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Day of reckoning for defence

By Robbo May 19, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Adam Smith

NULLIFYING one of the most dangerous forward lines in the VFL will be the key to helping the Devils arrest their five-game losing streak at Bellerive Oval today.

With Coburg possessing a wealth of strong-marking options up forward, forecast showers could also play into the home side's hands.

The form line of the two sides couldn't be further apart, with the Devils struggling since opening the season with a solid win against Bendigo.

On the other hand Coburg has strung together four wins since a first-round loss to the Northern Bullants and is sitting fourth on the ladder.

In all four victories the Tigers have cracked the 100-point barrier and with Tasmanian Jack Riewoldt, former Geelong spearhead Kent Kingsley and roaming target Cleve Hughes all lining up, coach Andrew Collins has plenty of choices.

Bullants face test of depth

By administrator May 19, 2007
From The Age
Reported by Sean Cusick

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THE Northern Bullants lost just one home-and-away match for the entire 2006 season, but face one of their biggest tests today when they hit the road to face North Ballarat.

Barry Mitchell's group has been devastated by injuries to key personnel in the past fortnight, and a clash with the improved Roosters shapes as a true test of their depth and resolve.

Last year's VFL centre-half forward of the year, Digby Morrell, broke some ribs early in last week's narrow win over Box Hill, and looks set to miss at least a month.

The ex-Blue and Kangaroo has long been one of the competition's most dangerous players, displaying a balance of strength and agility that makes him a nightmare match-up for opposition coaches.

"We'll miss him not only as a good player but as a bit of a general," Mitchell said. "He's really important because the younger Carlton guys get to play with him and learn from him. He points them around and tells them where to go."

Cartledge in AFL mix

By administrator May 19, 2007
From the Herald-Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

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NORTH Ballarat ruckman Tristan Cartledge has a chance to impress AFL scouts in next Saturday's interstate clash with Western Australia at Port Melbourne.

Cartledge was delisted by Essendon after playing seven AFL games in 2005 and 2006 and returned to the Roosters - his junior football club.

He is North Ballarat's only representative in the state squad of 39 but all AFL-listed players (except rookies) are ineligible and the Roosters have a number of Kangaroos in their line-up.

The clash with WA is fitting reward for Cartledge's good recent form.

"He can be a great story for the VFL - to not get listed, have a good year in the VFL, and be ready to go again. That reinforces the value of the level," North Ballarat coach Gerard Fitzgerald said.

"They have picked a squad that is in form. The VFL's coverage of the games has been terrific."

Prolific forwards to share spotlight

By Robbo May 18, 2007
From Herald Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

THE VFL is likely to field at least two of its prolific goalkickers against Western Australia at Port Melbourne tomorrow week.

Six-time leading VFL goalkicker Nick Sautner, of Sandringham, seems certain to be chosen as the spearhead with Werribee's James Podsiadly, the VFL's leading goalkicker in 2005, also likely to be included.

VFL coach Mark Williams said there was no reason why the two could not work well together.

"Dean Limbach (Williamstown) is also in the squad and in consideration," Williams said. "And Andrew Williams is in the mix."

Coach Williams said the VFL was unlikely to play more than three marking forwards.

Of the 39-strong squad, 29 will play in this weekend's VFL Round 7 matches with the other 10 - from Port Melbourne and Werribee - enjoying byes.

The squad will be pruned to 25 on Monday night and then train on Tuesday and Thursday.

Stepping stone to the big time

By Robbo May 18, 2007
From Herald Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

KANGAROOS assistant coach Donald McDonald has always believed in the value of the VFL as an AFL breeding ground.

The 2001 Box Hill Hawks premiership coach has again had his faith in the stepping-stone system vindicated with the progress of Kangaroos forward Aaron Edwards.

Edwards, delisted by West Coast, won a second shot at the AFL after a 2006 VFL season in which he booted 100 goals in 20 games for Frankston to head the goalkicking list and win the Liston Trophy as the league's best-and-fairest.

"(Our recruiters) were confident that Aaron could make the change to AFL footy and we thought he could be a really good foil for Nathan Thompson, because of what he showed at VFL level," McDonald said.

McDonald said when he coached in the VFL, he thought there were players who could be ranked between 10 and 30 at AFL clubs, but the clubs were looking at those capable of filling numbers one to 10.

Tom Lonergan says "I'll be back in a month"

By Robbo May 18, 2007
From Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Jason Shields

COURAGEOUS Cat Tom Lonergan expects to return to the football field in four weeks' time, 293 days after the sickening onfield collision which almost cost him his life.

Lonergan, who celebrated his 23rd birthday yesterday, revealed he "could finally see the light" after enduring a painful off-field recovery, setting himself for a comeback through the VFL in about a month.

Lonergan was placed in an induced coma and underwent emergency surgery to remove his right kidney after colliding heavily with Melbourne's Brad Green at Skilled Stadium on August 26 last year.

"I made the decision about two months ago that I would aim to return mid-year and I'm on track at the moment,'' Lonergan said.

"I'm progressing each week now. At the start it was just about seeing how my body was going with the load and at the moment it's going pretty well.''

Devils' finals hopes on line tomorrow

By Robbo May 18, 2007
From Launceston Examiner
Reported by Phil Edwards

THE pride, passion and 2007 finals hopes of the Tassie Devils will be on the line when Tasmania takes on the Coburg Tigers in their round seven VFL clash at Bellerive Oval tomorrow.

Coming off last week's humiliating fifth-straight loss to Werribee and crisis meetings during the week, Devils coach Daryn Cresswell said yesterday that he was happy with the commitment his players had shown during a tough week on the training track.

"It's been a tough week for everyone including the players, and they aren't happy with the position we're in," he said.

"We've approached things a bit differently this week and have concentrated on the defensive side of our game with a lot of tackling and physical pressure in the hope we can turn around our poor performances this week.

"This is a must-win game - if we do not win this game, we will not play finals footy."

Cresswell said he had spoken to his leadership group this week about lifting their performance.

Tassie's leaders bedevilled

By Robbo May 17, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by James Bresnehan

EVERYONE from the chairman to the boot studder took responsibility yesterday for the Tasmanian Devils' woeful winter, but the biggest blame went to one particular bunch -- the leadership group.

Their ears were ringing after the bake Devils coach Daryn Cresswell gave them on Monday night before flogging the entire squad on the training track.

The seven senior players -- co-captains Brett Geappen and Scott Stephens (dropped last Saturday), Paul Koulouriotis, Cameron Thurley, Nathan Street (also dropped), Ken Hall and Matthew Westfield (dropped) -- took the brunt of Cresswell's frustration from a 1-5 start.

"When you become a leader, there's an expectation there that you deliver," Cresswell said. "Unfortunately, our leaders haven't done that."

When asked how firmly he spoke to the seven, Cresswell said, with furrowed brow: "I got my message across."

The leadership group is just as sorry about the Devils sitting second-last on the VFL ladder.

"They're not happy with the position we're in either," Cresswell said.

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