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.

From The Age
Reported by Martin Boulton
Full article Click here

FORMER Melbourne player Adem Yze has joined Box Hill in the VFL.

Yze, 31, was delisted by the Demons and nominated for the pre-season draft before agreeing to sign on with Box Hill for 2009.

Drafted with pick 16 in the 1994 national draft, Yze played 271 matches including 226 consecutive games — the second-longest streak in VFL/AFL history.

He played six games last season after eight the previous year, when he was restricted by injury.

From the Caulfield / Glen Eira Leader
Reported by Paul Amy
Full article Click here

As he contemplated his future as a Richmond rookie on Tuesday morning, an emotional “Rockin” Robin Nahas took care to praise Port Melbourne’s contribution to his rise to AFL ranks.

“It wouldn’t be possible, it wouldn’t be happening, without Port,’’ Nahas, 21, told the Leader 30 minutes after his selection.

From the Werribee FC website

Simon Atkins the senior coach of the Werribee Football Club today announced the club has signed Nathan Thompson for 2009 to play for the club and also as the forward line coach.