senior playing list will be Mark Kruger, who has joined former coach Grant Russell at Berri, while Mark Bouchier has returned to Kongorong in the Mid South East League.
" We're also currently talking to the Adelaide players to see what there thoughts and feelings are about moving to the area," Brown said.

 

[ringo1]

Brown Excited
by challenge

As written by the Border Watch's
Pat Koopman


New senior coach Ashleigh Brown is set to spearhead a new and exciting era for the West Gambier football Club.
The 33 year old will be joined on the club's senior coaching panelby Mike Suto, who will again be in charge of the reserves, and Bill Ashby, who has also been reappointed as thirds coach.
Brown brings a wealth of football experience, but also a sense of professionalism in regards to how the Roo's will conduct themselves on and off the feild.
He wants the Roo's to earn the respect of the other Western Border clubs.Brown is looking forward to taking over the senior coaching reins, in what will be a non-playing capacity.
"I think it is going to be an exciting period for the West Gambier Football Club over the next five years', Brown told The Border Watch yesterday.
"I think we need to take a little bit of a new direction in that we don't have the amount of fly-in players.
"Not only is that very hard to sustain as a club financially, but the pitfalls in regards to having the players train here as a group and also add to the community, so it's just not on the feild, having the players here contributing to the club in other areas."
"So we will look at probably putting a cap on how many people we fly-in, if any, and really the new direction of the club needs to be in developing the youth within the area."
Brown was born and bred in Melbourne and grew up on a diet of Australian Rules football.
He played under 19's with Collingwood before moving onto the Diamond Valley Football League with Greensborough.
Brown also spent four years at Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley league and three years at Keilor in the Essendon & District football league, where he was a member of two premiership sides.
He then moved into the world of coaching for the first time at Finley in the Murray Football League and then coached Latrobe in the Northern Tasmanian Football League for four years, reaching the finals in every year while under his direction.Brown coached Western Border club Millicent in 2005 and returned to Tasmania this year where he coached Devonport.
Brown is presently speaking to as many as eight potential recruits from the Apple Isle & Melbourne."If we can get for or five of them to move here we will see that as a big plus, in adding some experience, some quality players for the youth of the club that already exist here to learn off and support them on the feild," Brown said.
There is certainly a possitive vibe at Malseed Park as the club prepares to tackle the 2007 season.The Roo's completed the 2006 season in fourth place, only to lose the elimination final to eventual grand finalist East Gambier.
"Obviously the clubs had a rise in fortunes in the last couple of years to where they were," Brown said.
How they've done that is obviously fly players in.
"I guess we're probably looking at trying to develope the youth that is in the area, so that we can train as a group and be togethor as a unit."
Brown already has an impressive base to work on in the youth area, including the likes of talented youngsters Rowan Fox, Brad Wilson and Clinton Cowell.Captain Jamie Croker and Adam Marcus are both relatively young, but have a lot of experience of playing at senior level.
Brown said it was important that initially the club did not get too far ahead of itself.
"It's going to be a long process, it's not going to be instant success," he said.
But how we gauge our success will be in other areas and thats in really having a push into the junior developement side of things and into the development of our youth over a couple of years.
"So were looking at down the track, however, that doesn't mean that we're not after good results first up."
Brown said the club was looking to devote a lot of time into developing the club's youth, as well as looking at recruiting players from within the area.
All clubs are busy on the recruiting trail and the Roos are no exception.
"Most certainly, as every club is," Brown said
" We're always looking to add quality players and people.
" We need some experience, maybe stronger, harder bodied players in the 25 to 30 mark that are going to be good leaders for the youth thats coming through."
The Roos are looking to appoint a playing assistant coach, while support staff will also be put in place to assist the senior coach.
The Club will host a barbecue and get-togethor on Sunday, November 26.
The day will be for current and prospective players, members, supporters and officials, and is designed to kick start the clubs pre-season campaign.
Brown said some exciting times were ahead for the club.
" There's an opportunity for young players to play senior footy."
A family orientated atmosphere was also an integral part of the clubs new era, according to brown.
Missing from this years senior playing list will be Mark Kruger, who has joined former coach Grant Russell at Berri, while Mark Bouchier has returned to Kongorong in the Mid South East League.
" We're also currently talking to the Adelaide players to see what there thoughts and feelings are about moving to the area," Brown said.

A bad move-the bloke is mad as a cut snake. Unless he has changed his ways he will lose the plot and blow any chances that West Gambier will have in 2007. I will watch this space will interest

 

[BIGANT]

A bad move-the bloke is mad as a cut snake. Unless he has changed his ways he will lose the plot and blow any chances that West Gambier will have in 2007. I will watch this space will interest

Having worked as team mgr under Ashleigh Brown when he was at Millicent for one season two years ago, i found him gr8 to work with as did others that were involved with him on match day and at board level.His attention to detail from training programs/exercises to player management will be second to none.I also understand the off feild stuff ringo that your hinting at !? and that is something that he definatly will have to rectify or else chao ! he got pigeoned holed when he was down here after settling in, only in the sense that he had to take blame or cop the ******** that was started from one of his tassie players he bought with him !! I think you might see a different man next season and beyond because he knows he's on his last chance in the area plus he's got a local lass now that will keep him under check.

 

[BIGANT]

Dissapointing News for Heywood members & supporters with 2006 club B&F John Dunn to join minor league club Tyrendarra...who's now coached by former lions playing coach for the past 4-5 years Shane Keegan.In more bad luck for the lions, Chris Lynd has also departed the heywood club.Arriving with Keegan when they joined the club Lynd had vast experience as a tough onballer utility in what you could call him a footballing nomad as he had played previously in various other vic-country leagues.
The big loss however will be John Dunn as after being in the league only for his second season after coming from Darwin he really started to settle into the league.His ballgetting ability and hardness will be sorely missed by them.Although Keegan was getting below his best his experience and knowledge will also be a big blow to Heywood.They would want to act quickly in naming a coach because as close knitted as the community is i'm sure there is some impatience brewing, i'm sure assist coach Andrew Ryan is looking a little harder now in Darwin as he's playing up there for Waratahs !? he'll have to pull his finger out now if thats what they sent him up there for !?
Which begs the question !? how long can Heywood continue to bring in players from Darwin, they've been doing it for years with little success.I know other clubs within the league try & like to recruit outside the comp', but they don't have to recruit upto a dozen or more players year AFter year.Those clubs that like to go 'outside' the area have a good core of players within, plus good juniors.They only have to top up there senior list with 4-6 'outsiders' not like Heywood !!