Port Melbourne News

From the Sunday Herald-Sun
Reported by Chris Mitchell
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PORT Melbourne coach Gary Ayres hopes a tall timber recruiting drive can help lift The Borough to another grand final.

Concerned the club was last year too reliant on power forward Adrian Bonaddio, Ayres has added Adrian and Fabian Deluca to the already-potent mix of David Fanning, Dylan McLaren and Bonaddio.

The new-look forward line -- minus Fabian, who kicked two goals in the reserves -- tore apart premier North Ballarat by 78 points in the grand final rematch at TEAC Oval last week.

Bonaddio and Adrian Deluca combined for nine goals in a forward line that will often also include a resting ruckman.

From Leader Community Newspapers
Reported by Paul Amy
Full article - www.localfooty.com.au

ADRIAN “Archie” Deluca did a lot of things in the two years that followed his departure from Carlton at the end of the 2006 season.

Other than to check on how his younger brother Fabian was faring at Port Adelaide, football wasn’t on his mind.

Asked if he’d missed the game, the amiable big man said quickly: “Ah, no.”

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PORT Melbourne's twin towers Adrian Bonaddio and Adrian Deluca showcased the Borough's new-look forward line during its 78-point blitzing of reigning premier North Ballarat at TEAC Oval yesterday.

And across town, Collingwood also won its opening match of the season, defeating Geelong by 24 points at Princes Park, with Anthony Rocca looking ready for a recall to the senior line-up after booting three goals and setting up several other forward thrusts.

"It's all part of his program," coach Gavin Brown said. "This is his third game now and it's all about match conditioning for him, and touch. It was just another one and I thought if he had kicked straight, he would have had a really good game."

The Borough, which has lost some talented players over the off-season including David Spriggs and Luke Livingstone, unleashed the lethal forward package of Bonaddio and Deluca, who booted nine goals between them in a match-winning performance, 20.13 (133) to 7.13 (55).

Deluca, the team's boom recruit who played 46 matches for Carlton, snared four goals while Bonaddio, the team's leading goalscorer last season, booted five.

From Inside Football - Online
Article by Phil Cleary

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Gary Ayres isn’t the first celebrity coach in the VFA/VFL, but few have won as many hearts. He did everything in his power to take Port to the flag. Just why so many of his stars went missing when the game was calling for a hero is something he’ll ponder in the coming days. Unable to find a spot where Dylan McLaren could influence the game and counter the dominance of Rooster ruckman Orren Stephenson, Ayres’ game plan simply unravelled. Suddenly players who’d looked invincible in the midfield throughout the finals – Toby Pinwell, Robin Nahas and Ryan McMahon – couldn’t find the ball and were error ridden when they did. How Port missed midfielder David Spriggs!

I was deeply saddened to hear that 'Gladdy' one of the iconic Port Melbourne ladies who sits along the fence at Port Melbourne passed away during the recent spell of hot weather.

She still lived in Port, and rain, hail or shine, I can't recall her missing a game. 

She will be missed by all who sat and stood near her at North Port Oval.