From localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
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SANDRINGHAM is searching for a new senior coach after Andy Lovell resigned this evening.

Lovell, the development coach at Sandy's VFL partner St Kilda, is returning to Perth.

He coached Sandringham for three years and is completing his second season with the Saints.

The Zebras fell apart after Round 4 this year, losing 11 of their last 14 games to miss the finals for the third consecutive year.

"We're shocked but we totally respect his decision," Sandy general manager John Mennie said.

From the Bendigo Advertiser
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BENDIGO Pioneers club champion Kallen Geary has signed with VFL club Sandringham.
A shock non-selection in last year’s AFL national draft and AFL rookie draft, Geary was chased heavily by several VFL clubs, including the Bendigo Bombers.

However, the Victorian Country representative decided to move to Melbourne and join the St Kilda-aligned Zebras.

“It’s with no disrespect to the Bendigo Bombers that I signed with Sandringham,” Geary told The Advertiser yesterday.

“I think the Bombers are going to be a good side this year.

Seaford ace among Zebra newcomers
From http://www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy

BEFORE Christmas Sandringham general manager John Mennie was fretting about his club's lack of recruits.

``We can't get a deal over the line,'' he said, noting how the Zebras had been outdone by Port Melbourne for AFL pair Shane Valenti and Adam Bentick.

But the past fortnight brought a string of signatures for Sandy, including delisted St Kilda utility Brad Howard, two more disenchanted Frankston Dolphins in James Magner and Nick Benbow, highly-regarded Seaford centreman Chris Irving, former Melbourne and Box Hill forward Cameron Hunter and Daniel Sands from Woodville West Torrens.

Throw in Sandringham Dragons graduates Jonno Nash, Dylan Jones and Sam O'Sullivan, and Dandenong Stingrays James Hallinan and Maddison Andrews, and Mennie's worries have eased considerably.

From Leader Group Papers (www.localfooty.com.au)
Reported by Paul Amy
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SANDRINGHAM will go into 2010 with a new captain after Peter Summers quit the VFL last Friday.

The brilliant centreman told the Zebras increasing work commitments would prevent him from playing on.

“Yes, it’s a big blow,” Sandy general manager John Mennie said.

Summers told The Leader he had a heavy heart as he phoned president Gerry Ryan and coach Andy Lovell to inform them of his decision.

He said he had always enjoyed his time at the club, had been part of a wonderful era and made many friends.

“It was tough making the calls but you’ve just got to take the emotion out of it,” Summers said.

From the Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond
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SANDRINGHAM'S shock loss to Frankston has put Collingwood in the box seat to retain eighth position in the race for the VFL finals.

The Dolphins upset the Zebras by 21 points at Trevor Barker Oval, while the Northern Bullants edged out Geelong by seven points in a thriller at Cramer Street Oval.

Zebras coach Andy Lovell was forthright after the match, saying his team "absolutely'' didn't deserve to make the finals after the ninth-placed team's insipid performance, in which it was held goalless for a quarter-and-a-half.

"It was clearly a disappointing first half and the guys have put themselves in the position that we're now in," Lovell said.

From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Chris Mitchell
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REBORN St Kilda star Matt Maguire continues to impress in his new role as a power forward after tearing apart Werribee in the VFL. Maguire, fresh from a five-goal haul against the Northern Bullants last weekend, booted 5.2 and had 12 marks and 13 possessions in Sandringham's 30-point win at Werribee.

Maguire is making a comeback after two seasons wrecked by serious leg injuries. The win moved the Zebras to fifth on the ladder with a 3-5 record.

Maguire, 24, who has played six games for Sandringham this season, formed a potent partnership with spearhead Nick Sautner, who booted 7.5, as the inaccurate Zebras won 17.11 (113) to 12.11 (83).

Coach Andy Lovell said Maguire, who is stranded on 99 AFL games after making his debut in 2002, could force his way back into the Saints side as a strong-marking forward.

From The Age
Reported by Brent Diamond
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SANDRINGHAM bounced back from three consecutive losses to topple VFL premiership fancy Werribee Tigers by 30 points at Chirnside Park yesterday.

Its two big guns up forward were in supreme form, with Nick Sautner kicking seven goals and Matt Maguire five.

The win evened out the Zebras' win-loss ratio at 3-3.

Despite impressive displays from Michael Barlow (39 disposals), Michael Rockefeller (33) and Lachlan Baddeley, who kicked three goals, the Tigers lacked potency in attack without the injured Nathan Thompson, while Marty Pask blew his limited opportunities at goal.

Across town, the Box Hill Hawks beat the in-form Casey Scorpions by 15 points after trailing at every change.

From the Herald Sun
Reported by Craig Hutchison
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AN off-the-ball incident involving St Kilda star Matt Maguire and which left a player in hospital with neck injuries has been investigated by the VFL. The burly Saint, playing for Sandringham, allegedly slung Frankston rover Clinton Proctor to the ground.

Frankston general manager Bryan Mace said Proctor's injury was a result of three "nasty incidents" that affected Frankston players.

Classy onballer Marcus Marigliani collapsed in the rooms after the game, Mace said. And Byron Barry had to be stretchered off -- also with a neck injury.

"He (Proctor) won't play for a week or two. He's got the aftermath of concussion," Mace said.

It is understood the Maguire-Proctor clash was not caught on film.

From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Chris Mitchell

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With just three games before finals, time is fast running out for the ninth-placed Zebras, who are a win behind eight-placed Northern Bullants and equal on 28 points with 10th-placed Geelong.

Sandringham travels to Coburg City Oval to face the seventh-placed Tigers today, before finishing a tough season away to sixth-placed Frankston and a potentially season-defining Round 20 clash at home with ladder leader North Ballarat.

The Zebras squandered a golden opportunity to move into the top eight last Sunday when they lost to Geelong by 11 points at Trevor Barker Oval, and Summers knows time is ticking.

"This week is make or break for us," said Summers, 24, who spent the pre-season with Sandy's AFL affiliate Melbourne. "It's huge. We have to win every game from here on in."