From The Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond
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COBURG Tigers have snared former Hawthorn midfielder Tim Clarke as a playing assistant coach in a new-look team for 2009.

The 26-year-old, who is also touted to be named captain, shied away from lucrative offers from West Adelaide and Canberra to remain in Melbourne.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Bradley Green
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COMPETITION is fierce for spots on Geelong's VFL list this season - and that's exactly the way new coach Dale Amos wants it.

A squad of about 30 local footballers from GFL, GDFL, BFL and CDFNL clubs are training with the Cats in the hope of winning a berth and Amos said a lot of them had impressed in their bid to step up to the next level in their careers.

Amos, a three-time premiership coach at South Barwon, said he wanted to use his new role to encourage local footballers to have a crack at VFL football every season.

"The strength of the local competitions has been proven in the last couple of years and certainly the GFL has got stronger and stronger," Amos said.

"So it's great for the young guys in those competitions to get the opportunity to come down here and show what they can do at VFL level for a Geelong-based side.

"The guys that are down here, they have certainly grabbed it with both hands and have been extremely committed, turning up to training and training really hard as well.

From City of Port Phillip Council

The City of Port Phillip, Sport and Recreation Victoria, Football Victoria, Department for Victorian Communities and the Port Melbourne Football Club are combining resources to redevelop North Port Oval, corner Williamstown Rd and Ingles St, Port Melbourne.

Council has agreed in principle to commit $1.7M towards the project, providing a range of community benefits and objectives are achieved including:

• Renewal of the Goss Grandstand and retention of it's heritage values

• Provide for future sustainability of both Port Melbourne Football Club and Port Melbourne Cricket Club

• Develop and improve Club rooms and player change facilities in a manner consistent with AFL Preferred Facilities Guidelines 2006

• Increase use and accessibility by the public through improving both visual and physical permeability from the public realm into the venue, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the reserve as a public open space

• Increase access to the facilities and expand the services at the ground for example by providing infrastructure that encourages greater use of the venue by the community and increased physical activity opportunities (eg: consideration to a playground facility, consideration for use by athletics and/or local schools etc)

• Promote connection and exchange between the Club and the existing local community by increasing opportunities for residents to meet and interact at the ground and in club activities

FIVE of last season's North Ballarat Rebels have the frontrunning to line up with North Ballarat in the Victorian Football League this year.

Ryan McKenzie, Tyler George, Jason Linke, Alex Gubbins and Taite Radley are among the new faces training with the Selkirk Roosters.

With most of last season's premiership line-up intact, North Ballarat's senior line-up is going to be difficult to break into.

However, the Roosters have a tradition of pushing up youngsters who have advanced through the Rebels.

Almost half North Ballarat's premiership team played with the Rebels _ Dean Chester, Steve Clifton, Billy Driscoll, Dan Feery, Brett Goodes, Marc Greig, Michael Searl, Myles Sewell and Matt Sharkey.