Congratulations James Podsiadly 2008 J.J. Liston Medallist Picture taken by Zebraman

Congratulations James Podsiadly - 2008 J.J. Liston Medallist

In a close  vote count held at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Werribee Captain James Podsiadly was voted the competitions most prestigious award as the Best and Fairest player.

Podsiadly narrowly missed out on the goal-kicking award, the Frosty Miller medal at seasons end to prolific VFA/VFL forward Nick Sautner.

Podsiadly (16 Votes) finished just one vote ahead of Peter Summers from Sandringham and Brett Johnson from Williamstown who shared second place with 15 votes.  The Dolphins Paul Kennedy also polled strongly, polling 14 votes, reflecting his strong season.

Glen Carrick from the Coburg Tigers took out the A. Todd medal for Reserves Best and Fairest earlier in the night.

Final Votes:

James Podsiadly (Werribee) - 16 Votes
Peter Summers (Sandringham) - 15 Votes
Brett Johnson (Williamstown) - 15 Votes
Paul Kennedy (Frankston) - 14 Votes
Greg Tivendale (Coburg) - 14 Votes
Brett Goodes (Nth Ballarat) - 14 Votes

News courtesy of CaseyRadio

Gippsland Power rover Jarryd Blair and Murray Bushrangers winger Farran Priest have tied for the 2008 Morrish Medal.

It is the first time since the inception of the TAC Cup in 1992 that the league best and fairest award has been shared.

The pair each claimed 18 votes to win the award ahead of Calder Cannons midfielder Dylan Joyce and North Ballarat defender Andrew Hooper on 17 votes.

Priest’s best on ground performance for the Bushrangers against Oakleigh in the final round catapulted Priest atop the leader board on 18 votes. Blair’s one vote game for the Power against Western in the last round saw him join Priest as a winner.

From The Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond

Full article Click here

DESPITE producing its best performance of the season against a team rated one of the competitions best, Frankston was denied a preliminary final berth against Port Melbourne as ex-Kangaroo Callum Urch lifted Williamstown to a one-point victory 13.14 (92) to 12.19 (91). "That was definitely the great escape," Williamstown coach Brad Gotch said.

The match proved to be one of the hardest fought contests of the finals series so far, with Frankston making its intentions known early.

Making use of a strong breeze and running the ball beautifully from its back line through Toby Conroy and Luke Collins, Frankston looked certain to test the more favoured Williamstown side right to the wire.

Unable to find a tall marking target in the forward line, the Seagulls looked lethargic against Frankston's running back line.

From The Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond

Full article Click here

TASMANIAN Devils are now extinct after AFL Tasmania ditched its Victorian Football League team in favour of a 10-team state competition.

As revealed in the Sunday Age last month, AFL Tasmania has been working on its state league development for the past three years and will launch the competition on September 23.

AFL Tasmania has invited 10 clubs from across the state — Burnie, Devonport, South Launceston, Launceston, North Launceston, Lauderdale, Clarence, Hobart, North Hobart and Glenorchy — to participate and hopes to have the league up and running next season, with or without a VFL team.

From The Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond

Full article Click here

PORT Melbourne coach Gary Ayres holds a slight hope that the trend of recruiting first-time AFL coaches will change.

The former Geelong and Adelaide coach is hoping to get back into AFL coaching after an impressive season in charge of the Borough, taking the VFL team from fringe finalist to flag favourite in his first season.

The five-time Hawthorn premiership player believes newly appointed Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss could struggle.

"Sometimes great players don't necessarily make great coaches," he said.

From The Age
Reported by Michael Sharkie

Full article Click here

THREE weeks ago, Williamstown had the top spot on the VFL ladder seemingly sewn up with an impressive percentage after a consistent year of football. But now in the second week of the VFL finals series, Williamstown finds itself in a knockout semi-final against an ever-dangerous Frankston, a position that coach Brad Gotch never expected to find himself in.

"Last week's loss (to North Ballarat) was disappointing, but it was the loss to Werribee in round 20 that has really cost us," Gotch said.

In the final match of the regular season, the Seagulls played host to Werribee in a game they were expected to win. Despite their excellent record at home, they stumbled at the final hurdle and fell from top spot to third after an 11-point defeat. The loss forced Williamstown to head to North Ballarat for a qualifying final.

"At half-time I thought we were a big chance. We had a slender lead, but in the end we didn't quite make the most of our chances on the scoreboard," he said.

Williamstown vs. Frankston (ABC TV)
Saturday 13^th September 2008
TEAC Oval at 1:10 PM

Williamstown

B	Addison	Meyer	McKenzie
HB	Reid	Cloke	Everitt
C	Greene	Bre. Johnson	Stretton
HF	Picken	Wight	Jolley
F	Rose	Little	Skipper
R	Street	Ward	Ray
Int	Galea	Wood	Young
	Boumann	O'Keefe	Urch
	Lockwood	Beaumont

 Frankston

B	Corp	Pollard	Winterton
HB	Raso	Shinners	Barry
C	Keely	Kennedy	Proctor
HF	Dickson	Lourey	Morris
F	Berry	Clark	Limbach
R	Gabriel	Magner	Marigliani
Int	Krakouer	Collins	Lombardozzi
	Conroy	P. Whelan	Dore
	Murray	Oliver