Port Melbourne News

Borough belt old rival Williamstown in big wet

By NorthPort July 22, 2013

From the Port Phillip Leader
Reported by Paul Amy
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Conditions were miserable. It was body-numbing cold and sheets of water covered the ground.

Port Melbourne supporter Ian Bryce has been watching the Borough since 1946 and couldn't recall North Port Oval being so heavy.

The ball rarely bounced. Mostly it skipped across the surface, like a pebble over a pond. Players often slipped as they pursued it.

But Port, with strength and desperation, put aside the rugged setting to give one of its most convincing performances of the season and hand its great rival Williamstown a thrashing in the Round 14 VFL match on Saturday.

The Seagulls had the best of the first term and led at quarter time. But they could add only four behinds in the following three quarters.

Ayres wants financial support for struggling Port

By NorthPort July 01, 2013

From The Age (Realfooty website)
Reported by Brent Diamond
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Port Melbourne coach Gary Ayres has declared there is a ''transitional change'' at the Borough after it suffered a rare third consecutive defeat at the hands of Collingwood at Victoria Park on Saturday.

Seen to be invincible when undefeated in its premiership year in 2011, Port appears out of its depth midway through the season.

''There is a transitional change or a generational change in the group. It was always going to come and it's coming now,'' Ayres said after Saturday's 11-point loss. ''I actually thought it was going to happen last year.''

Old Hawks match coaching moves in Foxtel Cup clash

By NorthPort June 07, 2013

From localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
Full article - Click here

GARY Ayres and Andy Collins were part of one of football's great backlines.

When Hawthorn sides of the 80s and 90s were read out, they invariably started with A Collins, C Langford and G Ayres.

On Tuesday night, Port Melbourne coach Ayres and West Adelaide coach Collins match moves in a Foxtel Cup match at the MCG.

The winner will progress to the semi-finals in July.

Port Melbourne rallies to edge unbeaten Casey Scorpions

By Robbo May 07, 2013

From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
Full Story Click Here

PORT Melbourne has achieved some spectacular victories under the coaching of Gary Ayres.

But as he took in scenes of jubilation in the changerooms Ayres was moved to bracket Saturday's triumph over the Casey Scorpions as "right up there".

There were a number of reasons why he did so.

The Borough were missing top-liners Dean Galea, Shane Valenti, Toby Pinwill, Nathan Batsanis, Hugh Sandilands, Myles Pitt and Danny Hughes.

They were up against an unbeaten and hardened team.

And at three-quarter-time they trailed by 24 points and had kicked only seven goals.

Port Melbourne and Sandringham in gripping draw

By Robbo April 22, 2013

From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
Full Story Click Here

BOTH coaches owned up to a "hollow feeling".

"You haven't won but you haven't lost ... it's always a bit strange," Port Melbourne's Gary Ayres said.

Sandringham's Simon McPhee said: "Feel empty, to be honest. Sh-tful, excuse the language. In the end you've just got to try to focus on the stuff we did well."

And as they discussed Sunday's gripping draw at Kars St, Frankston, they agreed on another thing: that two points were better than none.

Port Melbourne 1-2 and under pressure

By Robbo April 15, 2013

From www.localfooty.com.au
Reported by Paul Amy
Full Story Click Here

A SLIP-UP against an emerging opponent or a sign of deeper difficulties?

It was a question Port Melbourne coach Gary Ayres had to confront after his Borough tumbled to a six-point defeat against fellow stand-alone club Frankston at Kars St on Sunday.

In doing so, Port hit a negative mark, 1-2, for the first time since 2007.

Port recruits show promise

By NorthPort March 05, 2013

From the Port Phillip review
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THERE were no injuries and plenty of promise as Port Melbourne got through its first VFL practice match against North Ballarat unscathed.

Playing in a "wind tunnel" at Eureka Stadium, Port Melbourne came away with a 49-points win, 11.11 (77) to 4.4 (28).

A dominant third quarter set up the win, but coach Gary Ayres admitted there was "about a five-goal breeze".

Key senior players including captain John Baird, Sam Pleming, Chris Cain and Toby Pinwill did not play but should line up against Frankston in another practice match on Saturday.

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