From the Hobart Mercury
Reported by Adam Smith

Full article Click here

WITH its finals aspirations now extinguished, Tasmania's VFL focus will turn to ensuring it doesn't collect a second consecutive wooden spoon.

The Devils currently sit in 13th spot, only percentage behind Collingwood and just one win above last-placed Box Hill.

It is a mixed run home for the Devils, with games against the Pies and Hawks to come -- but stern tests against Williamstown (second), ladder leader North Ballarat and Frankston (eighth) mixed in.

Last weekend's bye gave some of the playing group the chance to rest, while others returned to local clubs to find form and confidence.

Despite coming off a second smashing for the year against Sandringham last round, skipper Brett Geappen is confident of finishing the season on a positive note.

From the Leader Newspapers - www.localfooty.com
Reported by Paul Amy

Full article Click here

THE question has cropped up ever since the VFL took in AFL reserves teams in 2000.

Can an unaligned team win a flag?

No, is invariably the answer.

The thinking goes that a side of VFL players will always lack the fitness and class to overcome an opponent equipped with 12 AFL players.

Saade Ghazi said as much when he was coaching Port Melbourne, one of three so-called stand-alone teams in the VFL (Frankston and Tasmania also operate under their own steam).

Peter Banfield, then coaching Casey Scorpions, offered the same view a year earlier in a radio interview.

North Ballarat has come closest to doing it, reaching the grand final. But that was in the first year of the revamp, when there were 16 teams. As the competition settled and the standard rose, the Roosters floundered.

From the ABC Grandstand website
Reported by Chris Thompson

Full article Click here

Frankston caused a boilover in the second half of Round 15 today, defeating the previously red-hot Port Melbourne by 26 points in front of a big home crowd at Frankston Oval to keep their finals hopes alive.

Going in against the form team of the competition, the Dolphins needed to come out firing and from the opening bounce it was clear they were intent on doing just that - looking like a team with a point to prove, attacking the ball harder than their opposition as they dominated all over the ground.

But for all their good work, it looked like they would be unable to take advantage of the ascendancy as they wasted a series of gettable chances to put on four behinds before the first goal came through Aaron Murray.

From the Sunday Age
Reported by Michael Sharkie

Full article Click here

FRANKSTON proved it is still a force to be reckoned with this season, upsetting highly fancied Port Melbourne by 26 points at Frankston Oval yesterday, in a clash of the VFL's stand-alone teams.

Having had agonising losses to premiership contenders Williamstown and Werribee in recent weeks, Frankston coach Brett Lovett was hellbent on beating Port, which would have taken top spot along with premiership favouritism with a win yesterday. Frankston won 13.14 (92) to 9.12 (66).

After a terrific first quarter, a trademark of the Dolphins' play this season, Frankston held a 30-point lead at the first change, an advantage that would ultimately prove beyond Port Melbourne's reach.

From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Chris Mitchell

Full article Click here

RED-HOT Port Melbourne will have a double incentive to win its ninth straight match when it travels to Frankston Oval today.

The third-placed Borough (11-3) will look to celebrate John Baird's 100th VFL game and 50th for the club with a win that would see it overtake second-placed Williamstown on the ladder.

Amazingly, the laid-back 28-year-old didn't know of the impending milestones until contacted by the Herald Sun.

The 192cm, 95kg defender started his VFL career with Box Hill, helping the club win its only premiership in 2001, before he was drafted to North Melbourne. He played 46 games under Denis Pagan and later Dean Laidley.

Baird said he was disappointed he did not play more games for the Roos.

Frankston vs. Port Melbourne (ABC TV)
Saturday 25th July 2008
Frankston Oval at 1:10PM

Collingwood vs. Bendigo Bombers
Sunday 27th July 2008
MC Labour Park at 2:00PM

From the Sunday Age
Reported by Michael Sharkie

Full article Click here

BOX HILL made amends for recent losses when it recorded its third win of the year in trying conditions at Preston yesterday, defeating the Northern Bullants by 36 points, 13.14 (92) to 7.14 (56)

Kicking with the aid of a strong end-to-end wind, Box Hill was quick out of the blocks and took a 37-point lead at the quarter-time break. The Bullants found it exceptionally hard kicking against the wind, but made good use of the gale in the second quarter.

Thanks to some brilliant ruck work from Sam Jacobs, the Bullants managed to keep the ball in their forward 50 for the majority of the quarter, but were wasteful with their shots on goal. Steven Browne and Darren Pfeiffer were excellent around the stoppages while Jarrod Bannister and David Teague were also useful contributors. The Hawks managed one goal and two behinds against the wind, almost mirroring their opponent's first-quarter effort, but still held an eight-point lead at half-time.