From the Maribyrnong and Hobson Bay Weekly
Reported by Daniel Paproth
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Werribee played this year’s Victorian Football League grand finalists, Geelong and Box Hill, three times for three losses totalling 150 points.

The difference between the full-time environments experienced by AFL-listed players and the part-time system for VFL-listed players was one of the key reasons the Tigers fell short of a first grand final appearance since 2005.

With Werribee only partially aligned with North Melbourne, the Tigers were fielding fewer AFL-listed players than the powers of the competition. So it was no surprise that Geelong and Box Hill, Hawthorn’s affiliate, contested the grand final.

But that the Tigers reached the preliminary final – after beating Essendon and Casey in knockout finals – was an impressive result.

From the Maribyrnong and Hobson Bay Weekly
Reported by Daniel Paproth
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Preparations are well under way for a massive 2014 at Williamstown Football Club.

The Seagulls will field a stand-alone team in the Victorian Football League next year for the first time since 1999 after parting ways with its AFL affiliate of the past six years, the Western Bulldogs.

The club is on the hunt for a new senior coach to take it into a new era after the board informed Peter German he would not be reappointed.

German, who spent the past four years in the duel roles of Williamstown senior coach and Western Bulldogs development coach, is contracted to the Bulldogs for 2014.

According to Williamstown chief executive Brendan Curry, the Seagulls are looking for “someone who can do the whole gamut of the role, not just football”.

“The coach is the leader of the club,” he said. “Peter has done a very good job for us, the record is there – three prelim finals, a grand final and victory in the inaugural Foxtel Cup. Everyone thanks Peter for his contribution.”

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From news.com.au
Reported by James Hunter-Smith
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FOR months, football pundits have been asking themselves: who can stop the VFL Cats?

After the grand final, the question has been answered: the Box Hill Hawks can.

And they did it in style, claiming their first senior VFL premiership since 2001 after downing the Cats by 21 points at Etihad Stadium.

Box Hill applied relentless pressure from the opening bounce to the final siren, matching - and regularly beating - Geelong all over the ground.

VFL Grand Final. Geelong v Box Hill

The Hawks concluded their historic season with eight-straight wins, snapping Geelong’s streak of 13 in the process.

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From The Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond
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Geelong is the hot favourite to exert its dominance and produce its third VFL flag in seven years when it takes on the Box Hill Hawks in what is expected to be an epic grand final on Sunday at Etihad Stadium.

George Horlin-Smith, the winner of last year's Norm Goss Medal for best on ground in the premiership win over Port Melbourne, said Geelong's success was reward for its tough, uncompromising style of football.

''We pride ourselves on our contested ball in the VFL, we want to be the hard team to play against,'' Horlin-Smith said.

''I guess whether it's the AFL or the VFL, we still want to be a really tough side and good in the contested situations.''

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From the Bendigo Advertiser
Reported by Travis King
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BENDIGO Gold chairman Tim Dickson has declared a new era for the club after announcing its Victorian Football League survival on Friday.

Dickson revealed the Gold has succeeded in its survival campaign at the club's business luncheon.

The Gold has met its targets of 500 members for next season and increased sponsorship.

The club has also negotiated with council to use Epsom-Huntly Recreation Reserve to run a commercial venture on an interim basis.

"This process that our club has been through will produce a new era for our club," Dickson told the luncheon.

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