From
Inside Football Magazine
Reported by Paul Amy
BENDIGO BOMBERS
Coach: Adrian Hickmott (second year).
Captain: Michael Flaherty.
Last season: 5 wins, 15 losses.
In: Charles Slattery (Central Districts), Paul Scanlon (Seymour), Ky Miller (NTFL),
Joel Malone (Maryborough), Jerome Jetta (Brookton, WA), Simon Weekley
(Sandhurst).
Out: Brent Hartigan, Shannon Geary, Dale Young, Johnny Coghlan.
Verdict: On and off the field, it’s a vital year for the Bombers. The club
needed an injection of cash from the VFL and Essendon to get through last
season, and, with the alignment up for review at the end of 2009, Bendigo must
show it is a viable state league entity. Essendon injuries exposed the VFL list
as being tissue-thin last year and a 2007 finalist slumped to 13th. But the
establishment of three training bases and the appointment of a full-time
football manager in Steve Thomson opened recruiting doors, and the Bombers have
gained some experienced types and some exciting tykes. Expect them to improve,
but perhaps not enough to enter the top eight.
Read more ...
From
Inside Football Magazine
Reported by Phil Cleary
Courting the SANFL
In a sign that all is not well in the VFL, rumours abound that at least one VFL club is exploring the possibility of joining the SANFL. Given what some clubs believe is a lack of genuine commitment to a second-tier competition in Victoria in favour of the development of elite footballers the SANFL solution should come as no surprise. As it stands, only four clubs, the unaligned Port Melbourne and Frankston and the financially powerful but aligned Williamstown and North Ballarat would be in a position to explore such a strategy. Only one is in the frame. It wouldn’t be the first split in Victoria’s oldest football competition!
