From The Age
Reported by Michael Sharkie

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WILLIAMSTOWN grabbed some much-needed breathing space at the top of the VFL ladder as it battled its way to a 16-point win over second-placed Casey Scorpions at Burbank Oval yesterday.

Having lost for only the second time this season against North Ballarat last weekend, Williamstown was out to make amends against the Scorpions, who would have taken top spot had they beaten the Seagulls, but instead slipped to fourth place. In blustery conditions, the match was a showdown between the Scorpions\' back line, which had conceded just 949 points, and the seemingly endless list of Seagull forward options.

With Peter Street returning from suspension, Seagulls midfielders David Stretton and Brett Johnson were well supplied early, with the home side dominating centre clearances. The Scorpions, however, used the ball with more purpose.

From the Sunday Age
Reported by Michael Sharkie

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PORT Melbourne sounded an ominous warning to the VFL competition yesterday, and looms as an enormous stumbling block for premiership favourite Williamstown, after dismantling the Bendigo Bombers at Port by 85 points.

The win was the seventh on end for the Borough, and came at a high cost for Bomber Courtney Johns, who is likely to miss the rest of the season with a suspected anterior cruciate ligament tear. He landed awkwardly after flying for a mark in the second term.

Although it is one of two stand-alone clubs in the VFL, Port Melbourne is hardly a team cobbled together with local talent. Nine players in yesterday\'s game have had recent AFL experience, including Dylan McLaren (Carlton), Cory McGrath (Carlton), and David Spriggs (Sydney). While Bendigo\'s young AFL-listed players looked very good at times, they ultimately fell victim to a more polished outfit that is growing in confidence.

From the Mercury
Reported by Adam Smith
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ELIJAH Taylor has only played eight quarters of football in 2008 but it has been enough to impress Tasmanian selectors.

The Burnie youngster will make his VFL debut on Sunday against the Northern Bullants in a must-win match for the Devils.

After taking part in pre-season training last year the 21-year-old underwent a knee reconstruction in round four, missing the rest of 2007 and half of this season.

Taylor suffered the injury in round one but played on not knowing the extent of the injury, which meant 12 months on the sidelines.

From the Ballarat Courier
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DEFENDER Jesse Smith returns from the football wilderness for North Ballarat against Sandringham in the VFL in Ballarat on Sunday.

The highly talented North Melbourne-listed youngster has not played since tearing a hamstring against Tasmania on May 10.

He has missed five VFL matches and also the opportunity to return to the Kangaroos, where Smith is so well regarded that when fit is an automatic selection.

North Ballarat had planned to ease Smith back through the reserves a few weeks ago, but twice he has had to withdraw.

Selkirk Roosters football manager Marg Richards said an extra couple of weeks on the training track meant Smith was able to go straight back in the seniors.

Port Melbourne vs. Bendigo Bombers
Saturday 5th July, 2008
TEAC Oval at 1.10pm

Port Melbourne B Pleming Livingston S. Brewer HB Sutcliffe Smith McGrath C Nahas Pinwill Cotchett HF Baird Pitt Spriggs F Thomas Bonaddio McMahon R McLaren Cain Dwyer Int B. Nixon Robbins Dillon Martin Hassett Dare Schultz Pearce

Bendigo Bombers B Holmes Michael Crameri HB Flaherty Chartres Atkinson C Dyson Skipworth Hislop HF Weeks Hooker Hartigan F Hocking Johns Anderson R Bellchambers Williams Magin Int Martin Dick D. Young Coghlan Geary Bowe Stroobants Fahour Pears Davies Bristow Granger

Name George Paul- Saints Parry Bobby Borough Glen Barnard Kain (Casey) Vaughan Con Milonas Darren Tudor Felicia Jason Borough Keith Lumley Phil Clarke Stephen Allender Pts 65 64 62 61 60 60 60 59 59 59 59 59 59 59

The lead is down to one thanks to Paul Saints picking six winners. Yours truly leads by one with 65 winners from Paul Saints who is on 64 winners and two tips ahead of Parry who has 62 winners. There is a mad scramble just behind the trio with Port diehard Bobby Borough on 61 winners just ahead of old Mustangs fan Glen 'Bombre' Barnard with Kain 'Casey'

Pollard and bomber fan Vaughan each on 60 winners. I'll submit on Friday when I will send a VFL Tips reminder George 65, Paul Saints 64, Parry 62, Bobby Borough 61, Glen 60, Kain

(Casey) 60, Vaughan 60

FOOTYMAN ONLY TIPSTER TO PICK SEVEN WINNERS

Brad 'Footyman' Jamison was the only tipster to pick all seven winners therefore he collects $60. Brad is a past winner of the vfl tipping comp. Another $30 goes to the tipster who picks all seven winners. If more than one tipster picks all seven, the tipster nearest the aggregate score for the Port v Bendigo clash will collect. If no tipster pick seven winners, the prizemoney will jackpot to the following week.

AGGREGATE SCORE MATCH THIS WEEK

The aggregate score match this week will be between Port Melbourne v Bendigo which will be played at Teac Oval. The tipster nearest the aggregate score will collect $40. Former West Coast Eagles player this week signed up with the Borough and will most likely be running around for the borough sometime in August.