From Paul Amy, Caulfield Glen Eira Leader
June 15, 2018 5:00pm
IT has been booted off its ground for the third time season, but Port Melbourne Football Club is likely to get some good news about North Port Oval next week.
Port Phillip Council this afternoon confirmed it was trying to bring forward the planned reconstruction of the playing surface to this year.
If funding for the multimillion-dollar project is approved at a meeting on June 20 the works will start at the end of the season.
Alex Woodward pushes off Essendon's Heath Hocking in a VFL game early last season. Picture: Michael Klein
Luckless former Hawthorn player Alex Woodward on the cusp of a comeback to football
Paul Amy, Greater Dandenong Leader
June 19, 2018 12:00pm
FORMER Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward has recovered from his fourth ACL knee injury and is on the verge of a VFL comeback.
From K Rock Radios website
Geelong forward Stewart Crameri in action during the 100-point win over North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium. (Geelong Cats Image/Arj Giese)
GEELONG has produced its most complete performance of the VFL season-to-date with a clinical 100-point victory over North Melbourne in the curtain raiser.
Lachie Henderson, Cam Guthrie and Scott Selwood all got through the game and had an impact as the Cats pushed their top four credentials with a 21.11 (137) to 5.7 (37) victory at GMHBA Stadium.
But there are concerns over forward Stewart Crameri after he was taken to hospital before the game had finished with an eye injury.
Crameri left the ground in the second quarter after receiving a scratch to the eye in a marking contest and went straight into the rooms for treatment. He had kicked three goals at that stage.
From localfooty.com.au and the Port Phillip and Caulfield Glen Eira Leader
Reported by Paul Amy
Full article - Click here
For Port Melbourne, the wait was worth it.
Owing to problems with the surface of the ground, the Borough had to shift their Round 1 and 2 matches away from North Port Oval.
It meant not only giving up two home games to start the season, but delaying the unfurling of the 2017 premiership flag won so thrillingly over Richmond.
Port finally returned to North Port on Saturday, for a Round 6 clash with Footscray, and shortly after 2pm club stalwarts Henry “Pug’’ Tucker and Henry Knight were given the honour of raising the flag.
Almost three hours later the club faithful were clapping again. The Borough posted a 33-point victory, 15.12 (102) to 10.9 (69), after an authoritative second half in which they kicked 10 goals to three.
When Port coach Gary Ayres saw the team sheets he must have been tempted to tap his senior assistant, former league ruckman Peter “Crackers’’ Keenan, on the shoulder and ask, “Couldn’t give us a quarter, could you big fella?’’
The Doggies went in with 200cm Tom Campbell, 205cm Tim English, 200cm Jordan Roughead and 197cm Jackson Trengove, as well as 196cm Nathan Mullenger-McHugh.
From the North Melbourne Football Club website
Full article - Click here
Less than eight weeks into the season, North coach Brad Scott is already seeing the benefits of the club’s own VFL team.
Scott believes the ability to shape and implement a variety of different roles for individual players will only benefit the club in the long-run.
“Having our own VFL team is absolutely huge for us,” Scott told RSN.
“It’s not something that wins you games each week, in terms of ‘that was the difference this week’, but over the pre-season and home-and-away season, it does make a difference.”
Already this year, North has had Sam Wright, Mason Wood, Cameron Zurhaar and Majak Daw spend time in the reserves, and go on to earn AFL selection.
From The Age website
Full article - Click here
Viney is yet to play at AFL level this season as he has dealt with ongoing complications associated with a foot stress fracture.
Jack Viney: Returning via the VFL.
Photo: Jason South
The co-captain had been desperate to return on Saturday when the Demons play Gold Coast at the Gabba.
But he will play for Casey against Box Hill on Sunday at Casey Fields.
"He's going to play in the VFL, so it's obviously a slightly cautious approach by us," coach Simon Goodwin told reporters on Wednesday."We want to make sure that we really finish off his rehab and (help) his ability to get back to AFL right.
"It's great that he's back playing, but it will be at VFL and we'll have to wait one more week (for him).
"He's a determined and competitive young man but, ultimately, sometimes we have to make the decision that's in the best interests of him."
The 24-year-old hasn't played at any level since Melbourne's round-21 win last season over St Kilda.
He missed just two games after undergoing surgery last year to relieve plantar fasciitis in his right foot and later admitted he came back to soon.Viney worked through a modified pre-season program, but grappled with ankle and toe niggles - an unintended consequence of a change in his gait.
"Obviously, we want to get him back in the AFL team but we just think that he's been out for nine months," Goodwin said.
"We certainly prepared him to play AFL footy, but we think the best approach is to play him in the VFL to make sure he's 100 per cent ready to go."
Christian Salem is in the mix to play against the Suns after missing last week's win over the Saints with a broken thumb.
