DAVE: Hi boys, what a wonderful weekend of sport we’ve just witnessed, and are still witnessing. We have this chat early on a Monday morning and the final round of the US Open is being played out as we speak, and the first Ashes Test is perfectly poised after day three, which we’ll talk more about later.
JONTY: And the grass-court tennis season is starting. I love that, the build up to Wimbledon.
DAVE: Yeah right, well, while we’re talking about overseas sports, Marcus, you had a career highlight as a supporter last week with your Denver Nuggets winning the NBA Championship. Tell us a bit about that mate…briefly please…because you could waffle on about this for hours.
MARCUS: I sure could. Since I joined the sports desk the number of mentions of the Denver Nuggets has sky-rocketed…
JONTY: From a consistent low of zero…
MARCUS: Exactly Jonty. For me it was unique because it’s the first time a sporting club I support has actually won something…given I’m a cursed Essendon supporter that was three years old in 2000.
JONTY: Do you remember Essendon winning a final?
MARCUS: I was a young tacker at the ground in 2004.
JONTY: Okay.
MARCUS: Anyway…the Nuggets is an incredible story of a team bonding together, being patient, overcoming adversity and injuries – they’re the little engine that could. They’re not a destination or a glamour team, they just did it the right way and for it all to come together the way it did was incredible.
DAVE: Did you cry?
MARCUS: I did…I sounded like a seal to be honest (boys laugh).
TEST PREDICTION
DAVE: Okay boys, we talk a lot of sport, let’s put our reputations on the line. After day three, the Poms are 2/28, effectively 2/35 in their second dig. When the Gazette comes out this week, the first test will be over. How does it all unfold…closest to the pin wins a prize. Jonty, you go first.
JONTY: England wins by 80 runs. Unless we can bowl them out, inside 50 overs, we’re going to be chasing somewhere in the vicinity of 300 on a wearing pitch, which I don’t think we can do.
MARCUS: I’m going similar to Jonty, but a bit closer, I’m saying England by 40 runs. I just don’t think Australia made enough runs in the first innings.
DAVE: I’m tipping Nathan Lyon to bowl the Aussies back into a winning position, and for Travis Head and Alex Carey, two great mates from South Australia…to get the Aussies across the line in the last session of play.
JONTY: We’ll be tired on Wednesday morning if that happens.
BEST ACTION
DAVE: Righto, back to our regular programming. What was the best action you saw on the weekend?
JONTY: There was an impossible pocket at Tony Way Reserve, where Hampton Park hosted Keysborough, because of the way the wind was blowing. Keysborough’s Cooper Sheppard found a way to kick a goal from that pocket. The way he mathematically manoeuvred the ball, so that it went between the posts, was the sign of a very smart footballer. Hampton Park coach Hayden Stanton was addressing crowd after the game and gave Sheppard a little drive by. He said “If you want good football, you go to Cooper Sheppard, if you want bad football, you go to Hayden Stanton. But, if you want good real estate, you go to Hayden Stanton, and if you want bad real estate you go to Cooper Sheppard.” The room erupted in laughter.
DAVE: Marcus, your best, mate?
MARCUS: Pretty similar to Jonty actually. I was at Pakenham watching the Lions host Gembrook Cockatoo. Pakenham was trailing for much of the day, but their vice-captain Jimmy Harrison swooped on a loose ball at half forward and just kicked the ball high in the air, and let the wind grab it. It was symbolic, because Pakenham was really clever how they used the conditions to their advantage, whereas Gembrook Cockatoo was just kicking the ball long and hoping something would eventuate. Harrison’s goal put Pakenham within two points in the last quarter and they went on with it from there.
DAVE: My best goes to Inverloch full-forward Toby Mahoney. He kicked five, which was the defining factor in such a low-scoring game against Cora Lynn, but his first goal set the scene for the day. He and Cobras defender Matt Briggs ran straight into each other after two minutes of play…and Mahoney stayed on his feet, then kicked the ball off the ground from 25 metres out and it dribbled through. Mahoney is all class…but he played with real attitude as well on the weekend. He’s my number-one this week.
BROAD v WARNER – MATCH UPS
DAVE: Stuart Broad got his man David Warner again in the first test, and it got me thinking. Who are the best match ups in the competitions that you boys cover this season?
MARCUS: I’m going the obvious one here, with Narre Warren and Wandin the two sides that are a cut above the rest in Outer East Premier. But I’m looking at the match up between the Narre forwards and the Wandin backs. Narre has the individual brilliance of Will Howe, Jake Richardson, Riley Siwes and Lachie Benson, whereas Wandin is a bit undersized with Thomas Hinds and Todd Garner as their key backs, but play a real team defence. It’s individual brilliance versus system. Interestingly, Narre is the only team to kick 100 points against Wandin this year, and that was without Howe, who has kicked 27 goals in five games. They play again in three weeks…so let’s hope everyone is available and we get the best-of-the-best against each other.
DAVE: Jonty, you’ve done no homework on this subject…let’s see how you go.
JONTY: How good would it be to wind back the clock to their prime, and see Cranbourne full-forward Marc Holt play against his Eagles’ teammate Brandon Osborne? They’ve been the standout full forward and full back in whatever competition they’ve played in for the last decade or so, but they’ve never come up against each other. What would that match-up be like?
DAVE: Back in the day Jonty I spoke to them both about this, and they rate each other so highly. Imagine those two going head-to-head at training, and then playing against lesser opposition on weekends. What a huge advantage that would be for both players. The big question is: Has Brandon Osborne saved as many goals as Marc Holt has kicked…and I reckon the number would be very close. Both absolute champions of the game.
JONTY: Yours Dave?
DAVE: Mine is actually taking place this week, with Tooradin hosting Inverloch, but it’s a couple of gun midfielders that I’ll be keeping a close on eye on. Look, I love watching these young blokes who can run and jump and kick the ball a mile, but the craft of a gun midfielder is what I love almost above anything else. Former Collingwood player Brent Macaffer comes up against the most decorated footballer of his generation, Andy Soumilas, in the guts this week. They haven’t got one bit of hair between them, so they’ll be easy to spot, but boy can they play footy. A little shove here, a gentle push there…they just know how to manipulate things to get themselves in the right position. If for some reason it doesn’t take place this week, it’s something I will very much look forward to in finals.
MPFNL – EOI
DAVE: The Board of the Mornington Peninsula league recently sent out a communication, asking for clubs to show Expressions of Interest in joining the league from next year. The MPFNL currently has 22 clubs, but is looking to add a few more to have the numbers to make a third division. What are your thoughts boys?
JONTY: It’s been on the radar of Cranbourne, clearly, for some time, and that’s not debatable. I just hope that a decision is made one way or the other this time around, and it’s final. Cranbourne has changed leagues, they’ve changed grounds, they’ve worked through the challenges of Covid like every other club, so there’s been an unsettled nature about them in recent times. They’ve still emerged as a powerhouse, winning the premiership last year in Southern, and I want them to become a powerhouse of that competition, and put the optimism of the MPFNL behind them, if it doesn’t work out this time around. But from a club point of view, I hope they get their wish, because from what I understand it will be hugely beneficial for their netball. Just make a decision and let’s move on.
DAVE: Marcus, one of your clubs, Narre Warren, has shown an interest in moving in the past?
JONTY: It’s a long way from Narre Warren to Sorrento.
DAVE: I’m not sure about the demographic of the Sorrento list these days Jonty, but back in the day a game at Narre Warren would be less travel for the Sorrento list than if they were playing at home. Quite a few came from the city and around bayside.
MARCUS: I’m along the same lines as Jonty and thinking clubs are just craving a bit of stability, after a trying few years. Look at Narre, the Casey Cardinia league collapsed, they move to Outer East, and now there’s the possibility of moving again. I think one thing that is under-appreciated here is the cost to people, and to a lot that are already struggling with the cost of living and so-forth. I’m not sure about the exact cost, but it wouldn’t be cheap to buy a new set of jumpers and dresses for an entire footy and netball club because you need a logo change. From a pure football perspective, I think Narre is clearly a class above most of the field, so if they do decide to move…I hope they find a competition that suits.
JONTY: There’s no doubt, from a MPFNL perspective, that it would be beneficial to have more teams and add a third division for the competitive balance of that league and for the long-term sustainability of clubs.
DAVE: There’s been the opportunity for this change in the past but, for several reasons, there’s definitely been an us-against-them mentality, particularly from the MPFNL clubs towards the old Casey Cardinia league clubs. Remember, the Casey Cardinia league clubs were under the banner of the then MPNFL administration, and decided to break away, not that long ago. That left a sour taste in the mouths of a few influential people on the Peninsula, and it only needs a few to stop change from happening. For change to take place to the competition structure of the MPFNL, 75-percent of the 22 clubs need to be in agreeance. The numbers were close in the past, but never quite got across the line. From what I’m hearing, the new MPFNL Board is being a lot more positive towards change this time around. The sad thing for me is that clubs like Beaconsfield, Berwick, Cranbourne and Narre Warren don’t play against each other at the moment…none of them…and that’s just sad from my point of view. Does Cranbourne and Narre Warren moving to the MPFNL make that closer to happening…no…so no matter what happens over the next few months it’s all still a big mess as far as I’m concerned. I could talk about this for hours boys, I’m passionate about this, but once again we’ve got a league working as a silo and not taking into consideration what’s best for football and netball across the entirety of our regions. C’mon leagues, stop the self-interest and get together and talk and sort this thing out properly. Until that happens, we’re wasting our bloody time. Stop me boys, before I get angry.
We’ll talk next week.
