FROM LEADERGROUP NEWSPAPERS/LOCALFOOTY.COM.AU
PAUL AMY, TIM MICHELL, CONOR RYAN
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IT was an oft-asked question among Collingwood supporters this year: why can’t Kyle Martin get a game?

His more vocal fans (some of them attached to his junior club, Noble Park) took to Twitter to express their frustration, pointing out his form in the VFL could not be better.

Martin pushed up for two AFL matches, but before and after he put together a fine season in the state league.

His reward could come at Monday night’s JJ Liston Trophy.

The midfielder will enter the count as one of the favourites after averaging 28 possessions across his 14 VFL games.

He also kicked 27 goals, including a haul of six against Essendon in Round 4.

Collingwood VFL coach Dale Tapping gives his right-footer an excellent chance of claiming the Liston.

“He’d have to be up there because his performances were at a high level,’’ Tapping said.

“He’s dynamic. He’s around the ball, he wins the footy and he finishes, has the ability to hit the scoreboard and kick goals. He’s completing a lot of the work.’’

Why couldn’t he earn more nods from the AFL selectors?

http://www.williamstownfc.com.au/vale-rex-dooley/

The Williamstown Football Club is saddened to announce the passing of Life Member Rex Dooley. Rex and his wife Janet have been tireless workers for the Williamstown Football Club over many decades. Rex worked in the canteen and was always selling membership tickets at the start of every football season. Rex had a very friendly and welcoming personality and loved his Sydney Swans and Williamstown Football Clubs.

The Williamstown Football Club would like to extends its deepest sympathies to his wife Janet and children Grant, Craig and Merryl and their extended families.

The funeral for Rex will be held this Friday 29th August at Altona Memorial Park Chapel of Repose, Dohertys Rd, Altona North commencing at 3.30 pm. A wake will take place at the Williamstown Football Ground function centre The Rocks commencing at 5.00pm.

From www.williamstownfc.com.au
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Williamstown won their eighth consecutive game on the weekend, defeating Sandringham by 55 points in their final home and away match of the year.

In what was a closely fought contest for the first three quarters, the Seagulls kicked seven goals to just one behind in the final term to run away with a 17.15 (117) to 9.8 (62) win.

Williamstown were able to claim victory against the in-form Zebras without three of their prime movers in Nick Meese, Peter Faulks and Jack Johnstone, as well as bringing in two youngsters in Damien Bugeja and debutant Jack Walker who both showed plenty of promising signs for the future.

The win also sets up a mouth-watering clash with Footscray in a qualifying final to be played at Whitten Oval this Sunday.

Whilst the Seagulls key forwards have been dangerous throughout the season, it was Williamstown’s smaller brigade who were able to hit the scoreboard most often, with Mitch Banner, Jack Walker, Anthony Anastasio and Kane Lambert kicking nine goals between them.

From the Port Phillip Weekly Review
Reported by Daniel Paproth
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For the sixth time in seven seasons, Port Melbourne has secured a double chance in the VFL finals series.

With an 18.17 (125) to 9.6 (60) win over Northern Blues on Saturday, the Borough locked away top spot, meaning they will host a qualifying final at North Port Oval in two weeks.

It is a remarkable achievement for the stand-alone club. In an era where AFL clubs put significant resources into their VFL teams, Port Melbourne has continually bucked the trend, building a culture of success despite lacking the facilities, money and full-time environment enjoyed by their AFL-backed rivals.

Only once since 2008 has Port not made the top four. That was last year, when they finished seventh. They were thrashed by 87 points by Williamstown in the semi-final.

From Leader Community Newspapers
Reported by Paul Amy
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PORT Melbourne could hardly have been more impressive or authoritative.

In its final home-and-away match, the minor premier tore fellow finalist North Ballarat to ribbons at North Port Oval, winning by 111 points under blue skies that indicated September is the next click on the calendar.

It was an exemplary performance ahead of this Saturday’s qualifying final, most likely against reigning premiers Box Hill Hawks, who themselves won by a three-figure margin, nailing the Northern Blues by 129 points.

Port and Box Hill have staged some of the VFL’s most compelling finals in the past few years, as Port coach Gary Ayres noted.

“If it’s them we play, they’re going to be a formidable opponent for us,’’ he said.

From www.localfooty.com.au (Wyndham Leader)
Reported by Luke D'Anello
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WERRIBEE snapped a three-game losing streak and secured a spot in the VFL finals after a workmanlike 25-point victory against Frankston on Sunday.

After Geelong defeated Essendon on Friday night, the Tigers ventured to Frankston Oval with the knowledge they had to prevail to book a ticket to the finals.

The visitors led by 15 points at half-time before increasing that advantage to 37 points at the final change.

The Dolphins had the better of the final stanza, but the Tigers claimed a 15.13 (103) to 12.6 (78) victory, their 10th for the season.

Werribee, which finished sixth, will now face North Ballarat in a cutthroat final at North Port Oval on Sunday.

“We went there with an expectation that we would win but Frankston has been super competitive all year,” a relieved Tigers coach John Lamont said.

From www.westernbulldogs.com.au

Victoria University Whitten Oval will play host to VFL Finals football this Sunday, with the Footscray Bulldogs to face-off with local rivals Williamstown in the second Qualifying Final.

The match will be a ticketed event, with capacity strictly limited at the venue.

Patrons are advised to pre-purchase tickets online and print them at home to avoid queues on the day.

Tickets for adults are $15, concessions $10, with children 12 years of age and under free.

Gates at VU Whitten Oval will open at 9:00am on Sunday morning, with the first bounced scheduled for 1pm.

Footscray finished their season with 14 wins to secure second place on the VFL ladder in their first season as a stand-alone side in the competition.

Williamstown too secured a top-four finish and the double chance, also finishing the season with 14 wins under coach Andy Collins.

Just percentage separated the two western suburbs teams at the end of the home and away season.

Earlier in the year, an inaccurate Footscray had an away loss to the Seagulls at Burbank Oval in round two, 7.15 (57) to 15.8 (98), before going on to win 13 of their next 16 matches.

With history between the two sides dating back to the Bulldogs’ VFA era, the clubs last met in a finals match in the 1924 VFA Grand Final, in which Footscray were 55-point victors, 11.11 (77) to 3.4 (22).

That was the last year in which Footscray competed in the VFA competition, before joining the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1925 alongside Hawthorn and North Melbourne.

BUY TICKETS: Pre-purchase your tickets to Sunday’s VFL Qualifying Final at VU Whitten Oval

Match Information:

VFL Qualifying Final
Footscray Bulldogs v Williamstown Seagulls
1:00pm, Sunday, 31 August 2014
Victoria University Whitten Oval

For any match ticketing enquiries, please contact the Western Bulldogs Membership Services Team on 1300 46 36 47.

http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=100017