Port Melbourne News

Port snare former AFL tall

By administrator December 18, 2007
Courtesy of Leader Newspapers

PORT Melbourne gained its first significant signature  for the 2008 VFL season when former Brisbane and Carlton big man Dylan McLaren put pen to paper last Tuesday.

With  David Fanning,  McLaren will  give the Boroughs an imposing  ruck combination.

The  25-year-old told Port coach Gary  Ayres  that he wanted to play in a successful side. "It's always  positive to hear that," Ayres said last Wednesday.

"It tells you he's got his head right. He's fairly clear about what he wants to do and how he can contribute. He wants to play  a major part in taking the club forward."

McLaren's friendship with  another  former Blue, Luke Livingston, influenced his decision to join the Boroughs.

The 196cm right-footer is coming  off two years at Carlton where he  played 13 games, all of them in 2006.  He joined the Blues after 46 senior appearances for the Brisbane Lions between 2001-2005.

O'Keefe lines up for Port

By administrator December 04, 2007
Courtesy of Leader Group Newspapers

Reported by Paul Amy

FORMER Essendon rookie Tim O'Keefe has joined VFL club Port Melbourne.

O'Keefe has been tailed by injuries in the past two years but new Port coach Gary Ayres said the 191cm defender was getting himself fit and would be a good acquisition.

"He can be a nice running back for us, or someone who can give you a bit of height through the midfield," he said.

"He can run and carry the footy."

O'Keefe, originally from Seymour, was rookie-listed after a good 2005 season with the Bendigo Bombers.

Another Bendigo player, Michael Dillon, has also joined Port. Dillon won the reserves best and fairest this year and also made half-a-dozen senior appearances. He tried his luck at VFL level after some outstanding seasons for Gisborne.

Trio sign-on for 2008

By administrator October 22, 2007
The Club have great pleasure in announcing the re-signing of Luke Livingston, John Baird and David Robbins, all three are looking forward to working under new coach  Gary Ayres.

By making this early commitment they are sending a clear message that they are in for the long haul at the Borough and with further recruiting members & supporters can expect another improved effort in 2008.

Training will commence on November 5 (Monday) at TEAC Oval, hopefully the Club can make further announcements prior to the commencement of pre-season training.
Luke Livingston small
Luke Livngston
John Baird small
John Baird
David Robbins small
David Robbins

Ayres to coach Port Melbourne

By administrator October 16, 2007
From the Herald-Sun

Reported by Daryl Timms
Full article Click here

FORMER Geelong and Adelaide coach Gary Ayres will coach Port Melbourne in the VFL for the next two years.

Ayres, an assistant coach at Essendon for the past two seasons, accepted the job yesterday.

He replaces Saade Ghazi, who did not have his contract renewed, despite coaching Port into the finals this year.

Ayres was not offered an assistant coaching role by new Essendon coach Matthew Knights, who wanted the former Hawthorn champion to accept a full-time opposition analysis role.

But Ayres said last night he was over-qualified for the job and still had ambitions of coaching a senior AFL side. "I was happy to stay at Essendon if there was another coaching job there," he said.

Port Melbourne appoint Ayres as senior Coach

By administrator October 15, 2007
The Port Melbourne Football Club has great pleasure in announcing the appointment of AFL legend Gary Ayres as senior coach for the next two years.

Gary brings to the Club a level of expertise that is unmatched at VFL level, a Team of the Century member of Hawthorn, five (5) time premiership player and having coached at Geelong (1995-99) & Adelaide (2000-04).

Gary welcomes the opportunity to coach at ‘grass roots level” and is looking forward to the challenge of coaching the most successful club in VFA/VFL history ( 15 Premierships) which has an exciting young list and with another strong recruiting drive that has already commenced will push for a place in the finals yet again.

Spriggs runs out Best and Fairest

By administrator October 13, 2007
David Spriggs | Picture courtesy of SpazzyPC | http://spazzypc.smugmug.com/David Spriggs completed an impressive first year at Port Melbourne, taking out the 'Darky' McPharlane medal as 2007 Best and Fairest.

Spriggs was a narrow winner polling 30 votes, in one of the closest vote counts for the Borough in recent times.  John Baird finished runner up with 28, while third place was split between Sam Plemming and Ryan 'Shooter' McMahon. on 24 apiece.


In the Reserves count, ball-magnet Sam Dwyer, already awarded the A. Todd medal for the VFL Reserves best and fairest, collected Port's award, scoring 57 votes.

Marcus Carroll (33 votes), and Matthew Pearce (29) collected the 2nd and 3rd  runner up prizes respectively.


The prestigious Norm Goss Medal was awarded to Rhys Bloomfield.

On a sadder note, Captain Chris Obst announced his retirement on the night, thanking everyone involved during his time at the club.  Chris Obst came to the club during the Swans alignment and remained on with the club when delisted by Sydney at the end of 2002.

Other award winners on the night were:

Norm Goss Medal:Coaches Award:Most Determined:
Rhys Bloomfield

 		Sam Plemming (Seniors)
Rhys Thomas (Reserves)
  		Ryan McMahon (Seniors)
Chris Cain (Reserves)
 
Most Consistent:Best Finals Player:Most Improved:
John Baird (Seniors)
Rees Thomas (Reserves)
 		John Baird (Seniors)
Sam Dwyer (Reserves)
 		Robin Nahas

 
Best First Year Player:Best Clubman:Goalkickers:
Dean Kelly
 		Luke Livingston (Seniors)
Sam DeBruin (Reserves)		Jeremy Dukes (Seniors)
Andrew Gilham (Reserves)

Reserves: Borough storm into GF after emphatic victory over Seagulls

By administrator September 18, 2007
Borough storm into GF after emphatic victory over Seagulls
By Justin Cooper

The Port Melbourne reserves landed themselves a grand final berth this weekend after their impressive 54 point win over arch rival Williamstown at TEAC Oval on Sunday.

It was a tight and contested first term, which saw 6 goals kicked between the two sides, as both sides drew level at 21-apiece at the first break.

The Borough slammed on a 4 goal to 2 second term, as the Seagulls stood 12 points adrift of their opponents at the main break.

The third term conspired with the second, as the Borough put on a 22 point buffer going into 3/4 time.

Casey FM match review

By administrator May 07, 2007
Courtesy Casey FM 3SER 97.7
Reported by Anthony Brady

In round five of the TRUenergy Victorian Football League season, the Berwick Lodge Primary School Casey Radio 97.7FM 3SER team headed north of Melbourne, to the suburb of Preston, to see Port Melbourne down the Northern Bullants by 34 points on Sunday.

In a wildly fluctuating match, the Borough got home with a five goal final term to win 15.12.102 to 10.8.68.

A very sunny day greeted players at NAB Oval, with not a breath of wind to speak of. A fairly healthy crowd of between 1500-2000 were in attendance to cheer on these long-time VFA/VFL rivals.

Things weren't going right for the 'Ants even before the first bounce, when they lost first-choice Carlton-listed ruckman Dylan McLaren to a right ankle injury. The injury happened so soon before the first bounce, that they were unable to bring in an extra player, and thus started with just three on the bench.

The Casey Radio 97.7FM 3SER team was divided on who would win the match, some feeling the benefit of having players training under AFL conditions at Carlton would assist the Bullants over the stand-alone Port side. However, others felt that with being restricted to just 12 AFL players, coupled with the Borough's excellent off-season recruiting drive, would see the boys from TEAC Oval come out on top.

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