Latrobe Valley Express Wednesday 27 March 2024

The curse has been lifted. Aftercountless near-misses and finals horrorshows, Centrals CricketClub finallybroke through to win their firstA Grade premiership in 33 years, taking home the silverwareinCricket Latrobe Valley.

Nurses and midwives at crisis point

By ZAIDAGLIBANOVIC

PUBLIC sectornurses in Victoria have taken a step toward protected industrial action following avote on Thursday, March 21.

On behalf of 60,000 Victorian nurses andmidwives, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) (ANMF) is negotiating anew enterprise agreement for the 2024-28 period.

The union says it does not take industrial action lightly and will only use walk-outs as alastresort option.In2012, 30 nurses walked off the job at Latrobe Regional Hospital campaigningfor better wages and fixed nurse-patient ratios. In that time, up to 15 surgical procedures were forced to be cancelled due to the stoppages.

At this stage, it is unclear how much of Latrobe Regional Hospital is unionised and how an approved industrial action would affectthe hospital.

On Thursday, the ANMF (Victorian Branch) held astatewide meetingtospeak on aprogress report on their EBA.

Asea of red T-shirts with unionslogans overran Traralgon’s Century Inn, as there were about 70 memberswho attended the regional streaming site to watch the meetingbased at the Carson Conference Centre.

The union has rejected the stategovernment’s

offer of an annual threeper cent wage increase overfouryears and an additional one-off $1500 payment for full-time employees.

The ANMF Victorian branchsecretary,Lisa Fitzpatrick, said they had reached acrisispoint in negotiations that started in October last year.

“The Allan government’s one-size-does-not-fit-all wages policy will fail the Victorian health system and fail the Victorian community because it willfailtoreverse theexpensive andincreasing casualisation of Victoria’s nursing and midwifery workforce,” she said.

Members supported ANMF and the Victorian government’s progress on non-cost EBA items but directed their uniontocontinuenegotiations given the total lack of progress on any cost claims that are designed to address the systemicand increasing casualisation of the workforce

The union’s members have expressed their growing concern over increased casualisation in the industry due to rostering issues.

“Today,workintensificationand unpopular employerrostering practices such as redeployment and constant management requests to work additional shifts and overtimemean nurses and midwivesare movingfrom permanent to casual so they can control their hours,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

The ANMF secretary compared the dire situation of the industry to the late 1990s when the Jeff

Kennett Government funding cuts depleted the public health system.

"We worked above and beyond for the Victorian community through the 2020 summer bushfires, theonce-in-a-100-year COVID-19 pandemic, multiplefloodeventsand themostsignificant staffing pressuressince the 1990s nursing and midwifery crisis," aunion report stated.

The 2020-24 agreement expires on April 30.

"Nurses and midwives are asking their employers to listentothem,toacknowledgewhat’shappened over the last five years of COVID and to implement cost-effective initiatives that will retain and recruit early career and experienced staff and rebuild the permanent workforce,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

ANMF members are seeking arangeofclaims designed to retain, recruit and rebuild our early career and experienced nurses and midwives.

According to the ANMF, about30per cent of anurse or midwife’stake-home pay comprises allowances above the baserate. ANMF is claiming about 15 new or improved financial incentives to reward working additional permanent hours and unpopular shifts, and to retain apermanent workforce.

ANMFisalso seeking the introductionoffinancial disincentives for unpopular employer rostering practices such as redeployment, excessive reliance on overtime and missed meal breaks. Many of the

claims, developed and endorsed by ANMF workplace delegates, would only flow to permanent staff.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration figures show net growth of more than 16,000 Victoriannursesand midwives over the last five years. While the workforce has increased, filling rosters remains challengingbecausenurses and midwives are reducing their hours and moving from permanent to casual employment.

ANMF will make an application for aprotected industrial action ballot in the Fair Work Commission in the coming days.

"Nurses and midwives only ever take industrial actionasa last resort to protect the professions, the healthsystemand patientcare,"MsFitzpatrick said.

"The stakes are high, and they know the outcome of this EBA must stop casualisation and deliver a permanent and sustainable workforce."

Negotiations between the parties will continue next week,with astate government spokesperson telling the Canberra Times that they were committed to negotiating in good faith.

The ANMF aren't the only pu bl ic se rvic e union negotiating new EBAs, with the Victorian Paramedics beginning action on Monday, March 18,V/Line stagingstoppages at least once every month sinceDecember lastyear andthe Police Association initiating action in late last year.

Crisis: TheANMFsaidthe unionand its memberswereata critical conjecture in regard to working conditions

Action: TheANMF will man an applicationfor a protected industrial action ballot in the Fair Work Commission.

Desperate: Theunionhas said theywill only walk-outasalastresor t, considering the desperateneedfor staffing in theVictorian healthcaresystem.

One-stepcloser: Local AustralianNursing and Midwifer yFederation (Victorian Branch) members flockedtoTraralgon’s Centur yInn,voting in favour of industrial action.

Photographs: Zaida Glibanovic

Council advocates in Canberra

IN the leaduptothe Federal Budget being handed down this May, Latrobe City Mayor, Darren Howe, and chief executive,StevenPiasente, attended the Canberra Delegation on February 29, 2024, with various government ministers to raise awareness and call for increased investments.

Council is calling on the federal government to invest in arange of projectsand priorities that will support the Latrobe City community to thrive.

Cr Howe met with the Net Zero Authority to advocate on behalf of the community regarding Council’s ‘Our Transition Plan’.

‘Our Transition Plan’ is acomprehensive roadmap that supports Latrobe City’s transition towards economic diversification. The Net Zero Authority was established to focus on the energy transition and will play akey roleinanational shift to a clean energy future.

Akey focus of these meetings includesadvocating for investment into projects that will driveeconomic investment and support jobs in Latrobe City.

Mayor Howe said the Canberra delegation was crucial to discuss various advocacyitemsonbehalf of council.

“Amongarange of key meetings withfederal government officials, Ihad the pleasure of talking withthe Minister for RegionalDevelopment, Local Government and Territories, the Honourable Kristy McBain,” the Mayor said.

“Minister McBain is asupporter of our region.

We discussed our key council advocacy priorities, particularly the need for more housing and jobs locally.

“We also spokeabout boosting tourism in Latrobe City andhow we canadvocate for showcasing what our region has to offer to visitors.”

Cr Howe also met with government advisors for the Minister for Emergency Management, SenatorMurray Watt, to discuss the impacts of the recent wild storm which swept through the region in February.

The opportunity enabled conversation about additional funding for anew pavilion at Traralgon Recreation Reserve, which withstood the worst of the floods in June 2021.

“It was alsofantastictomeet withSenator Anthony Chisholm, who is the Assistant Minister for Education where we discussed the importance of supportingLatrobeRegional Health to establish aHealth education hub,” Mayor Howe said.

“Thisinvestmentwill address workforce shortages while improving patient outcomes and providing access to jobs.”

The Mayor also met with Federal Memberfor Gippsland, Darren Chester, to discuss all projects and priorities Latrobe City is advocating for.

For more information on council’s advocacy projects, visit latrobe.vic.gov. au/Council/Advocacy_and_Transition/ Advocating_for_our_Community

LATROBE CrimeInvestigation Unit detectives are investigating an attempted kidnapping in Traralgon last Thursday (March 21).

Officers were told aman approached awoman and her toddler at the intersection of Alamein Lane and Graham Crescent at around 9.30am.

It is understood the man picked up the one-yearold girl, who was holding hermother’s hand, before the woman kicked him.

The man let go of the toddler and fled the scene on foot eastbound on Graham Crescent. Police attended the scene and patrolled the area for the man, who was not located.

The man is described as Caucasian, between 40 and 50-years-old, with atannedcomplexion. He was wearing abrown and white beanie, a black, grey and blue shirt and darkcoloured pants.

Anyone who may havewitnessed the incident or has dashcam/CCTV footage is urged to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000, or file aconfidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au

Drugs and weaponsseized in operation targeting antisocial behaviour

DRUGS and weapons have been seized and a number of peoplehavebeenarrested as Police conducted amajor operation across Moe, Morwell and Traralgon last week.

Operation PADD Street saw Latrobe Valley Uniform Officers, with assistancefrom the Dog Squad, target antisocial behaviour in local CBDs, shopping centres and transport hubs in the area between Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19.

Duringthe course of the operation,Police conducted anumberofsearchesand detected anumber of offences, including weapons, drugs, traffic, and behaviour offences.

Throughout the operation, Policeseized an amount of cannabis and three knives, issued one

caution, arrested four people who were wanted on outstanding warrants and issued seven penalty infringement notices. Officers also impoundedtwo vehicles.

Police will continue targeting antisocial behaviour and offending in public spaces.

Any one with inf orm at ion about anti social behaviour is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit aconfidential crime report to crimestoppersvic.com.au

Charge over cyclist death

MAJOR CollisionInvestigation Unit detectives have charged aman following afatal collision in Glengarry on February, 26.

It is alleged acyclist wasstruckbya car on Bassetts Road at around 11am.

The cyclist, a76-year-old Traralgon man, was airlifted to hospital but later died.

A43-year-old Glengarry man has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, driving in adangerous manner, careless driving and driver touching aportable device.

He has been bailed to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 18.

Man chargedfollowing aggravatedburglaries in Traralgon

POLICE have arrested aman in relation to two allegedaggravatedburglaries in Traralgon on Monday, March 18.

It’s alleged the man entered ahome on Whitakers Road, about 2.45pm.

Nothing was stolen, and the male allegedly fled the scene when he was disturbed by aresident of the address.

Police willalso allegethe manfollowed ateenager home to aresidence on Shakespeare Street, at about 3.40pm.

It is believed the man allegedly waited near the address, before gaining entry to the property later on in theevening when no one was home.

The male allegedlystole abattery charger, before fleeing the scene.

Police arresteda42-year-oldTraralgon man, and he has been charged with aggravated burglary, theft and stalking.

He has been bailed to appear in Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on May 15.

Meet: FederalMember forGippsland, Darren Chester,Senior Advocacyand Strategy Advisor, Shae Hansen, Latrobe City Chief Executive, Steven Piasente and Latrobe CityMayor Darren Howe Photographs supplied

Repairs funded amid damning report

By ZAIDAGLIBANOVIC

A$99.5 million rebuild and recovery package has been announcedfor the most damaged roads in the state,including those damaged by floods in Gippsland, but Victorian roads have long been in need of repair.

After amonths-long wait, works are now underway to repair dangerous flood-damagedroads across theregion as part of an emergency blitz funded by both the state and federal governments.

The announcement came on Wednesday, March 20, with the Ministerfor Roads and RoadSafety, Melissa Horne, stating the package would include large-scale andlong-termrepairs for theworst damaged roads.

Works are alreadyunderway on the South Gippsland Highway east of theGrassy Spur, where asection of the road betweenFalls Road and Carmichaels Roadwill be resurfaced and resealed to improve its durability, life span and safety for local residents, freight operators, and tourists. Other roads set to undergo repairs across Gippsland include the HylandHighway, Grand Ridge Road and Bengworden Road.

“Continuing Victoria’s road to recovery after these recent flood events is our number one priority, and we’ll deliverthese large-scalerepairs as quickly and safely as we can,” Minister Horne said.

Works to be deliveredunder the package include fully rebuilding some of the most badly-damaged section so fr oa d, major asp halting, landsli p stabilisation, repairs to damaged structures and road shoulders, clearing of roadside drains and culverts and replacing signs, safetybarriersand other important roadside assets.

The state government said crews will also carry out additional roadside mowingand slashing to reduce the risk of bushfires posed by unseasonal accelerated growth.

Four separate floodshavehit Victoria since Christmas, forcing the closureofmore than 100

of the state’s arterial roads at their peak.

Since then, the state government has said additionalresources have been deployed across the state to deliver short-term emergency repairs to get all of these roads re-opened.

The Member for Eastern Victoria, Tom McIntosh, said the state government was, “getting on with repairing our roads and ensuring freight, tourists

and members of our local communities in Gippsland can continue travelling safely".

The Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Member for Gippsland South, DannyO'Brien, has been calling on the state government to repair the major landslip on the Hyland Hwy since it occurred during the December 2023 to January 2024 storms.

The landslip issue has been on VicRoads radar since April 2023 but after heavy rains, the roads' condition worsened.

The roads have causedmanyheadachesfor users, with the section between Yarram and Traralgon being reduced to one lane for anumberofmonths.

Facebook users have voiced their frustration.

"If they leave it much longer they'll be building abridge," one user posted.

Money has long been allocatedtoward the repair of the road, but it wasn't until the Wednesday state announcement that confirmed the road repair.

Victoria's road conditions have made headlines recently, with the release of the National Transport ResearchOrganisation (NTRO) survey, which found 91 per cent of Victorian roads had been classified as 'poor' or 'verypoor'. The Victorian government tried to conceal the NTRO surveys after a45per centcut to theroad maintenance budget since 2020, according to The WeeklyTimes

As the ShadowMinister for Roads and Road Safety,MrO'Brien said the survey simply confirmed what people already knew.

"To see that 91 per cent of our roads are in poor or verypoor condition is an indictment of the government’s performance and that affects every Victorian travelling our roads every day," he said.

The Herald Sun also recently reported that 490 regional roads are currently subject to speed limit reductionsorwarnings becauseoftheir poor driving condition.

“This data shows that the blip of an increase in roadsmaintenance spending during COVID has nowbeen wiped out and our roads are even worse off now," Mr O'Brien added.

Mirboo North recovery ongoing amonth after storm

SALVAGE processing of trees uprooted in Mirboo North's savage storm last month is continuing as part of the state government'sclean-up operation

Aspokesman for DEECA said the operations in Mirboo North were still in the emergency response phase.

"A dedicated managementteamled by DEECAis continuing to manage debris as part of the 'make safe' works in and aroundMirboo North township," the spokesperson said.

The recovery operations to remove storm debris are not conducted for commercial purpose and do not constitute harvesting, the government notes. Only trees blown over by the storm or creating an immediate safety risk are being removed, with no other trees beingfelled unless they are assessed as hazardous and are arisktopublicsafety.

However, DEECA has indicated the focusisto ensure all timber debris collected from the February 13 storm clean-upisutilised for the highestand best use available.

Where timber is not suitable for local sawmills or forlocal commercial firewood sellers, DEECA is working with EmergencyRecovery Victoria and South Gippsland Shireonoptionstomake this timberavailable free to the public, includingas part of the seasonal firewood collectionprogram on public land.

In addition to the emergency response works, DEECA has begun assessingthe impacts on stormaffected public land to determine if intervention is required.

The Minister for Regional Development, Gayle

Tierney, recently announced a$200,000grant to enable South Gippsland Shire Council to establish aMirboo North community and business resilience hub. The hub will aim to ensure locals can access

emergency food supplies, charge medical devices, and communicate with lovedones in storms, bushfires and other severe events.

Alocal workinggroup will support the council to

drive the project and select the best central location to install off-grid solar panels, asatellite link, and emergency cold storage.

Manyresidents have takenituponthemselvesto clean-up the town, with one, Jess Healey, starting her own community response teamtotacklethe debris andfallen trees across town

The funding will also enable the town’s annual Mirboo North Winterfest to proceed later thisyear as away to boost local business and unite the community in the recovery phase ahead.

“Thissupport will help kickstart the local economy through Winterfest and ensure residents can feel confident they are fully prepared if anything like this happens again,” Ms Tierney said.

The town of 1700 residents was severely damaged by stormsonFebruary 13, causing huge loss of natural beauty through fallen and damaged trees and atragic loss of life. Homes were damaged and the community was without access to safe water, phones and internet for an extended period.

The Ministerfor Emergency Services, Jaclyn Symes, said the funding will enable residents to “drive their own recovery efforts, ensuring that local needs are prioritised and addressed by those who know them best".

This funding is aspecial allocation from the government’s Tiny Towns Fund. Support also includes Victoria’spersonal hardship assistance payments of up to $2240 per eligible family.

For more information, visit vic.gov.au/ recovery-support

Danger: TheHyland Highway will be repaired as par tofastate and federalgovernment $99.5 million rebuildand recovery package forthe worstdamaged roadsinthe state. File photograph

ONE POINTERS

with Muzza

1. The album ‘Back In Black’ was by which rock band?

2. Which film franchise features the character known as Q?

3. What is the lowest rank in the army?

4. What is the highest number written on astandarddartboard?

TWO POINTERS

5. What animal is on the Peugeot logo?

6. What vessel was Captain Nemo the captain of?

7. If Iwas visiting the town of Glenelg, which state/territory would Ibein?

8. What gas is sometimes used to boost the speed of race cars?

THREE POINTERS

9. All John Deeretractors arebranded with yellow and which other colour?

10. In our solar system, which planet sits between Jupiter and Uranus?

11. What was the name of the movie that Sharon Stone uncrossed her legs in while being interrogated causing ahuge sensation?

12. Who is the coach of the Melbour ne Storm?

FOUR POINTERS

13. What does the prefix ‘bio’ mean?

14. On the 13th January,2012, what was the name of the cruise ship in Tuscany that hit arock formation on the sea floor and partially sank?

FIVE POINTER

15. Who am I? Clue: IamaFrenchbor n Australian who is aTVpresenter, radio host, actress and comedian among other things. Ihave worked with the Bell Shakespeare Company and have hosted a music quiz show on SBS since 2005.

HOW DID YOU FARE?

37: Topofthe class; 30-36: Outstanding; 23-29: Well done; 15-22: Solid effort; 9-14: Room for improvement; 0-8: Hit the books.

Crossword Puzzle No.8579

Fighting farm fatigue

SHEEPand cropping farmer Jack Armstrong knows that in agriculture it pays to be proactive with safety,particularly when it comes to managingthe risks of fatigue during peak periods.

Mr Armstrong, who farmsatYalla-Y-Poora, south-east of Ararat, is encouraging farmers and workers to have important conversations around health and safety and managing fatigue risks.

WorkSafe data shows March and Novemberare peak months for workplace fatalities in agriculture, corresponding with the busy sowing and harvest seasons.

Mr Armstrong said he could see the dangerous role fatigue could play in contributing to workplace incidents on farms through his own experiences.

“There are some horror stories of people having massive incidents. Afarmer near here was bailing one night after working massive hours and they crashed the tractor into apower pole,” Mr Armstrong said.

“He ended up being okay but the machinery was toast. It’s havingstories like that in the back of your mind that you need to learn from.

“It’s just ashame that it takessomething bad to happen to create some good -you’d prefer to be proactive rather than reactive.”

Mr Armstrong is adding his voice to WorkSafe’s emotivecampaign,‘It’sneveryou,until it is’, which is making areturn with advertising across regional television, radio, print and digital media to offer practical safety solutions for farmers and encourage conversations around safety.

“The work that we do can be different to other jobs -itcan be very manually intensiveand the hours can be quite exhaustive and that can really catch up to aperson,” he said.

“I think alot of farmers can have the misconception that if they work really hard and work long hours they’ll get more done and be more efficient when you sort of just end up burning the candle at both ends.”

WorkSafe Inspector, Dallas Braam, urged farmers and farm workers to listen to their bodies.

“Fatigue affects your decision making and when your decision making is affected, not only are you affecting yourself potentially, but the people you’re workingwith, whoare usuallyfamilyand friends,” he said.

Staysafe: Farmer Jack Armstrong is encouragingthose who work on farmstohave conversations about managing fatigue

Photograph supplied

“Taking abreak to get hydrated, have some food, or call afriend could prevent an injury out there and you’ll be going home to see your loved ones at the end of the day -that’s the difference.”

Families and communities are reeling from the loss of two lives in workplace incidents on farmsalready this year, taking the number of work-related deaths in agriculture to 34 since January 2020.

Farmersand farm workers who suffer serious injuries also face along road to get back on the job, with more than 25 per cent of those injured still unable to return to farming one year on from aserious incident.

WorkSafe Executive Director, Narelle Beer, said every conversation about farm safety helped remove the stigma around health and safety.

“We’re working for afuture where safetyisatthe centre of farming operations and where deaths and injuries are seen to be preventable, not inevitable,” Dr Beer said.

“Every time afarmer or farm worker talks about farm safety helps to make areal difference in preventing families and communities from losing loved ones.”

More information on the ‘It’s never you, until it is’ campaign and farm safety can be found at worksafe.vic.gov.au/saferfarms

Parvo Virus outbreak warning

IT hascome to the attentionofLatrobe Valley charity, Companion Pet Care and local vets, that there is an outbreak of Parvo Virus in the Latrobe Valley at the moment.

Social media reported over amonthago the demise of anumber of dogs due to this virus, but it continues to spread.

Unvaccinated animals are at huge risk.

Parvo virus is one of the diseases that annual vaccination of your dog helps prevent. It is ahighly contagious, highly transmittable disease that can persist in the environment for an extended period.

Theseareas are generally public areas such as parks, footpaths and other spaces frequented by owners and their pets, as well as the living quarters of the animals. An unvaccinated dog running on apark where aParvo positive dog has been is at great risk.

Parvo virus symptoms include vomiting,diarrhoea (often bloody), lethargy, reduced appetite and tummy pain. Symptoms progress quickly and even with treatment it can be fatal.

Owners are encouraged to check their dogs vaccination status and get their dogs vaccinated immediately, if due, to have their beloved pet as protected as possible.Dogs under one year are at higher risk.

“I hope they (owners of infected dogs) understand

how infectiousthisvirus is and how persistentit is in the environment (ie years),” alocal vet said.

“Any unvaccinated dog visiting their property in yearstocome will be at risk.So, they need to be very mindful.

“They will also need to think about using disinfectants that are effective against unenveloped viruses to decontaminate any hard surfaces at home -some products that could be used include accelerated hydrogen peroxide disinfectants, and F10 used at appropriate dilutionrates for appropriate contact times.This will be alot to take on board for them while they’re dealing with this but the main thing is for them to understand that the property will be arisk for some years.”

If people have adog who appears to possibly have the above symptoms, contact their vet ASAP for further instructions and to have their pet tested for Parvo.

It is imperative that an infected dog does not enter the veterinary surgery, as it will contaminate any area it touches.

Companion Pet Care is an animal welfarecharity run by volunteers who promote responsible pet ownership. It survivesondonations to assist the pet community.

People who would like to volunteer their services or donate to thecharity should check the Facebook page.

Price tag of Games cancellation

By ZAIDAGLIBANOVIC

IT cost the state government around $590 million to pull out of the 2026 Commonwealth Games anew report finds.

Victorian Auditor-General (VAGO) report found that 60 per cent of thecosts came fromsettlingthe cancellation of the contract with the Commonwealth Games Federation. "Thiswaste would have been

avoided if agencies had worked together better to give frank and full advice to the government before it decided to host the Games," the report said.

Before the VAGO report release, localsvented their anger towards the stategovernment at the 2026Commonwealth Games Bid Parliamentary Inquiry held in Traralgon on Thursday, March 14.

Farnham Court Motel Owner, Katie Reardon, who signed an agreement to host Team England just 24 hours prior to the cancellation announcement slammedthe planning abilities of the government in her testimony.

"This cancellation wasnothing more than cruel," she said.

When the government announced that Victoria would withdraw from hosting theGamesinJuly 2023, it stated that the cost of hosting was certain to exceed $6 billion.

Ms Reardon used her past experiences as an event planner to condemn the state government's lack of planning, stating she would be sacked if her project budget blew out like the state government's did.

In March 2022, the government approved agross cost budget of $2.7 billion for the Games with an estimated net cost of $1.6 billion.

The originalGames budget was set unrealistically low the report found withthe $6.9billion cost estimate the governmentpublicly released when it withdrew from the Games was overstated.

"The cost estimate for the Games that the government publicly released in August2023 of $6.9 billion was overstated and not transparent," the report read.

It added significant amounts for industrial relations and cost escalation risks.But it did notdisclosethat the budget already included$1billion in contingency allowancestocover these and other cost risks.

In August 2023, Victoria agreed

to pay $380 million and signed a settlement agreement with the Games Federation, Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) and the Commonwealth Games Federation Partnerships.

The VAGO report found that the cost to benefitratio of the Games were misleading.

Government projects witha benefitcost ratio of less than 1.0 usually do not proceed.

Thebusinesscase provided to the government in March 2022 said the Games had benefit-cost ratioof between 0.7inthe worstcaseand 1.6 in the best case.

However, if all of the speculative benefits and questionable cost reductions were removed, the VAGO found the benefit-costratio would have been around 0.59 to 0.95.

The NationalsMember for Morwell, Martin Cameron, has slammedthe state government after the report surfaced.

“The Commonwealth Games was spruiked as ahugeboom for the Latrobe Valley and regional Victoria more broadly, but the VAGO report has confirmed we were being misled all along,” Mr Cameron said.

“At the inquiry last week we heard from businesses who invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in good faith to prepare for the Games, all to have the rug pulled out from underneath them.

“There is no sign of any of the legacy projects promised for the Latrobe Valley, and all we have received is platitudes and empty promises.

“The Games cancellation has cost Victorian taxpayers nearly $600 million dollars, and Jacinta Allan must be held accountable for her part in this debacle.

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Educators to give evidence

PUBLIC hearings for the inquiry into Victoria’s state education system start in Gippsland this week.

Members of the Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee were in Bairnsdale on Tuesday, March 26, and will visitTraralgon today (Wednesday, March27)

Teachers and principals fromBairnsdale Secondary College, Lakes Entrance Primary School,AlbertStreet Primary School, Yallourn Primary School and Kurnai College are scheduled to give evidence to the Committee.

Representatives from Voices for Special Needsand Hands on Learning are among other witnesses.

The Committee is examining the teaching profession in Victorian state schools and how new technologies could be used to alleviate administrative burdens on teachers.

It is also exploring waystorecruit and retain teachers and support them throughout their careers.

Student wellbeing and learning outcomes from grades Prep to Year 12 are also akey focus.

“The fact we’ve received 271 submissions to this inquiryshows the high level of public interest,” Committee Chair, Trung Luu, said. “We look forward to hearing from teachers, principals,other professionals and students in the state educationsector as we travel around Victoria over the next couple of months.”

Furtherpublichearings are set for BendigoonTuesday, April 16, Shepparton on Wednesday, April 17 and Melbourneon Wednesday, May 8and Thursday, May9

The regional hearings will not be broadcast, however full witness transcripts will be published alongside next week’s schedules on the Committee’s website at alater date.

The Committee is due to report to parliament by June 25, 2024.

Surprise: The Victorian Auditor-General report timelined the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games Imagesupplied

Calls to improve disaster resilience

Mr

“It wasgoodtosee theTelstra bosstaking thetime to visit rural and regional communities to discuss telecommunications issues and the company’s plans for thefuture,” Mr Chester said.

“Connectivity is both ahuge challenge and an opportunity in regions like Gippsland. If we improve our connectivity it makes it possible for businesses and individualstooperatesuccessfullyinaregional location and there’s obvious benefitsinterms of health, safety and social activities.

"In our meeting, Ihighlighted the areas in Gippsland where we still have gaps in coverage and requirefurther investment, along with the need to improveresilience in disaster-prone regions.

“When the power goes out following astorm or bushfire, it often doesn’t take longfor us to lose communications as well, which adds alayer of risk for residents

“Asacountry girlherself (Holbrook in rural NSW), I was impressed with Vicki’s understanding of rural and regional challenges and commitmenttokeep investing in new opportunities across Gippsland.

“I know we still have many issuestoovercome but the mobile phone coverage and broadertelecommunications connectivity has been improving every year and Iappreciated the chancetoprovide direct feedback to the Telstra CEO.”

GIPPSLAND Waterisencouraging customers to takearesponsible approachtowater use through its new‘Reduce your use’ campaign.

The managingdirector, SarahCumming, said althoughlocal waterstorageswereingood condition at the end of summer,water wasstill afiniteresource and should be used wisely.

“Water conservation is everyone’sresponsibility and as the population grows, so does the demand forwater -every drop counts,”Ms Cumming said.

“Using waterresponsibly is not onlybetter forthe environment butcan also helpsave moneyonbills.”

Ms Cumming saidsomeofthe best ways to save waterwereeasytodoand cost effective.

“You can easilysavewater by using the half flush on the toilet, planting native and drought re sistant plants, avoiding watering your garden whenrainis

forecast, and waiting until your dishwasher is full to runacycle,"she said.

“You can alsoconsider buying water-saving appliances, and getleaky taps fixedassoon as possible .Wealso offerashowerhead exchangeand atrigger nozzle program to help our customerssavewater at home.”

Other resources available on Gippsland Water’swebsiteinclude

The Latrobe Valley Express,

THE Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, has urged Telstra'sChief Executive, Vicki Brady, to keep investing in disaster resilience and improved telecommunicationscoverage,duringher visitto Gippslandand theLatrobe Valley.

Chester met with the Telstra boss during her tour of the region and emphasised the social and economic benefitsofimprovedtelecommunications in the region.

Work: FederalMember forGippsland, Darren Chester,and Telstra ChiefExecutive, Vicki Brady, discussing further telecommunications investments in the region. Photograph supplied

Transmission line study area released

By PHILIP HOPKINS

VICGRID has released its studyarea for the new transmission infrastructure through South Gippslandthat will transport energy fromoffshore wind into the Latrobe Valley (LV) electricity grid.

The study area starts about six kilometres from thecoast near Giffard and travels north-west past Stradbroke West, to Willung, across to Flynns Creek and onto the Loy Yang power station.

It does not include the preferred transmission routeidentified by the private operatorAusNet Services, which runs the electricity transmission and distributionnetworks. AusNet had undertaken three years’ negotiations, studies and environmental and cultural heritage assessments.

VicGrid’s chief executive, Alistair Parker, said the VicGid study area and the associated connection hub area had been informed by feedback from local landowners, communities and regional stakeholders as well as by technical work carried out last year.

The public release of the study area follows a mail-out to affected landholders aweek before. VicGrid said it had made every effort to contact all owners and residents of property withinthe area before apublic announcement.

This transmission infrastructurewillsupportthe state’s first offshore wind target of two gigawatts (GW) or 2000 megawatts, by 2032.

The proposed transmission technologyisa double circuit 330 kilovolt (kV) or 500 kV overhead transmission line, with furtherdetailed analysis required to determine which is the best operating voltage.

Multiple combinations of technologies were investigated, including putting the transmission line fully underground. But, after careful analysis, fully undergroundwas ruled out as an option dueto challengesincluding cost, engineeringcomplexity, procurement and timing.

VicGrid’sanalysisfoundanoverheadline is estimated to cost between $700 million and $1.5 billion, while undergrounding is estimated to cost between $2 billion and $4.5 billion.Those additional costs would be paid for by Victorian homes and businesses through higher power bills.

The higher cost of going underground was largely due to the additional above-ground infrastructure required and alongerand more complex construction process. Mr Parker said while VicGrid had received feedback thatsome local communities wouldprefer underground lines,ithad also received feedback that the impact on bills was an important consideration for many.

Mr Parker told the Express that AusNet would probably be disappointed by VicGrid’s plan,as AusNet’s ambition had been to link up to offshore windtransmission and some onshorewindaswell

“That was something they weredoing at commercial risk, tryingtoget enoughproponents together as customers to make it work commercially,” he said.

Mr Parker said the government’s concern two years ago was that, if every proponent developed its own transmission, they would get the community offside because people would be talkingtoall these proposals that would not necessarily go ahead.

This would create concern in the wider community, he said, with the government’s Renewable Energy Zone ceasing to be aniche solution.

The first offshore wind farm, Star of the South, has been developing its own transmission line separate from AusNet’s proposedtransmission link

Mr Parker saidthe upshot was the government’s decision that VicGrid would be in charge: it would develop the transmission for offshore wind. If the offshorewindindustrywanted to be in the running for government support, it would have to connect through VicGrid.

“That has been clear for awhile.AusNet paused

their activities ayear ago,” he said.

Mr Parker estimated about300 landholderswere in the study area, but notall of them wouldend up hostinga transmission line

“The work we will do over the nextyear or two is to identify the corridor, then come downtoa detailed route that will be suitable for easements. So probably in six to 12 months, manyofthose 300 landholderswill findthey are not hosting transmission,” he said.

He acknowledged other onshore solar and wind projects would also want to tap into the VicGrid transmission line.

“One of the things that has been awkward for us, we really want to share this information with the community before we started going into detailwith proponents; we didn’t want agroup of proponents who knew what we were doing whenthe community didn’t,” he said.

“We can’t start to have those conversations; already acouple have indicated they are keen to talk to us. Obviously, there are the big questions of capacity. We will need to work through that.”

Mr Parker said it was complicated; the actual line proposed for technical reasons can only take 2-2.2 GW.There was aperception that to reach 9-10 GW, five lines were needed.

“Wewill need another line from the coast -it’s not done in detail yet, we will do that work next year as well,” he said.

“We think we need another line from the coast to the LV, we will need to join the two lines. Doing that, you get enough redundancy that you can carry 8-9 GW. With transmission lines, it’s not like a water pipe where the only question is how much water to pump -with electricity, you have always gottocover for fault on one of the lines, you are always trying to work out to ensure,ifhave afault, don’t black out everybody.

“The first line is always bigger than you strictly

need, but when you get another,you can share better.”

To help gauge the location of onshore renewable projects, Mr Parker said the government was working on the Victorian Transmission Plan.

“It’s starting from land use, instead of starting from the electricitysystem. It’s starting from perspective of where the best places are for this infrastructure -not just in terms of solar or wind resource,but in terms of whatare the existing land uses,” he said.

“Does this live well with it, or would it be affecting highly productive ag land? We are doing thatwork now. That might tell you when we’ve finished it, this will be aterrible place for solar, or brilliant place for wind -wehaven’t finished that.

“When we have that perspective, it will say to people, ‘Clearly, area Aisgood for aparticular project; the area Bisa terribleplace’. We will manage that capacity much more closely across the whole of Victoria, not just Gippsland.”

TheVicGrid announcementcameaweek after thestate government announced its new policy to fast-track planning approvals for renewable energy projects. The policy has been strongly attacked by theVictorian Farmers Federation and aleading stateplanningexpert.

The federal government is currently assessing feasibility licence applications from offshore wind proponentsinGippsland and has recentlydeclared asecondoffshore wind area off the Victoriancoast in the Southern Ocean region. VicGrid will now take time to assess the implications of the Southern Ocean announcement and the area that has been identified, whichis80per centsmaller than originallyplanned due to fears about disturbing whale habitat.

Solutions

Target

PROUDLY BROU GHT TO YOUBYTHES EPAR TICI PATI NG LOCALBUS INES SES

LRHtoreceive Good Friday funding

By ZAIDAGLIBANOVIC

LATROBE Regional Health (LRH) is among five regional hospitals that will benefit from this year's Good Friday Appeal for the first time ever.

Since the Good Friday Appeal’s inception, regional hospitals have never received donations, but now this funding will help bring the Royal Children's Hospital(RCH)excellence to the regions to support training, scholarships, and state-of-the-art equipment.

This investment will improve the experience and outcomes of children receiving care in regional settings, keep children closer to home and increase capability in the regions, making the pathway to specialist care easier.

Ministerfor Health, Mary-Anne Thomasgave the exciting announcement in early February.

"The Good Friday Ap peal is amuch loved

institution here in Victoriaasisthe RoyalChildren's Hospital -every family has got astory aboutthe Royal Children's and for the first time thanks to the generosity of Victorians, some of the fund raised on that day will be distributed to regional hospitals," said Ms Thomas speaking to TRFM

Ms Thomasconfirmed that LRH will receive significant funds for anumberofimprovements and developments.

"Therewill be support provided for Latrobe Regional Health in ordertoup-skill staff, to create Gippsland's firstneurodevelopmentoutpatients clinic,topurchase new equipment to detectand manage eye disease and of course to increase the capability of staff with new specialisttraining equipment," she said.

The Minister for Healthsaidthis announcement complimentedthe state's government's commitment

to improve paediatrics care in regional areas.

"Our health services already deliverworld-class care to children but this is about boosting it and providing it even more specialist support," she said.

Funds that LRH receive will go towards anumber of new scholarships that will enable Grade 2Allied Health workers to develop the specialisations needed to establish Gippsland’s first neurodevelopment outpatient clinic. Offering assessments and therapies locally will avoid the needtotravel for specialist care, and will assist in the early detection of neurodevelopmentalproblems, such as autism spectrumdisorder, and vision and hearing problems, thereby helpingtoavoid the adverselearningand development outcomes which are often seenin children receiving later diagnoses.

The regional hospital will also hope to purchase a RETCAM (retinal scanning camera, neonatal) that

takes digital photos of the structures inside the eye, allowing clinicians to scan for and manage eyedisease.

LRH have said thatpurchasinga RETCAM for the region, and providing training to use it, will not only save childrentravelling longdistances forregular testing, but will also increase regional capacity and reduce waiting times for patients.

In addition to improving the experience of paediatric patients in the emergency department and other wards, LRH will use the funds to upgrade play equipmentand complete minor capital works, the donations will also focus on up-skilling the region’s paediatric nurses, by providing relevant paediatric training, purchasingsimulation training equipment, and enabling secondments to the RCH.

Paediatric services in Barwon, Ballarat,Goulburn Valley, Bendigoand Latrobe will also benefit from thefunds raised this year.

The Latrobe

Updates: Latrobe RegionalHealth has recentlycompletedits $223.5 million expansion and nowwill benefit from Good FridayAppeal funds Photographs supplied

Care: Donations will allowLRH to up-skillstaff and purchase newequipment.

Winner: Forthe firsttime ever,LRH will receive funds from the Good FridayAppeal

Twoinarow for Gippsland United Mixed bag foryoung Stars

BASKETBALL

BIG V

BY TOM HAYES

GIPPSLANDUnited have movedinto third on the Big VDivision 1Men’s ladder, after defeating Chelsea at the weekend.

Coming off the back of a1-1 weekend to tipoff theweekend, United couldn’tallow themselves to drop to a1-2 record after just two rounds.

Welcoming Chelsea to the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium, they weren’t going to let the visitors have it their way.

The home sideset the tone fromthe start, piling on 29 points to 22 in the opening stanza to give themselves aseven-point buffer at the first break.

It was much the same in the second term, as United added another seven to their margin, going into half time as 14-point leaders.

The Gulls pulled the margin back ever-soslightly, reducingGippsland’slead to 13 at the final change, before United restored their 14-point buffer as the final buzzer sounded.

Gippsland United capped off adominant display to improve theirrecord to 2-1after two rounds, moving into third on the ladder, only behind the RMIT Redbacks and Whittlesea.

An added positivefor United wasthe impressive showing of export, Jalin Wimberly, who went on atear against Chelsea.

Wimberly piled on the pressure, with 40 points and 12 rebounds in the win. He added three assists, two steals and shot two from beyond the arc.

Ben Barlow was immense, also recording a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds), along with four assists and two steals.

Riley Morehu was impressive off the bench, adding 16 points, 12 of those pointscoming from beyond the arc,shooting at 80 per cent from three.

An almighty challenge has beenset up following the Easter break, as Gippsland United hit the road for the firsttime, travellingto Bundoora’s RMIT Sports Centre to take on the league-leading RMIT RedbacksonApril 7.

Great work: AnnaMooney from Bairnsdale took out theUnder 19s Playerofthe Match awardinthe development squad’s firstwin forthe season.

NETBALL VNL

BY ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

THE Gippsland Stars fought hard against ahighflying Hawks, going down 25 to 70.

It was atough day in the office for the Stars, who trailed from the very beginning of the match.

The Hawks system was well in play, with the Starsfinding it difficulttoregister on the scoreboard.

The Gippsland team’s defence circle was tested with the Hawks’ attacking combination of Jessica Tetley and DominiqueTaylor shooting 30 goals each.

Lucy McKellar impressedingoal defence, and so did Alison Dwyer in the defensive ring.

By half time, the Stars had foundthemselves down by 19 goals.

Defence: Bairnsdale’s Alison Dwyer wasnamedplayerofthe Match in the Gippsland Starsloss to the Hawks Photographs supplied

Despitescoresbeing hard to come by for the young Gippsland women, they continued to push on and showed real perseverance in times of adversity.

The midcourt combination of Ava Gual and Chloe Radford continues to get better as they learn to play together.

The Hawks were just too strong throughout the court with arelentlessability to convert on turnovers, not allowing any room for the Stars to slip up.

Fellow Gippslanders in Moe’s Olivia Barnett and Warragul’s Sienna Green lined up for the Hawks featuring heavily on the highlight reel.

The Hawks are avery formidable appointment who clinched the second spot on the Under 23’s VNL ladder following their strong win against the Stars.

The Stars defenderDwyer was clearly best on court -inundated with the Hawks attack but

continued to play at every ball and provide ahard contest.

On apositivenote, the GippslandStars Under 19sdevelopment squad had their first win of the season against Eastern United in Round 2ofthe State Super Netball Series.

Under 19’s captain Anna Mooney was instrumentalinthe team’swin, gaining her Playerof the Match honours.

Moe Football-Netball Club’s Moody sisters were notable in Round 3ofthe Championship division. Georgia at the Blaze had a20-goal win over Western Warriors, showing her versatility in bothgoal attackand wing attack. Midcourter sister Alex also impressed for the Wilson Storage Southern Saints in their win over Peninsula Waves.

Today, the Stars will take on City West Falcons at the State Netball Centre in Parkville, which will be an interesting match to watch.

Come Celebrate Easter

What is Easterall about?

Is it the chocolate eggs, the EasterBunny or justspending quality time with family?Or could it be that the REAL reason forEaster is to celebratehow much Godsacrificedto restoreHis relationship with planet earth?

Thelocal churches would love youtojoin with them as they celebratethe most important eventonthe Christian calendar

Whynot take this opportunity to find out foryourself what is the REAL meaning of Easter?

GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHUR CH

Easter is the great exchange.

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, aman of ‘great understanding’ comes out of darkness and into the light

Jesus tells Nicodemus plainly,that He must die by crucifixion and Nicodemus, does not understand. (John 3)

The mission and purpose of God becoming ahuman being, is one of revelation and exchange.

At Jesus’ baptism, He exchanges His righteousness for our brokenness through water.

He exchangesHis life in glory, foralife amongst us, carrying our brokenness. In our humanity,wecontinually fail and do not know God.

We areestrangedand livingawayfrom home. In Jesus’ humanity,Heremains faithful in relationship with God the Father

In order to make the wayhome for us, Jesus comes to us, takesour brokenness to be judged and put to death in His own Body that we might get to go free and follow Him into life –His own resurrection life.

Even today,Hecallsyou to follow Him; through His cross, into New Life –the New Life of Easter Sunday,wherethereare no longer barriers between us.

The cross of Jesus bridges heaven and earth and the arms of God areopened to all who would receive His embrace.

This great love of God is really beyond our understanding Nicodemus didn’t understand.

But in the end, wheredowefind Nicodemus?

Standing under Jesus’ cross.

It is herethat you receive ablessed Easter!

Traralgon Anglican Alleluia Christ is Risen!

This is our hope!

This is the Easter message.

If Christ had not risen from the dead, what goodwould his suffering have meant?

What good would his love, symbolisedbyhis suffering, have been if evil and death had been ableto extinguish it?

The economy of our Christian Salvation is reflected in the investment portfolio of LOVE

The Gospel of Mark: speaks of MaryMagdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph... who watched wheretheylaid Jesus to rest

These twowereatthe Resurrection, The First Easter

The birth of The Church.

This is whatEaster Sunday does for us.

This is what the Resurrection does for us.

It makes thelight of hope shine so brightly in our lives that it shrinks our crosses of despair,pain and everyother challengedown to size.

The Resurrection is our hope, joy and peace.

ThroughChrist’s resurrection do goodness andpower unite and love prove that it is stronger than death.

The resurrection, anew –a wildlynew –hopedawnsfor all of humanity.

The reality of the Resurrection can explainthe reality of the historyofthe Church. Jesus, the crucified one, hasnow been raised from the dead.

And what does that mean for us?

The resurrection (the Easter message) is the stamp that validates everything Jesus didand said.

The Cross is empty,the tomb is empty andChrist is alive.

This is Easter!!!

Rev’d GradwellFredericks

Maundy Thursday 28 March 7pm with Holy Communion

Good Friday 29 March 9:30am

Easter Sunday 31 March 10:30am with Holy Communion

249 KaySt, Traralgon

PH: 0401 561 349

EachCHRISTMASwe celebratethe birth of JESUS, born of avirgin, GOD who became flesh dwelt among us.

Now Easter is hereand we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of this same JESUS. JESUS died the most horrific death known to man, the word excruciatingcameout of the word crucified, HE died to paythe price of your sin, my sin, the sin of the entire human race!

Everyperson born on this planet has been born with asin naturebut if anyone will believe thatJESUS

is LORD,and that GOD raised HIM from thedead, that person will be saved from the penalty of their own wrongdoing, their sin nature changed andtheybegin anew life.

Empowered by the re-birth of their spirit ,which wasonce dead to GOD, but is now alive to HIM but dead to the old sin natureWebecome new people, new creatures on the inside. That is extremely GoodNews.

HE did it for you!

HappyEaster from turningpoint Morwell Church.

Com ea nd join us!

Easteristhe time we celebrate Jesus’ victor yoverdeath! YAY!

Allare warmly invited to come to each and everyone of ourEaster celebrations.

Our parish is aplace of warmth and welcome; we aretruly blessed to have achurchwhich is physically beautiful with stunning stained-glass windows which tell the Old and New Testament stories.

PARISH RECONCILIATION

Tuesday March 26 - 6pm

TENEBRAE SERVICE

Wednesday March 27 - 7:30pm

HOLY THURSDAY

Thursday March 28 - 7:30pm

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday March 29 - 3:00pm

Stations of the Cross @ 9:30am

Malayalam Stations of the Cross @ 11am

EASTER VIGIL

Saturday March 30 @ 7:30pm

EASTER SUNDAY

Sunday March 31 - 9:30am (No evening mass)

St Michael’s Catholic Church is situatedonthe corner of Church and KayStreets, Traralgon.

Afterforty days of Lent ,whenwe’ve walked through the gospel stories of Jesus’ life in hislastfew months of earthly living, and of his death like acriminal, on the cross; at last , Easter Sundaydawns!

After our time of prayer –oftaking time to sit in prayer,towaitand give God time in our lives; after our time of fasting –ofidentifying and turning away from the things we choose to do which do not keep us turned towards God; after our time of almsgiving –atimefor us to remember with generosity and love those in our community andin the worldwide communitywho are not able to enjoythe safety, peace and privileges which so many of us enjoy hereinTraralgon, Australia; after Lent ,wearrive at the most joyouscelebration of the empty tomb –Jesus’ victoryover death! His resurrection means that we too, may shareineternal life in the presence of our God, and in the eternal absence of evil

We areblessed by the faith and generosity of all those who’ve gone beforeus, andthe emerging, energetic and amazing faith of our youngsters.

And so we strive, everyday and everyweek of theyeartobeGod’s people, journeying together as a parishwhilst we’re allonour own individual pilgrimages towards the cross and resurrection.

Wouldyou like to join us?

We’d love to meet you!

Maythe joyand hope of Easter fill the hearts of us all, and bring us peace.

St Michael’s Catholic Church is situated on the corner of Church and KayStreets, Traralgon.

Visit us at www.smpt.org.au, email sec@smpt.org.au or call us on 03 5174 2060

Forthe Christian Curious.

WHY EASTER?

The RevivalCentres Church in Morwell does not celebrate Easter,but we do commemorate those events that happened when Jesus Christ wascrucified and rose from the grave and what the consequencesofthose things were and what they mean to us humans.

The repercussions wereand areenormous and far-reaching, involvingevery aspect of our lives.

Come and hear and talk with us about this amazing journey that is being experiencedbythose filled with God’s Holy Spirit and available to you.

Youare invited to join us at the Morwell Revival CentreChurch at 11:00 am on Sunday31st of March as we investigate this question and further look at the happenings that arepresented during this period followed by afellowship lunch.

The Revival Centres Church is aspirit filled church that centres on people and their families and their ongoing relationship with God.

Awarm welcome is awaiting you.

If youare interested in Christianity and have an interest in what we have to say, please call Pastor Stephen on 0479 196651

Moe-Newborough Anglican Church

We areawelcoming church, afamily of friends who careand we offer an invitation to our community to join with us as we preparefor the celebration of Easter with services during Holy Week and on Easter Day

“For God so loved theworld that He gave His only begotten Son and that whoever believesinHim will not perish buthave eternal life. “(John 3:16).

We areacommunity- minded church, supporting our local people through three Opportunity shops.

They arelocated in Moe, next to the Police Station, in Newborough, Rutherglen Road and in Yallourn North in the shopping precinct there.

We aim to improve the wellbeing of our local communities with affordable

clothing, provision of household items and food supplies and support avariety of organisations and missions both financially and materially

The opening times arebetween 10am2pm most days and our team of faithful volunteers aretheretoserve.

Seek and you will find!

We also operate acommunity drop- in centreknown as The Listening Post which operates from the Madge Vinnell Centrebehind the Moe Op Shop on Fridays from 10 -12pm.

The invitation is to join us for afree cuppa and morning tea in awarm and friendly atmosphere.

Wishing everyone ahappy, safe and blessed Easter

MoeBaptistChurch

We all need hope.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ which we celebrate on Easter Sunday offers ultimate hope.

The moral failureofeach one of us has led to all kinds of evil in our world.

Our moral failureaffects our relationships with one another and, moreimportantly, with God.

To restoreour relationship with God we must at least acknowledge our wrongdoing and receive his forgiveness.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ ,among other things, guarantees the resurrection of those who have received God’s forgiveness.

This is not about drumming up belief in a fairytale.

The death and resurrection of the historical Jesus of Nazareth are compelling facts that we must all consider

When life gently travels along, many people see no need for faith or God. However, life doesn’t always gently travel along.

Oneday,the travel willstop.

What then?

It is at this point that faith in God makes all the difference

This is theunique hope that the events of the Easter storyhavebrought into human experience.

This is the hope that we all need.

Jesus’ journeytothe crossisa hard one.

Come with us on thejourney as we meet together at Traralgon Uniting foraseries of services.

In the stillness of that Easter morn so many years ago, Jesus’ disciples seean emptytomb! It means just one thing: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Experience the absolute JOYofknowing that this Easter Day!

Mainly Music is apreschool music program whereparents bring their children to a session of movement and singing.

This is followed by atime of play for thekids whilethe adults sharetime together over acuppa andcake.

Playgroup meets during school terms once aweek and is verypopular This is atime wheremums or dads can bring along their pre-schoolers for aplay time whererelationships can grow in the time shared together

Get Together meets on the first Wednesdayofeach month and offers asafe space for all who would liketocome along to chat and meets others in community. Evolve invites all to connect in acreative way and sharealight meal on the last Thursdayofeach school holidays. (11am-1pm)

Each Sundayour space is open to all, to attend agathering in amix of contemporaryand traditional style activities andsong to shareGod’s love

GP1668839

Morwell Revival Centre Church

7 Laburnum Street, Mor well

Churc hill

Chr istian Fellowship

What about EasterSaturday?

On Good Friday,weremember that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and, on Easter Sunday, we celebrate His resurrection.

East er

elebra tion Ser vice

Sunday 3pm

762 T ramway Road Churchill Cont act St eve McNeilly

But whatabout Saturday? I’ve often triedtoimagine whatSaturday was like forthe disciples.Did they meet together to sharetheir grief and shock that theOne they had come to see as Messiah and Saviour was now dead?

And here’s an interesting question. What was Jesus doing between the crucifixion and the resurrection? There’s an intriguing passage in the thirdchapter of Peter’s first epistle. It says thatJesus “went and preached to the spirits in prison.”

The Greek wordfor ‘preached’ means to makea proclamation. Iliketothink thatHewent in the Spirit to the realm of the dead and proclaimed that salvation hadnow been accomplished. The price for sin and sins had been fully paid.

e-

on 0409 173 747

-mail: mcneilly99@bigpond.com

Have you evertried to putyourself emotionally in their shoes on Easter Saturday? I’ve sometimestriedto be sad and confused all day. Butit never worked.Why? Because, unlike those original disciples, Iknow what happened the next morning!

Steve McNeilly for Churchill Christian Fellowship.

GP1668867

FindingHope andNew Life in Christ .

Forthe Christian believerEaster is atimeofhope and new life.

On Good Friday,when Jesusdied, it seemed all hope waslost His followers wereafraid and confused.

Jesus had promised he was“the hope of the world”.

Jesus had died.

He wasburied.

Wherewas thathope now?

back into relationship with God our Heavenly Father –and with each other

Afriend of mine is an expert furniturerestorer

Come Celebrate

Three days later,asthe women wenttothe grave to mourn, they found that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, overcoming death. It seemed when all waslost ,Jesus did what he said he wasgoing to do.

Jesus is the same today.

God wants us to know that he is still able to meet us in our most helpless state.

Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life.

Anyone who believes in me will live, and not die.”

This means that for those who trust in Jesus, death is not the end of our story.

Resurrection life is not just about going to heaven when we die.

It is about knowing the life of Jesus in us hereand now

Jesus died to bring us salvation from sin and the effects of sin in our life.

His life in us can transform us, heal us, deliver us from our fears and help restoreus, bringing us

He can takea piece of old furniture that has been knocked around –usedand worn, dentedand damaged, and lovingly restoreit to something beautiful and new and worthy of pride of place in someone’s home.

The good news of Easter is that in Christ ,weare made new We aregiven anew life and continue to be transformed to be moreand more like Jesus.

The effects of the resurrection of Jesus have resounded throughout history.

Jesus’ defeat of sin and death has changedeverything.

The same powerthat raised Jesus from the deadisavailable to us as well.

It changes us, renews us, and breathes fresh life into us.

The keytothis transformative powerisour faith.

New life is unlocked as we place our faith, hope, and trust in the work of Christ

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, miracles happen. New life occurs.

It is my hope thisEaster,that you might exploreand experience this new life for yourself

GP1655199

The WayIsOpen

Cleaningupwith care St Paul’sset to host community Easter Egg Hunt

EDUCATORS at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School were impressed by the outstanding success of their recent Clean Up Australia Day event. St ude nts and staffunitedinacollective effort, armed with gloves, bags and unwavering determination as they ventured into both school groundsand the local community. With ashared dedication to environmental stewardshipand caringfor ourenvironment, students showcased their commitment to a cleaner world by diligently collecting aremarkable amount of litter, ranging from plastic bottles to food wrappers.

Through their activeparticipationininitiatives like Clean Up Australia Day, students not only demonstrate their dedication to environmental sustainability but also embody the principles of responsibility and community engagement. These hands-on experiences provide vital lessons in conservation and foster asense of connection to their surroundings. Under the guidance of caring and knowledgeable educators, students are empowered to take ownership of their learning journey, while simultaneously contributing to the wellbeing of their community.

Together: Teamwork in actiontocarefor the environment with Ethan, Denver and Chloe

Inclusive: Grey Street Primar ySchool celebratedHarmony Dayand WorldDown Syndrome DayonThursday, March 21 Photograph supplied

Orange tops and crazy socks at Grey St Primary

GREY Street Primary School recently celebrated two wonderful causes.

Adorned in orange and crazy socks, students stood in solidarity for Harmony Day, where they embraced cultural diversity. They also participated in World Down Syndrome Day, celebratingthe amazing people who have Down Syndrome in the community.

Grey Street Primary School took the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate its large, culturally diverse school and its wonderful Year 1student,Ace, who has Down Syndrome.

The school prides itself on its inclusivity and takes on an inclusive education mentality to ensure everyone feels welcome.

ST Paul’sAnglican Grammar School will be holding aCommunity Easter Egg Hunt today (Wednesday, March 27) commencing promptly at 4pm at 46 Cross’s Road, Traralgon.

The event is open to all childrenunder 12 in the community, who mustbeaccompanied by a supervising adult.

Please arrive at least 15 minutesbefore the scheduled start time of the event to check in.

Registrations are essentialfor cateringpurposesplease register via the St Paul’s website:stpaulsags. vic.edu.au

Fun: Join St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School CommunityEaster EggHuntthis afternoon. Photograph: iStock

Fun: Creating acleaner futureare Tajand Moonic. Photographs supplied

working as agroup

Happy: Grace andAlice clean up withcare. Ripples: Creating change is Kaleb.

HOROSCOPES

by Joanne Madeline Moore

March25- March 31,2024

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)

Monday’s pre-Easter Lunar Eclipse lights up your partnership zone So, this week, focus maximum attention on the special loved ones in your life It’s also time to get the balance right between invigorating independence and cosy togetherness Your motto for the moment is from Aries writer and activist Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)

Are you stuck in a Taurean rut? Have you been too stubborn to embrace change? This week’s Lunar Eclipse shakes up your daily routine zone Plus adventurous Jupiter and innovative Uranus also inject fresh energy and enthusiasm into your day-to-day life So use it as an opportunity to open your mind and expand your world The Easter weekend favours social get-togethers with your extended peer group as you eat, drink, dance, enjoy and explore

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

W Gith four planets powering through your work zone a professional matter or a volunteer project is taking up most of your precious time at the moment If it’s too much to handle on your own then don’t hesitate to ask for assistance from your peer group Don’t battle on alone others are happy to pitch in and help As Ringo Starr sings: “I get by with a little help from my friends ” The weekend is wonderful for relaxing, unwinding, drifting and dreaming

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

Crabs are the natural nurturers of the zodiac but looking after loved ones won’t be easy, as you juggle your busy personal and professional lives

Monday’s Lunar Eclipse falls in your domestic zone, so it’s a good week to clean and declutter your living space then you can enjoy entertaining family and/or friends on the Easter weekend

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22)

The pre-Easter Lunar Eclipse is in your sign, so do your best to be fair and balanced as you appreciate differing viewpoints But is your love-life stuck on autopilot? It’s time to blast away the cobwebs and look at things from a fresh angle Single Libra – are you fed up with dating disasters? Steer clear of flirtatious charmers with frivolous values and dubious motives Attached Libra – love, adventure and experimentation are a super romantic mix

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21)

Monday’s Lunar Eclipse favours meditation contemplation, relaxation and investigation as you solve a problem or get to the bottom of a perplexing mystery However, if you stubbornly hang onto the past and resist change you ’ re in for a rocky ride You need to be more flexible and adapt to constantly changing circumstances Heed the wise words of Scorpio actor and social commentator Will Rogers: “Chaotic action is preferable to orderly inaction ”

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21)

The Sgun and Mercury are transiting through your leisure-and-pleasure zone, so it’s time to plan a party, book a massage, attend a concert, see an exhibition or organise a night at the movies Plus the Lunar Eclipse activates your hopes-and-wishes zone So smart Sagittarians will start dreaming and planning a bigger and better life now! Your quote is from this week’s birthday great entertainer extraordinaire Elton John: “I’ve always been, and still am a dreamer”

Some lucky Crabs will travel somewhere special or unexpected – to a destination with good food and a cosy homey atmosphere

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22)

The Lunar Eclipse fires up your tempestuous nature, so you’ll feel amped up and ready to perform as you overdo just about everything! But don’t let overconfidence (and over-exuberance)

trip you up Your head s full of ambitious dreams and fabulous schemes, but they’ll only work if you can persuade other people to contribute to Team

Leo You’ll find creative collaboration (especially at work) will take you a lot further than functioning as a solo operator

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22)

By KATRINA BRANDON

ART, entertainment, food, and wildlife were at the Y(Our)Fest on March8atthe MorwellWooden Park, which was run by Artists for Kids Culture. Festivities started at 4pm when people could venture to each activity to see what was what. About 60 people attended the event's early hours and many more later.

Welcome to Country withAuntie MichelleHood from Morwell’s First People’s Treaty started at 4:30pm. Michelle completed the smoking ceremony onsite despite the strong winds.

Organisations included Artbus, Culturefor Multicultural Youth (CMY), Berry Street, Morwell Girl Guides,Pen’s Kitchen, Animal of Oz and more. There were manyactivities such as awool chill area, hand henna, sausages, food, box wars zone, paper planedecorating (which they later flew), games, chill zone, park equipment, face painting, chill zone, play stage, main stage, aquarium art, chai and chat, agreen room, snack bar and animal

pen where Animal of Oz showed their animals. There were many performances throughout the night. For example, someone brought in asitar, a typeofIndian guitar, andRangerJackson from Animal of Oz had ashow-and-tell with the wildlife he brought over so that he could help educate people on them and things that people could do to help those animals.

Many organisations had different activities throughoutthe night where people could chat, meet new people, and learn about the activity holder.

Organisations such as Berry Street talked about fostering,and the Morwell Girl Guides shared what it was like to be apart of the guides group while decorating the paper planes.

Overall,lots of people turned up to the event despite the heat.

"Y(Our)Fest Morwell was an amazing event -all attendees enjoyeditsomuch. The feedback has been amazing. We really hope to be backin2025,” Event organiser, Kylie Greer said.

Do yo pur best to be sensitive to the needs of others

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)

The pre-Easter Lunar Eclipse stirs up relationship insecurities (especially at home and work) and you may have to handle someone with kid gloves! Keep your Capricorn cool as you participate in some difficult conversations and then deftly steer the subject matter onto safer ground Short trips education, friendships, creative projects, and local community connections are particularly favoured

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

Witqh the Lunar Eclipse activating your wanderlust zone, many restless Aquarians will feel cooped up, housebound and a bit stir-crazy So pull on your travelling shoes and escape on an Easter getaway or plan an adventurous trip for sometime soon On the weekend you’ll communicate your innovative ideas with extra pizazz as you dream big dreams talk about progressive philosophies, and make connections with influential folk from foreign shores

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20)

With g four planets dashing through your partnership zone, the more diplomatic, caring and compassionate you are, the better your personal and professional relationships will be Monday’s pre-Easter Lunar Eclipse stimulates your self-esteem and money zone So – if you want to do well financially – spending sprees are out, and serious saving is in! It’s also an appropriate time to reflect on your personal values and reassess your current priorities

The pre-Easter Lunar Eclipse highlights a close relationship, shared finances or a joint venture Secrets and issues of loyalty could also be placed under the microscope, as you discover whether your trust in someone has been well-placed And prepare for a burst of Piscean creativity and energy as Venus, Mars, Saturn and Neptune activate your sign Lucky opportunities could magically manifest especially within your local community or via social media

COPYRIGHTJoanneMadelineMoore2024

Thisadvertisingspace couldbe urs

By KATRINA BRANDON

IN 2009, the Morwell Rose Garden was awarded the worldwide Award of Garden Excellence.

Now, some volunteers are celebratingtheir 30th year tending to the garden.

“Our main aim is to care for the roses, with the council mowing the lawns and helping with the garden's weeding and mulching,” said volunteer Patricia Claassens.

“I volunteer at the garden. Ihave enjoyed working at the Morwell Rose Garden for the past 18 years because it feels good to be out enjoying myself, meeting people, forming friendships and giving back to the Community.”

and in small teams, possiblywearingBunnings hats.

No experience is necessary to join the crew, as it is alearn-as-you-go program. You are never left aloneinthe garden.

Ms Claassens said, “No experience is necessary. We requireyou to bring your own secateurs, hat, and gloves and wear sturdy shoes. When anyone joinsthe ‘Friendsofthe Garden,’ we take them for a tour of the garden,and when theystart volunteering,wepairthem up withamore experienced member so that they can learn how to care for roses. ”

“We welcome volunteers of any age group, and many of our volunteers are in their 70s and 80s and have worked in the garden for many years. Some are now cutting back on their time in the garden, but they say it givesthem apurpose in lifeand the friendships they have formed keep them going.”

This week my stars are telling me that I’m going to purchase a fantastic bargain YOUBEAUTY!

Recently, there hasbeena steep decline in volunteers around the Latrobe area, withthe Morwell Rose Garden Volunteers being just one of many of those groups. There are 30 registered volunteers with the Rose Garden group. Volunteers work in the garden on Tuesday mornings between 8am and 12pm, with amorning tea break at 10am. You can see them around in the morning with bright vests, over the garden beds

If you are interestedinvolunteering, contact the garden committee by email at info@morwellrosegarden.com.au or come to the gardenona Tuesday and talk with avolunteer.

To advertise your bargains, products or services in this column or forinformation, simply phone JennyMannon 5135 4412 today.

Warmth:

Welcome: Michelle Hoodwelcomesthe audience to country

Beauty: Locally sourced roses looked afterby the Rose Garden Volunteers.

THE 26th DFP Recruitment Latrobe City Community Fun Run and Walk was held on Sunday, with ahugeturnout from the community and representation from schoolsand organisations across Latrobe.

This year, the event created areal festival atmosphere at Kernot Hall, cross-promoting with the Health and Wellness Expo.

Traralgon Harriers Club President, Phill Mayer, said the event went well.

“Itwas fantastic day for the club and the community, with asolid turnout enjoying the Kernot Hall and Waterhole Creek course," he said.

"There were some top times and an exciting race at the front of the field, but there were some special personal achievements too.

"People run in memory of loved ones, or to challenge themselves. Running or walking five kilometres is abig deal for many people, and the club is proudtoprovide an opportunity for the communitytoget involved in afun supportive event like this.

“Sponsors and politicians came and actuallyran or walked, focusing on the event, not on any other agenda, which shows unity."

There was some speedy times, with local runner Daniel Barry stopping the clock at 17:38, followed by Peter Cutler from the Harriers (17:45) in second, and Wellington’s Isaac Frost finishing third in 19:55.

In the women’s, Harrier Sarah Lewis placed first in 20:50, Maffra’s Ruth Hodge in second (21:57), and Sofia Almeida from Wellington was third (22:26).

FunRun success

In the Under 17 section,Frost was first male and Lilijah Devenson the first female.

In the Open (18-39) section, Barry camefirst and Lewis was first female.

The40-49 section was won by Cutler and Cherie Vajler wasfirst female.

The 50-59 section was hotly contested, with Gordon Knight winning, and Harrier Liz Kenney the first female.

The 60+ division was won by Geoff Francis and Heather Farley was the first female.

In the kids 12 and Under 1.5km, Lily Stachan won the girlsin7:23, followed by Tavia Leeson and Annabelle Semmler, while the boys winner Aiden Loraine ran the course in 4:34, followed by Henry Cleaver and Arlo Reid.

Plaques were awarded for the greatest number in ateam, with Kurnai College winning for the sixth year in arow for the School Team, while GHD won the plaque for largest Business Team.

Traralgon Harriers won the Sports Club plaque.

“We challenge other clubs, football and netball teams especially, to get out and try to win the sports plaque," Mayer said.

"We want to see sportingorganisations get behind this event, which is fantastic for the community, and also raises money for Gippsland Rotary Centenary House, whichisthe cancer support facility at Latrobe Regional Hospital”.

Trent Kooyman, who organised the event along with co-racedirector, Clinton Jolly, saidthe fun run was proud to support LRH's cancer facility.

“There are not many regions that have afacility like this,and it takes money to run.Ifwedidn’t have it here in Latrobe,people would have to travel to Melbourne for treatment, so we think it’s aworthy cause to get behind and raise money for," he said.

"Everyone knowssomeone affected by cancer. The Harriers is proud that we’ve raised over $30,000 dollars in the last six years, and we’ll do the acquittal this week to see how much we raised this year.

“It’s always heartening to see all the wonderful organisations that get out and support the event, either by participating or being apartofthe festivalstyle hub, providing massages or food, displays of shoes or volunteering to make the eventrun smoothly.

"We had over $7000 worth of spot prizes too. We have an incredible community in Latrobe, and the Harriers are motivated to give and contribute, providing opportunities for all to be involvedin living ahealthy lifestyle, irrelevant of speed or running ability”.

Mayer said the Harriers was always welcoming new members.

"As aclub, we run weekly club runs, and about eight weekend events, including the CFR and the Traralgon Marathon which is coming up in June, as well as having our representative AV team at the higher level, so there are opportunities for everyone

“The Harriers have never been stronger, with record membershipnumbers over the last three years.

"We hold runs every Thursday night, and we’re about to kick-off our winter season, so now is a great time to join the club.

"We welcome people to come and havearun with us, whether you’re asocial and recreational runner, or want to run at Athletics Victoria level. We have coaching groups, the club caters for all levels, and is asupportive club with agreat social aspect and astronginclusiveculture. We even have awalkers group.”

To find out more about the Traralgon Harriers, visit their Facebookpage or website at traralgonharriers.org.au

Crew: The Harriersorganising team Photographs supplied Well done: Latrobe CityCommunity FunRun place-getters

Turnout: Thefun runattracted alarge crowdonSundayatKernot Hall, Morwell.

Iftar: breaking fast and barriers

By ZAIDAGLIBANOVIC

THE United Muslim Sisters of the Latrobe Valley CommunityIftar Dinner went down ahuge success

With the Islamic holy month of Ramadanwell underway the women at UMSLVheld their annual dinner or (Iftar) in Islamic terms and welcomed the community to come join in on the joyous occasion and learn.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calender and has major significance in the religion

During thismonth Muslims around the world will abstain from all indulgences like food and water from dawn until dusk.

Master of ceremonies Aleena Khan and Yuman Ahmad welcomed everyone to the Trafalgar Hall on Saturday, March 16.

The event began with acall to prayer or Adhan prounced uh-daan as most Iftardinners would.

Following the Adhanpracticing Muslimsbroke their 14 hours fast and then prayers commenced.

Aiming to educate and celebrate the religious month, presidentofthe UMSLVArfa Sarfaraz invites the community to the UMSLV Iftar Dinner.

"I strongly believe that RamdanIftar has worked as catalyst in the regiontoshare meals and understanding towards Muslim community.There is still lot to do," she said.

Thereare stillmanymisconceptionsregarding Ramadan that Muslims address constantly.

Ms Sarfaraz said many peopleare shocked to hear that Muslims fast and are not permitted water during those hours.

"I have people come up to me and say 'it must be

difficult to live withoutwater' but people are really determined and strong," she said.

"And we keep on reminding people that fasting is notobligatory on adult people who are ill, travelling, menstruating or experiencing postnatal bleeding, or excused from fasting due to amedical conditionwherein fasting would cause harm, they areexcusedfrom fasting and they either make up the fast later in the year or feed the needy as a charitable expiation."

Charity playsasignificantpart in Islamic practice.

In the Five Pillars of Islam, first comes the

profession of faith, second comes prayer, third comes Zakat (charity), fourth comes fasting and fifth is the Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.

As one of the pillars of the faith, Zakat requires all Muslims to donate aportion of their wealth to charity. Muslims must meet acertain threshold before they can qualifyfor zakat. The amount is 2.5 per centor1/40 of an individual's total savings and wealth.

Sheikh Wahid gave an informative talk on Zakat and its obligatory nature in Islam and explained the differencebetween Sadqa(Donation) which is voluntary.

Donations were collected from attendees to go towards emergency relief in Palestine. With the Gaza Strip experiencing ahumanitarian crisis as aresult of the conflict in the Middle East, Ms Sarfaraz said this Ramadan was asombre affair knowing Palestinian Muslims are experiencing famine -essentially fasting without achoice.

As Ramadan continues, there is many ways that non-Muslimscan help foster an inclusive environment fortheir Muslim friends, family, colleagues and associates.

"Gippsland can be more inclusive -workplaces needtoknowifthey have Muslimworkerswho are fasting -accommodate their timings and don’t ask them for coffee and lunch during this month," said Ms Sarfaraz.

"To increase the knowledge and understanding (of Ramadan) maybe invite (everyone)tohave achatwith rest of the team to create inclusive workplaces," she added.

The Community Iftar Dinner was well attended by localMuslims,friends,family and organisations

GippSportStreetgames was in house keeping the young ones entertained while GippslandPublic Health Unit presented about their workwith surveys to determine how GPHU could support community in the future.

Representatives from Latrobe Health Assembly chief executive officer, Ellen-Jane Brown, Centre for Multicultural Youth team leader Julia Rovery de Souza, Quantum's Jill Janis Page, Federation University's Jane Darling Sloyan were in attendance among many others.

Together: TheUnited Muslim Sisters of the Latrobe ValleyCommunityIftar Dinner went down a huge success. Photographs supplied

Practice: Ramadan is theholyIslamic month where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.

Hooray: The CommunityIftar Dinner waswellattended by people from all walksoflife.

Fun: GippSpor twas in attendance to keep the children enter tained.

TheGuide

GARDENING AUSTRALIA

ABC TV,Friday, 7.30pm

Surrounding themselves with plants and natureseems to eternally instil the GardenAustraliacrew with apalpablesense of vibrancyand passion… andthey neverpass up the opportunity to celebrate an occasion. In tonight’s joyous and upbeat offering,the school holidays arehereand there’sanabundance of inspiration forthe break. Gregarious host Costa Georgiadis visits Australia Zootonot only meet its fascinating residents, but learn about howits plants supply food and ahabitat Jane Edmanson (pictured) visits an inspiring outdoor area that proves size doesn’t matter,wherea courtyard bigenoughtoparkacar is flourishing with nativetrees and alushwildflower meadow

Wednesday, March 27

ABC TV (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News

Mornings. 10.00 Four Corners.(R) 10.30

Nigella Bites. (R) 10.55 Q+A. (R) 12.00 ABC

News At Noon. 12.30 National PressClub

Address 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 2.00

Parliament Question Time. 3.00 The Cook

AndThe Chef.(R) 3.25 Prince Charles: Inside

The DuchyOfCornwall. (PG, R)

4.15 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

5.15 Grand Designs. (R)

HOUSE OF GODS

ABCTV, Sunday, 8.30pm

This heady mix of wealth, power,faith and family comes to itscrunch in asatisfying,simmering conclusion.The tension hasbeen ratcheted up to oppressivelevels in this Sydney-based storyofanIraqi family.It’sapolished drama vibrating with sterling performances, whereevery little detail is plumbed to great melodramatic effect.In“When God Speaks”,there’s resolution of sorts as thetruth is draggedtolight,but firstthere’ssome unexpected power plays and deals to unravel as Sheikh Shaaker(Simon Elrahi, pictured) confronts his adversaryand uncovers the depths of patriarch Sheikh Mohammad’s(Kamel El Basha) ambition. It’sathrilling finalact

HOWDOTHEY REALLYDOIT?

SBS Food, Monday, 7.30pm

Do youreally want to know what goesonbehind the scenesatyour favourite destination forthat guilty late-night second dinner?Inthischeeky documentaryseries, some of the UK’s most-lovedfood empires areput under the microscope to reveal notjustwhatgoes into their drool-worthy recipes, but how they market their brands and their products to maketheir meals seem lip-smackingly irresistible.Intonight’sunabashedly greasyand salty peek, the cameras go bravely inside the kitchens of global deep-fried treasureKFC to reveal howtheir famous fare is cooked,amongother not-so life-changing insights.Unfortunately,those secret herbs and spices remainanelusive secret.

SBS (3)

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Paul O’Grady:For TheLoveOfDogs. (PGa, R) 10.00 Wonderful World Of Baby Animals. (PG, R) 10.55

Mountain Vets.(Ma) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00

Dateline. (R) 2.30 Insight.(R) 3.30 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 3.35

DestinationFlavour ChinaBitesize. (R) 3.45

The Cook Up With Adam Liaw.(R) 4.15 World’s

Most Scenic Railway Journeys. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

SEVEN (7,6)

PIC

CKOFTHE WEEK

NCIS 10, T Prep energ seaso than polic admi at tim star M there supp Wilm make powe deve Nick “Algú bene surfa the t histo angu adar Next tissue spec to lat who Malla

S

Tuesday, 9pm aretobesurprised and gised by this unpredictable on21premiere. After more 20 years, thistrustynaval eprocedural stalwart can ittedly feel alittle worn out mes,but afterlong-standing MarkHarmon’s exit last year, e’s moreroom forthe porting players to shine. mer Valderrama eshis mark in a erful character elopment for Torres tonight únDía”goes eath the ace and into roubled family ory of the uished cop in ringstoryline. t week,pack esfor amoving ial tributeepisode teactor David McCallum playedDr. Donald “Ducky” ard fortwo decades.

Ghossts of the past: Wilmmer Valderrama makes his mark in an NCISSepisode about Torrees’ family history

NINE (9,8)

TEN (10, 5)

9.30 Deal Or No Deal. (R) 10.00 GCBC. (R) 10.30 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 11.00 Dr Phil. (PGlm, R) 12.00 10 News

First: Midday 1.00 Ent. Tonight. 1.30 To Be Advised. 3.00 GCBC. 3.30 10 News First: Afternoon. 4.00 Neighbours. (PGa) 4.30 Bold. (PGav) 5.00 News. 6.00

7.30

11.35

3.00 Rage (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.30 Catalyst. (PG, R) 5.30 7.30.(R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Alone Australia. (Return,Ml) Tensurvivalists takeonthe wilderness.

8.30 JimmyCarr’s ILiterally Just Told You. (Mals) Jimmy Carr is joined by celebrity players LorraineKelly,Alex Horne, Aisling Beaand Asim Chaudhry

9.25 Miniseries: Litvinenko.

(Ma) Part 1of4

10.20 SBS World News Late.

10.50 Blinded. (MA15+s)

11.45 The Wall:The Orchard. (Return, Mals) 3.05 Mastermind Australia. (R) 4.05 Going Places With Ernie Dingo.(PG,R) 4.35 Bamay (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning

5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe World Tonight

6.00 SevenNews.

HomeAnd Away (PGa) 7.30 The1%Club UK (Premiere,

winningmoney for their chosen charity

9.00 FBI:International (Mav) The team delves into acase involving an American who killedanelderly German man in Berlin

11.00 TheProject (R) Alook at the day’snews.

12.00 TheLateShowWith Stephen Colbert. (PG)

1.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.30 CBS Mornings.

NITV (34)

Thursday, March 28

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News

Mornings. 10.00 Australian Story.(R) 10.30

Compass. (PGa, R) 11.00 AntiquesRoadshow (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Big Deal. (Ml, R) 2.00 MeetThe Penguins. (R) 3.00

The CookAnd The Chef.(R) 3.25 Prince

Charles: Inside TheDuchyOfCornwall. (R)

4.15 Antiques Roadshow.(R) 5.15 Grand Designs.(R)

6.00

6.30

7.00 ABCNews.

7.30 7.30 Presented by Sarah Ferguson.

8.00 Foreign Correspondent.

Takesa look at Italy’spopulation.

8.30 Grand DesignsNew Zealand. TomWebster meets an architect who is prepared to do whateverittakes to get her family home built

9.20 AntiquesRoadshow. (R)Fiona

Bruce and the team visit Portchester Castle where they examine all manner of curios.

10.20 Better Date Than Never. (R)

10.50 ABCLateNews.

11.05 TheBusiness (R)

11.20 Love On TheSpectrum. (PG, R)

12.20 Grand Designs. (R)

1.10 Rage.(MA15+adhlnsv) 4.30 Catalyst. (R)

5.30 7.30.(R)

ABC

NITV (34)

SBS (3)

6.00 MorningPrograms. 10.50 Mountain Vets. (Ma) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Alone

Australia. (Ml, R) 3.00 Mastermind Aust. (R)

3.30 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 3.35 DestinationFlavour China Bitesize. (PGa, R) 3.45 The Cook Up.(PG,R)

4.15 World’sMost Scenic Railway Journeys.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. Presented by Marc Fennell.

6.30 SBS WorldNews

7.35 BettanyHughes: Treasures of Bulgaria. (PGa) Bettany Hughes explores Bulgaria.

8.30 StanleyTucci: Searching ForItaly:London. Stanley Tucci explores how Italian immigration has transformed London’sfood scene.

9.20 TheVanishingTriangle. (Malsv) Lisa is given aterrible choice by the killer who is making her decide who to save, Susan or Mandy

10.10 SBSWorld NewsLate.

10.40 Illegals. (Malsv)Travisobliterates the evidence of themurder

11.40 La Jauria. (MA15+sv, R)

3.30 MastermindAustralia. (R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHKWorld English News Morning.

5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe WorldTonight.

(22) 6am

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs.

3.25 FreshFairytales. 3.40 TheMagic

4.05 Spartakus AndThe Sun Beneath The Sea. 4.35 Grace Beside Me. 5.00 Our Stories. 5.30 The77Percent. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 News. 6.40

Odysseys. 7.30 Going Places With Ernie

8.30 BonesOfCrows. 9.30 MOVIE: Natural BornKillers.(1994,MA15+) 11.35 Late Programs.

Continued. (1948,PG) 7.50 Minari. (2020, PG, Korean) 10.00 Miss Marx. (2020, M) Noon Quiet Bliss. (2014, M, Italian) 2.20 WelcomeHome, Roxy Carmichael. (1990, PG) 4.15 Coco Avant Chanel. (2009, PG, French) 6.20 What’sEating GilbertGrape. (1993, PG) 8.30 TheWife. (2017, M) 10.25 Ammonite. (2020, MA15+) 12.35am Late Programs.

6.00

9.35

by TomGleeson.

10.05 TheWeeklyWith Charlie Pickering. (R)A satiricalnews program.

10.35 QI. (PG, R)

11.05 ABC LateNews

11.25 Grand Designs: Essex. (R)

12.15 Belgravia. (PG,R)

1.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

SEVEN (7,6)

6.00 SevenNews.

7.00 Football. AFL.Round 3. Brisbane Lions vCollingwood. From the Gabba, Brisbane.

10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back at all the action from the game.

11.00 TheLatest: SevenNews.

11.30 TheAmazing Race. (PG,R) Theteams of two continuetheir race around the Americas for the chance to win $1 million.

1.00 Fortitude. (MA15+av,R) Thepolice continuetheir investigation and makeseveraldiscoveries with worrying implications.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBCToday News and current affairs.

5.00 Sunrise 5am News. The latest news, sport and weather.

5.30 Sunrise. News, sportand weather

6am Morning Programs. 9.00 Harry’sPractice. 9.30 NBC Today Noon BetterHomes. 1.00 Escape To

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

6.30 SBS WorldNews.

7.30 Mystery Of TheArk Of Covenant. (PG, R) Alook at the Ark of theCovenant.

8.20 Japan: World’sMostPunctual

Train: From TokyoToThe Sea Of Japan Part 1of2.Explores Japan’s Shinkansen, theworld’smost punctual long-distance express trains.

10.10 Naples: UnderThe Volcanic Threat (R) Alook at the volcanos of the Naples’ region.

11.10 AFrench Case. (Premiere, Mal)

12.10 MaxAnger: With One

EyeOpen. (Mal, R)

3.30 MastermindAustralia.(R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe WorldTonight

TEN (10, 5) NINE (9, 8)

6.00 9News

7.00 ACurrent Affair

7.30 RBT. (Ml, R) Alookatpolice random breath test patrols.

8.30 Australia Behind Bars. (Malv, R)

Officer David organisesfor afather to see his son who wasfreaking out being behind barsfor thefirst time

9.30 World’sMostDangerous Prisoners. (MA15+av) Takesa look at people behind bars.

10.30 Law&Order: Organized Crime. (MA15+av)

11.20 9News Late.

11.50 A+EAfter Dark. (MA15+lm, R)

12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R)

1.35 Pointless.(PG,R) 2.30 Global Shop (R) 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Believer’sVoice Of Victory. (PGa)

4.30 ACurrent Affair.(R) 5.00 9News Early

5.30 Today

6.00 Deal Or No Deal.

Hosted by GrantDenyer

6.30 TheProject. Alookatthe day’snews.

7.30 I’mA Celebrity… GetMe Out OfHere! (PGals) Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin.

8.30 GoggleboxAustralia. TV fanatics open up theirliving rooms to reveal their reactions to popular and topical TV shows.

9.30 Law&Order: SVU. (Mv,R)

Agroup of teensterrorising touristshas the SVU squad working overtime.

10.30 Blue Bloods. (Ma, R) Baez and her daughter are targeted.

11.30 TheProject. (R)

12.30 TheLateShowWith Stephen Colbert. (PG)

1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBSMornings.

7.00 SevenNews.

7.30 RoyalChildren’s Hospital Good FridayAppeal (PG) Coverage of the annual Good Friday Appeal to help raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital.

11.30 Ramsay’s KitchenNightmares USA (Mal, R) Gordon Ramsayheads to Long Branch, New Jersey, wherehe comes to the aid of Max’sBar &Grill.

12.30 Armchair Experts. (M,R) Apanel discussesall things AFL

1.15 GetOnExtra. (R) Alook at theweekend’sbestracing.

1.45 TheArrangement. (Mav,R)Kyle and Megan clash overcareerchoices.

2.00[VIC]HomeShopping.

4.00 Million Dollar Minute (R)HostedbySimon Reeve.

5.00 NBCToday. News and current affairs.

6.00 9News.

7.00 ACurrent Affair.

7.30 David Attenborough’s Dynasties II: Hyena. (PGa) Narrated by SirDavid Attenborough

8.40 MOVIE: Noah. (2014,Mav,R)After experiencing visionsofanapocalyptic flood, aman builds an ark to protecthis family.Russell Crowe, JenniferConnelly.

11.20 See No Evil:Savage

By Name. (Mav)

12.10 Australia’s TopTen Of Everything. (PG, R)

1.05 Tipping Point (PG, R)

2.00 Pointless. (PG, R) 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Postcards. (PG, R) 4.30 Global Shop.(R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 SkippyThe Bush Kangaroo.(R)

6.00 Deal Or No Deal.

Hosted by GrantDenyer.

6.30 TheProject Alook at theday’snews.

7.30 Ready Steady Cook. (PGa)

Hosted by Miguel Maestre.

8.30 TheGrahamNorton Show. (Mal, R) Graham Norton is joined by Bruce Springsteen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anna MaxwellMartin and Mo Gilligan.

9.30 DogsBehaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGs, R) GraemeHalltries to prevent adog from ruiningarelationship and saveanother from eviction.

10.30 Fire Country. (PGa, R) Afire erupts after aplane crash.

11.30 TheProject. (R)

12.30 TheLate ShowWith Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R)

LOCALFOOTBALL &NETBALL

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY LIAM DURKIN

NOT long nowuntil theball is tossedupon the field andthe first centrepass is thrown on the netball court.

The practice matcheshavecomeand gone, giving onlookers avague ideaofhow sides areshapingup.

No preseason would be complete without the ‘sillyseason’, wherethe racetosign certain playerscan often be as hotly contestedas whattakes place on field Boardsand committees areinittowin aflag justasmuch as players and coaches.

It washowever aprettyquietoffseason, although thingshave ramped up in the last few weeks (that’s morelikeit).

Which oneswillbethe teams to beat? Which willstruggle?Whichwill prove to be March Champions?

Willwesee someclubs break themould and produce something special, something pundits didn’tthinkthey werecapableof? Let’s hope so.

The lastthinganyonewants is alopsided competition -anunfortunate realitythatplayed out in theNorth Gippsland Football-Netball Leaguelastyear.

Someeyebrow raisingmargins were recorded weekly,but by the same token, therewas also someequallyeye-catching games

The Elimination Finalbetween Churchill and YallournYallourn North wassaid to be oneof the best NorthGippsland finals ever staged, while the story surrounding Woodside’s rise to the Grand Final capturedthe imaginationsof many.

Let’s notforgetHeyfield, the Kangaroos hoppedall theway into thetop threewith a teamofkids, signalling they willindeed be a sidefor the future.

No one could beat TTUhowever,the Bombers going through as premiers and champions Willa direct route to town(sortof) nowthat the bridge has opened, lead to evenmore successthis season?

North Gippy clubs occupying the bottomhalf of the ladder last seasonwillalsobehoping for their own versions of success.

How muchwillKeenan Hughes be ableto resurrect Cowwarr’sfortunes? Or indeed JoshMonacella, taking on probablythe hardest job in localfooty as the newcoach of Gormandale.

Mid Gippsland andNorth Gippslandcollided overthe offseason,withthe potential move of MorwellEast outofMid Gippsland ahot topic. The Hawks appearedcertaintobecome the NGFNL’s 12thclub,until it wasstopped in its

tracks at the 11thhour by opposingNorth Gippsland clubs

The decision means the Hawks willremain as theyare for now, (viewed by manyasa mistake)although Morwell East have already confirmed theywilllookatmoving again in six months time

Mid Gippslandhas the most successful clubincountryVictoria by way of senior premierships in Fish Creek.

The Kangaroosadded anothertrophytothe cabinet lastyear,afterstunningNewborough (and thelocal football worldfor that mater), on Grand Finalday In atragic postscript however, the trophy cabinet burnttothe groundjust weeksafter the Grand Final triumph, following alarge scale fire at Fish CreekFootball-NetballClub headquarters

The firemay havedestroyedthe clubrooms, but it welded the community together even more, andthe Kangarooshave spent the offseasonrebuilding.

If theycan snag afollow-upflag,itwillsurely be one of the most emotionally-charged in Mid Gippslandhistory.

Fish Creek isn’tthe only club recovering from disaster,withMirbooNorth still picking up the pieces from last month’sapocalypticstorm.

The stormcamethrough, taking out notonly the goal posts at thelocal footy ground, but also the presidentand senior coach in the immediate aftermath.

Mirboo North favourite son DamienTurner has beenwhiskedinascoach, althoughone does feelappointing anew coach so late intothe preseason means the Tigers willbebehind the eightballfromthe start.

The same could perhaps be said of HillEnd, who also have anew coachinfellowclub favourite AmbuUliando. The Rovers didn’t win agamelastyear, and by allreports, just getting ateam on theparkwillbecounted as everybit awin this season.

Aclubthat hasgone through its share of trying seasons is Thorpdale, but that all changed last season when theBlues marched all the waytothe PreliminaryFinal. Thorpdale doesn’tlookcontentonresting on that performance, and hasadded evenmore quality players to its list,somany in fact, there aresome suggesting theBlues won’t losea game this year

Time willtell, but as many well versedinlocal football will know,there hasbeen countless teams in thepast predicted to be unbeatable, onlytofall short.

Youonly have to askNewborough. The Bulldogs havelostjustfour

Welcome to the 2024 football-netballseason

home-and-awaygames in thelasttwo seasons -yet don’thave asingleflagtoshow forit.

They finished10pointsclear on topofthe ladder last year -and then never even looked like winning on Grand Finalday

Their opponents Fish Creek, had never even playedonthe Morwell East ground until Grand Final day.

This was the Grand Final Newboroughwasn’t meant to lose. It was theGrand Final they couldn’tlose.

Speaking to media postgame, Newborough coach Craig Skinner honestly looked shellshocked, like he couldn’tbelieve what had just happened.

He wasn’t theonly one.

There is no escapingthe factNewborough hasanunwanted history of stumblingin Grand Finals, with their record in thelast 10 completed seasonsreading one premiership from six deciders (2012,‘13,‘14,‘16,‘22,‘23). TheBulldogs will be fighting hardtotry and getthe ledger back to some equilibrium,and after being ‘bashedup’ in the Grand Final, could returnwitha more physical edge.

Inthe GippslandLeague,usualsuspect Leongatha is again tipped to be the frontrunner.

Can anyone knock the Parrots offtheir perch .like, can it actually happen? In allhonesty? They arejust so good

Predictions aside, this is usually themost exciting timeofyearfor players andclubsnoteveryonewillplayfinals, buteveryone will playinthe opening round

Each weekduring the season, we hope to not only provide scoresand reportsfromfootball and netball games, but also interesting pieces from clubs and players.

We areasking forthe assistance of clubsand playersonthis front.Itneeds to be atwo-way streetifweare going to makeour sports coverage the best it canbe.

Ourreporters in thefield this season areonce again TomHayes,ZaidaGlibanovic and myself, alongwith new recruit ErikaAllen. Fortunately (orunfortunately depending on your viewpoint) we areall active players in localsport,and will be on theground more often thannot to provide an insightful perspective on games.

As editor,it is my aim to deliver more thanjust ‘this team beatthisteamand these were the scores’

Ourfootballand netballcoverage is undoubtedlythe most read sectionofthe paper,and we hope to respect thereadership with thoroughand extensivecoverage.

2024 Premiership Predictions

LIAM DURKIN

Gippsland

League

Football:

Leongatha

Netball: Moe

Mid Gippsland

Football:

Thorpdale

Netball: Yinnar

North Gippsland

Football: Woodside

Netball: Woodside

TOM HAYES

Gippsland

League

Football:

Leongatha

Netball: Moe

Mid Gippsland

Football:

Fish Creek

Netball:

Morwell East

North Gippsland

Football: Woodside

Netball: Churchill

ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

Gippsland

League

Football:

Wonthaggi

Netball: Moe

Mid Gippsland

Football: Newborough

Netball: Yinnar

North Gippsland

Football: YYN

Netball: Churchill

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY LIAM DURKIN

NOT long to go now

Playershavebeenslogging it outduring preseason,all in readiness fortheirrespective campaignstobegin

Traralgon footballers andnetballerswon’t havetowait long, withtheir season opener onlya matterofdays away

The Maroonsmakethe trip to Bairnsdale this Saturday,playing astand-alone fixture.

The Parrots equalled theMaroons’ record of six consecutive GrandFinals last year,ontheir way to winning afourth premiership in five completedseasons.

Their triumph last seasonarguably topped their 2017, 2018oreven undefeated2022 premierships, as they camefromthird on the ladderand won four finals on their way to the dais.

As season 2023 progressed,thoselooking in from theoutsidewondered if Leongatha’s run hadfinally cometoand end. By all reports however, of all theGrandFinalsthe Parrots haveplayedinthis generation,lastyear was the onethey were absolutely mostcertain they’d win.

Ateamthat would have hadreasontofeel somedegreeofcertainty wasWonthaggi How could they not? ThePowerwent into the Grand Final with16consecutive winsunder their belt.

Disappointing probably doesn’tadequately describe Wonthaggi’s GrandFinal performance, and having also fallen four points shortofplaying in the2022 Grand Final, interest willabound to seewhether or not those shortcomings have strengthened their resolve,orifJarrydBlair’smen have missed theirwindow.

The Power willbehopingitisthe former,and in asign of just howmuchcountryfootball is continuing to shift to becoming abusiness, Wonthaggi hasbecome the first Gippsland Leagueclub to appoint ageneral manager Honestly,thisauthorcan foresee atimewhen the role of club president willbea fulltimejob

SPEAKING of managers, Morwell hasa new one running its football operations. He carriesa familiarnametomanyinlocal football circles as well -TroyMakepeace.

The former North Melbourneplayerwillwork closely with second-year Tigers playingcoach Boyd Bailey,asMorwell aimstoreturn to finals action.

The young Tigers have beentaken on quite the journeyinthe last twoseasons,playing finals in 2022and thenplaying virtually a whole season’sworth of elimination finals last year.

Morwell wasright in thehuntfor aconsec finals berthright up until Round 16 last season,and willlooktodisplacea team as SaleorTraralgon in the topfive. Bailey ledbyexamplelast season,nam

the best every game bar one. He received good supportfromBrandonMcDonald, who kicked 56 goals to be among the competition’sleaders, while players such as Sam Walsh, Blake Couling and Burkeley Macfarlane hadgoodmomentsand have beenidentified as seriousplayers forthe future.

TristenWaackhas had ahectic six months, jumpingbetween threeVFL clubs.He departed Box Hill forWilliamstown,and then left theseasideclub only afew weeks ago. At time of writing, he was trialling with Northen Bullants

Getting the best side on theparkremainsa challenge for any coach,but for Bailey,his task wasmade moredifficultlastseason as Morwell had weeks when players opted to missgames for things such as weddings.

As the newseasongetsunderway,might there be aharderedgefromthe coach,which willinevitably ruboff on histroops?

ANEW coachhoping some of his premiership successrubs offonplayerswillbeTroy Hamilton at Traralgon.

Hamilton knows what it takes to win premierships, having secured anumber with Mirboo North, althoughcoaching in amajor league will probablypresent his biggest challenge- to mentionthe challengethat will comewith coachinghis twosons, Tomand Josh.

Challenges won’tjustbeconfined to on the field forTraralgon,whosechangerooms are set to be demolished in amatter of weeks

While the demolition will lead to abrandnew, and hopefully foronce, flood proof, facility in coming years, the short-term impacts can’t be understated.

The changeroom saga has been ongoing since thecatastrophicfloodsofJune2021, yet in an inadvertentway,ithas arguably galvanisednot just the senior football team, butthe entireclub

Just howanew coach,orany coach for that matter, would go trying to recruitplayersto play fora clubwithout changerooms means Traralgon’sfinalfinishing positioncouldbea reflection of this

No onegave thema chanceofwinning the Elimination Final last season,yet they managedtodosodespite headinginwith fourconsecutive losses.

Theyweren’tfar offbeating Moeinthe semi-final thenext weekeither Acrossthe grades, Traralgon hasfeatured prominently in finalsand even GrandFinals in thelasttwo seasons,muchtotheircredit

The senior football team hasacquired the services of Liam Willaton, offthe back of a stellar seasonfor TraralgonTyers United in the

Outgoing coach JakeBest describedthe Traralgonlist as “exciting and young”,which could give Hamilton something of afreeswing in his firstyear

TheMaroons have lost afairbit of experience in Best, league leading goalkickerBrett Eddy and Mark Collison,who himselfwas tied up in asomewhatbizarre situation thatsaw him leave the post of Warragul Industrials coach before Christmas.

Thoseremaining at Traralgon suchasleaders Dylan Loprese andTye Hourigan willtherefore be lookingtoleadthe nextwave coming through

THE term‘nextwave’couldperhapsbemost applicable to Moe, who areabout to embark on whatislooking like atotally newera.

The Lions will be without alot of senior experience this season-632 games to be precisebetween the departedTom Long, Ben Morrow and James Blaser

EvenManny Gelagotis, Moe’slongest serving and at times, most outspoken,president of 10 years has handedoverthe reins

As footballoftenhas no happy endings, Long, Morrow andBlaserleftwithout a senior premiership -a prizethat haseluded countless of other Moe players for decadesall they wayback to 1967.

Moelookedtheir best chance of ending the drought last season,beating Leongathatwice andWonthaggi on their home deck.

In the Qualifying Final, Moeplaying-coach Declan Keilty,the bestintercept defender in thecompetition, played forwardwhile CameronOlden was kicking eight goals at the other endfor Leongatha Therewas then anotherbizarre occurrence in thelead up to thePreliminary Final,as Moe unintentionallybecame engaged in a rowregarding aseeminglyfaircomment on thestandardofumpiring.That thesaga emanated from SouthGippsland led to no shortage of conspiracy theoryitwas a deliberateploytotry and throw the Lions off their game.

Allthisconsidered, Moe’sperformancesin last year’s finals series may havesimply been duetoalackofexperience. Only sevenwho playedinthe PreliminaryFinal had previously played in senior finals forMoe Admittedly, afew players didn’thave great finals serieseithercomparedtowhat theydid in thehome-and-away fixture.

Keilty,coming intohis thirdseason as playing-coach,will be hopinghis players are better for the run Moewillalso havesomething theydidn’t last season -both Baldi’sfor thewhole year.Twins Riley andTrent haven’t playedawhole senior season together despiteeach winninga Lions and-fairest in thelast two seasons.

di’swill surely be betterthanone,and ho came second in theGippsland ebest-and-fairest despite only playing la ar) has ed pl with

the club fulltime,putting VFLcommitments withCasey to the side fornow,while Trent has returned from injurythatsaw him sitout the first half of lastseason

Moe was able to realignitself lastseason following the now distant horrorshowof 2022, putting in place anumber of positive initiatives, notably,renamingthe reserves squad to ‘Development’.

While thedecision wasinitiallymet with consternation,and even someridicule, it ended up provingworthwhile. Attendees to Moe gamesmay havenoticedsenior coaches addressingthe team playing in the early game,making for atruly whole-squad approach

ELSEWHERE,clubseither side of the Valley willbewantingtotakepoints offthe locals.

Bairnsdale looms as agenuinebolter, having recruited someprominent names to ally what should theoretically be thebiggesthome ground advantage in the competition

Drouincarriessome intrigue, particularly after what happenedlast season

While the Hawks finished last, theydid so witha percentage near70- hardly anumber associated witha struggling team.

Honestly,therewould be claims to label Drouin of 2023 the‘best wooden spooners’. Down the road in Warragul, the Gulls will hope for better luck on anumberof fronts.

Injuriesand abogus player points system thatsaw anumber of returning localplayers given multiplepointsmeanttheirseason was virtually overbefore it hadeven started Theteam from WesternParkshould be better equipped this time around, provided they aren’t again victimsofthe system

Further east, Sale will look to makeits fifth successivefinalsseries

The Magpies landed thebiggestrecruit of the offseason,nabbing former Richmond player Derek Eggmolesse-Smith.

Salehas however lost modernday great in Kane Martin, who has moveddown the road to SaleCity,along witha handful of others.

Martin may well go down as Sale’sgreatest player of the21st century,and with morethan 200 goals from 200 games, aleague medal and ahostofclub best-and-fairests, his departure, along with James BlaseratMoe, really does signal season 2024isthe startofa new-look GippslandLeague

Sale’sbiggest rival, Maffra,isfacing anotherrebuilding year, although with junior premierships in bothgradeslast season, it might notbetoo long until theEagles are back where mostpeople arefamiliar

Until that timehowever, clubs willsurely take greatdelightinhandingbackafew floggings to Maffra if the opportunity presentsitself.

Liam's Ladder Prediction: Leongatha,Wonthaggi,Moe, Bairnsdale, Morwell,Sale, Drouin, Traralgon,Warragul, Maffr

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

By TOM HAYES

experienced theirfirst taste of finals in the Lions’ strip.

MOE was oh-so-close to lifting thecup in 2023and gavethemselves the best chance at doing so,but it slipped away from them. After finishing secondwith a16-2record, it appeared as though the Lionswould go within fourquartersofbreaking their56-year senior premiership drought.Moving into 2024, that now becomes57years.

As the Lions continue to workonbreaking the drought,senior coach Declan Keilty has putthe playersthroughtheir paces during preseason.

This year, Moe hope to display afast-paced game style, with extra work being worked on at training to develop their stoppageand contestedballwork.

“Weusually lost thecontested ball,but we hadmoreinside 50s andscoring shots on average, so apartofthat is howefficiently we can move the ball from acontest,” Keiltysaid. “We’velost afew key players up forward, so we’regonna havetochange the dynamic of howwedothat. So we’regonnafocusona lot of speed andhigh intensity up forward.”

It was aground-breaking season for Moein asense, as alot of their senior levelplayers

Lions put to task on breaking premiiershhipdrought

In terms of going one better and potentially playing in aGrand Finaland winning the premiership,Keilty hopes thatthoseplayers can walk on their own two feetand takethe nextstep.

Thatbeingsaid,headmits thatifMoe play in September in 2024, they will attackitfroma different angle. Which way they attack it will be determined throughout the season.

“If we do gettothe finals, we have to treat it differently to howwedid lastyear,”Keiltysaid

There’s no going backwardsfor Moe, as they hopetolockinanother topthree finish,giving themselves thebest chanceofgetting to the final day

It can be done from third, displayed last year by the 2023premiership winning Leongatha side

Keilty expectshis side to gettowhere they did last year, thatbeingthe Preliminary Final “I just want us to be consistentlycompetitive, that’sthe minimumthat I’m hoping for,” he said.

Now being57yearsintoa premiership

Expectations: Moewill be out to complete anothertop-three finish in 2024.Picturedis2023 vice-captain Harri Sim. Photograph: File

drought,Keiltyrecognises that it would be “special” to be apartofthatsideifitcameto fruition.

He is in no lack of advice, as one of his neighbours played in Moe’s lastsenior premiership back in 1967.

RileyBaldiisone to keepaneye on for the Lions.Moe’s2023senior best-and-fairest will only be of morehelp to the Lions, now thathe

is puttinghis full focus towardthe club.

“He’s stepped back from his commitments in the VFL, and he’s with us full-time so Ithink he’s gonnahave aphenomenal year,touch wood that he doesn’tget injured,” Keiltysaid. LachieMcGrath is expected to haveabig impact,especially as akey positionplayerin the ruck. He is thebrother of JessMcGrath whoplayed VFLfootballfor Richmond in 2021 and2022.

“Comingout of the18s Ithink he’sgonnaplay apretty bigrole for us. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with afull (senior) season underhis belt,” Keiltysaid.

Tom’sVerdict: The gapseems too fartofall for Moe,theyshould finish withinthe topthree

Coach: Declan Keilty

In: Tim Golds (Old Xaverians, VAFA), Bryce Collins (Returning).

Out: Ben Morrow (YYN), Lucas Fry(YYN), Lachlan Rees (YYN), Dylan Brooks (YYN), Billy Gowers(Port Melbourne, VFL), TomLong (Retired), Grady Cocksedge (Relocated).

VFL: Nil.

2023 Ladder: Second(16 wins, 2losses), Preliminary Finalist.

Tigers trusting youthtoreturn to the finals picture

By TOM HAYES

AFTER an impressive back half of the2022 season,Morwell foundthemselves needing the same formula in 2023, yet this time around it didn’tcome to fruition.

The Tigers found themselves outofthe top five, by quite some margin too.They were three winsawayfromfifth-placed Sale,sitting closer to seventh-placedBairnsdale Morwell will undoubtedly want to breakback into the top five,and in doingsotheyhave put sometrustinto theiryoung stars.

Expecta similarstyle from the Tigersin2024, as theypreparetouse their attacking, freeflowing ball movementasapoint of difference “Weare hopingtojustcontinue to buildon thatinto this yearaswell,”senior coach Boyd Bailey said.

Their acquisition of key positionplayers, specifically their ruck and key forwards, will be aboost to thesquad andwill only help them develop theirgamestyle

Bringing in talent from all over Australia, Morwell looks to have found particular pieces to the puzzle to override their minimalnumber of outgoing players

Depth will also be abig factor for theTigers, whostruggledwithinjuries throughoutthe 2023 season

“Probablythe last fewyears we’ve been aprettyyoung side, butnow Ithink we’re starting to geta goodcropofkids thatare

now 21 (years-old) plus, and they’reall starting to gettothat 30 to 50 games of senior footy under theirbelt,” Bailey said.

“Injuries weren’tour bestfriendlast year,so we’rehoping thatweget agoodrun at it.”

The growth of their youthwillbeimportant,as their 18 to 21-year-oldsbegintohit 50 senior games, they will be abletorely on themselves rather than finding theirfeet.

What is their goal?Pretty simplereally. Morwell want to playfinals again

Lastseasontheydisappointed themselves after droppingclose gameswhich could havegiven themmorehope of playing in September.A string of injuries only made inconsistencies more present, with hopes they canget agood run at it this season.

Keep your eyespeeled on their young talent

In 2022, TristanWaackcame outofnowhere to place second in theGippsland League’s best-and-fairest.Hewent on to earnruns with Box Hill,Williamstownand Northern Bullants in theVFL

Bailey has highlightedthe likesofSam Walsh, Cohen Campbell,Blake Couling, and Cody McDonald among acohortofyoung talentto

establish themselves in the senior sideand make areal impact on matchoutcomes.

“There’sprobably about seven or eight kids that arearoundthat 18 to 21 (year-old) mark that Ireckon aregonnabepretty exciting,” Baileysaid.

It’sfairifMorwell canmakeanimprovement, but also takeintoaccounthow other teams willfarein2024,and whether theywill fluctuate up or downthe ladder Whocoulddropout of the topfive to make room for Morwell?

Tom’sVerdict: Expect themtobounce back, finals arestill on thecards forthe Tigers.

Coach: BoydBailey

In: Jackson Burr (Frankston, MPFNL),Charlie Burr (Frankson,MPFNL), Archie Grant (Kalgoorlie City, Goldfields FL), TomSmith (Surfers Paradise, AFLQ),Sam Gissara (Beaconsfield, EasternFNL)

Out: Darnell Grech(Newborough), Jacob Jacobsen(TTU), AdamBraendler (Ceduna, WesternEyreFL).

VFL: Nil.

2023Ladder: Sixth (7 wins,11losses)

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

By TOM HAYES

THE transition from 2023 to 2024 has been awhirlwind forthe Maroons.

After it wasannouncedthat seniorfootball coach Jake Bestwas departingthe club, it wassuddenly asked what they woulddo next.

Beforethe end of the year,Traralgon appointedTroyHamilton as thenew senior coach to guidethem back on track

Looking into season 2024, the Traralgon ship finally lookssteadied.

Hamilton lookstoinjectmoredareand flare in Traralgon’s style in 2024, which includes a high-paced,hard-running element “Wewant to set up well so we can do that… and find agoodbalance,”Hamiltonsaid.

“We’regonna be young and fit,hopefully havea bit of speed on theground, so we’ll wanttobeable to usethat to our advantage.”

In years goneby, Hamilton believes Traralgon

were always agood chance, having decent bites of the cherryin2022 and2023attimes.

But finishing fourth in the last two seasons, missing outonthe double chancedoes not fare so well witha team already battling injuries andrepresentative commitments.

Formwas Traralgon’sdownfall at the end of 2023, goinginto thefinalsseries with a massive walltoclimb. Nonetheless it wasa mightyefforttowin theElimination Finalover Sale.

Everyonewants to finish inside thetop three in theGippsland League, in case things go pear-shapedinthe finals, as Hamilton explains,it’snot easy to winthe flag without it.

“The last twoyears we haven’thad it (double chance)and Ithinkits hardtocomefrom fourthorfifth …itisrare,” he says.

WherewillTraralgon getthatspark from?

They certainly will gain an extra boostwhen Harvey Neocleous or Chance Doultree becomeavailablefromVFL level. Both have

haddecent hit-outsinpreseason andhave impressed at their respective clubs.

Hamilton hopes to seegrowth from hisyouth, with anumber of players under theage of 22 now creepingupon50seniorgames Anumber of leaderships roles arealso hoping to be filled by matureplayers,tonurse theteam into aunit.

Hamilton is excited to seewhatLiamWillaton candoin2024.Willaton won theNorth GippslandFNL seniorbest-and-fairest last season,and will nowget his first taste of senior football in theGippsland League.

Jordan Cunico will be onetowatch though. “Heknows what its aboutnow,I’d be looking fora bigyear from Jordy,”hesaid He hopes that thereturning playerscan hit the ground running andset up their season from the get-go.

Tom’sVerdict: Traralgonwillberemain in and aroundthe finals conversation in 2024.They would be sick and tiredofmissing the double

Transitioning Traralgonaim to go h highher in 2024

chance. Watch outfor themiftheycan sneak intothe topthree

Coach: Troy Hamilton

In: Alex Lovison (Morwell),Liam Willaton (TTU),Cohan Rutyers (Trafalgar,Ellinbank andDistrict FNL),PeterStrong (Returning) PoshangAkram (PantonHill, Northern FNL), Chance Doultree (Old Melburnians, VAFA).

Out: Harper Fox(Rosedale), Brad Kimberly(Morwell East),HaydenHector (Cowwarr),Caleb Frith(Yinnar),Brett Eddy, TomSchneider (Pearcedale, Mornington Peninsula FNL),LukeJohnson (Inverloch, West Gippsland FNL), Ollie Turnbull (Mordialloc, Southern FNL),Harvey Howe (CentralDistrict, SANFL), DanMcKenna (Retired), Billy Schilling(The Basin, EFNL), Mark Collison (Coaching).

VFL: HarveyNeocleous(Casey), Chance Doultree (Footscray).

2023 Ladder: Fourth(11 wins, 7losses), Semi Finalist.

Take alook at the surrounding Gippsland League clubs

Bairnsdale

Coach: Logan Austin

In: JoshLando (Lindenow, East Gippsland FNL), Mitch Toms, Nick Ward (Wy Yung (EGFNL),Hugh Longbottom, Cooper Harvey,Tom Blnheim (OldScotch,VAFA).

Out: JohnGooch, AndrewNelson, Nick George (Lucknow, EGFNL),Brett Waddell (Lindenow, EGFNL), TomHudson (Lakes Entrance,EGFNL), Nathan Dennison (Wy Yung,EGFNL).

VFL: Notprovided.

2023Ladder: Seventh (5 wins, 12 losses, 1draw)

Tom’sVerdict: Bairnsdale appear to be one of thebig bolters ahead of theseason, expectthemtobeinthe finals mixin2024

Drouin

Coach: Brent Clinnick

In: Eddie Morris (Port Douglas, AFL Cairns), Mitch Cotter (Norwood, SANFL),Ryan Quirk (NarreWarren, Outer EastFNL), Caleb Quirk (Heathmont, Eastern FNL), TomJohnstone (DookieUnited, Kyabram District FNL),Noah Rogers (Warragul Industrials, West Gippsland FNL), James Ahern (Tooradin-Dalmore, WGFNL),Kyron Smith (NarNar Goon, WGFNL).

Out: Aaron Pawel (Gormandale),Sam Pratt, RhysSalter,Campbell Jolly (Ellinbank,EDFNL), HugoBirks (University) VFL: Not provided.

2023Ladder: 10th(2 wins, 16 losses).

Tom’sVerdict: Turning lossesinto wins,should jumpupthe ladder

Leongatha

Coach: Trent McMicking

In: SamBradleyJustin Pellicano(Mirboo North), Cooper Alger (Warragul), Jay Walker(Korumburra (WGFNL),NickArgento (University Blues,VAFA).

Out: AaronHeppell (Travel) Lachie Wright, Steve Forrester(MDU), Cam Stone(Stony Creek), Harry Scott (Old Scotch,VAFA), Patrick Monaghan (Springvale Districts, SFNL),Josh Hopkins (Korumburra, WGFNL).

VFL: Noah Gown (Frankston), Cam Olden (Richmond)

2023Ladder: Third(15 wins, 3losses),Premiers. Tom’sVerdict: Who else to be to the ones to beat other thanthe reigning premier.A threepeat is undoubtedly on the cards

Maffra

Coach: Anthony Robbins

In: SamTudor,James Moulton, Joel Bristow (Rosedale), Archer Watt (Bairnsdale), Joel Lambourne (Yinnar), LukeDyer (Lindenow, EGFNL),Caleb Calwyn (Boisdale-Briagolong, EGFNL), CalebSullivan (Werribee Districts, WesternFNL),Henry Anderson (Railways, Great SouthernFL)

Out: NathanPollard (Lindenow, EGFNL), James Huts(BoisdaleBriagolong, EGFNL),Jack Challands(Beaumaris, VAFA), Ben Brunt (Springvale Districts, SFNL),Sam Davison (Richmond, VFL).

VFL: Not provided.

2023Ladder: Eighth (4 wins, 13 losses, 1draw).

Tom’sVerdict: It willbe atoughseason for the Eagles.

Sale

Coach: Jack Johnstone

In: Jesse Collins, ThomasGlenn (Returning), Derek Eggmolesse-Smith (Point Cook, WesternRegional FL)

Out: Kane Martin, Cooper Whitehill,Jayden Allison(Sale City),Rohan Diamond (Rosedale), JacksonGlenane (Boisdale-Briagolong, EGFNL).

VFL: Notprovided. 2023Ladder: Fifth (10 wins, 8losses), Elimination Finalist. Tom’sVerdict: Generally someoneinfinals one year, misses the following year. Salemay be that team. But they only played in aGrand Final justtwo seasonsago and witha lot of those playersstill on thelist, you can't writethemoff

Warragul

Coach: JedLamb

In: Thomas Crole (NeerimSouth, EDFNL), IsaacWallace (Heidelberg,Northern FNL), LaneWard(Box Hill, VFL)

Out: Cooper Alger (Leongatha),WillCole (Garfield, WGFNL).

VFL: Lane Ward,Box Hill.

2023Ladder: Ninth (3 wins, 15 losses).

Tom’sVerdict: It’sgoing to be atough yearfor the Gulls. Butwith injured playerstoreturnand a sweep of newrecruits, Warragul mayjustavoid the spoon,itwon't be something theywanton their record If theyare able to beat the teamsaround them on the ladder as the season develops they might be content with that.

Wonthaggi

Coach: JarrydBlair

In: Kaj Patterson (Tarwin),Cam Ogden (Warragul Industrials, WGFNL),BraydenDuve (Dalyston,WGFNL), NoahMartin (Kilcunda Bass, WGFNL)

Out: Lachie Jones, Travis Krause, Kane McCarthy (Tarwin)

VFL: Jack Hutchinson, RyanSparkes (Collingwood).

2023Ladder: First (16 wins, 2losses),Grand Finalist

Tom’sVerdict: It’supto themtotakeLeongatha all the way. Not winning aflagafterfinishingas minor premiers and having thewinning run theydid willhaunt them But it'snot up to the Powertobackitupand give themselvesthe best shot at the premiership

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

Moe

she continues to deal withanACL rupturethat she sustained during the 2023 Grand Final.

However,Garth and Tatterson think theirnew line-upwill work in their favour.

Coaches: RamayerGourley and Ashlea Stubbs

In: Nil.

Out: Abby Gregorovich (Peninsula Waves, VNL).

2023 Ladder: First(17 wins, 1loss), Premiers

VNL: Ramayer Gourley(MelbourneUniversity Lightning), Georgia Moody (NorthEast Blaze), AlexMoody (Southern Saints), HollieBugeja, CharlizeBird(GippslandStars, Under 23s), Olivia Barnett (Boxill Hawks,Under 23s).

IT can’t get much better thanwinninga premiership, but forthe Moe Lions in season 2024, another flagispossible.

Moe hasre-signed the premiershipcoach Ramayer Gourley, though shehas takena stepbackbyhanding over the head coach positiontoAshlea Stubbs. Co-coach, Stubbs is eager to getseason 2024underway

“Our major goalistoobtain back-to-back premiershipsbysupporting andcontinuing to build on our team structures and game plan,” she said.

Stubbs said OliviaBarnett and theMoody sisterswillbeonestowatchinthis upcoming season

Withonly onechange to thispremiershipwinning team, Moemight just go back-to-back.

Morwell

Coach: Courtney Garth

In: Isabella Bettridge (Traralgon), Tiffany Boatman (Glengarry), HayleyStringer (Neerim South, Ellinbank DistrictFNL).

Out: DaisyHill(Moved), Claire Marks (Pregnancy),Saskia Eenjes (Woodside), Tanya Budge(Injury).

2023Ladder: Second(16 wins,1loss, 1 draw),Grand Finalist

VNL: Anna Solomon,Chloe Radford (Gippsland StarsUnder 23s).

THERE have been many changes down at Tigerland.

Morwell is still leading witha wealthof experience withcoach Courtney Garth and Rachel Tatterson assisting,who have combined over 550 gamesatthe club.

Despitethe many changesatMorwell, the coaches areconfident their team is set.

WithDaisy Hill andClaireMarks out, the Tigershaveadded athleticism into thecircle withBella Bettridgeand TiffanyBoatman Budge will be ahugelossfor the Tigers as

“This year,our attack line is completely new and could taketeams timetofigureout howto defend,” they said.

Morwell will still be ateamtowatch this season with young gunssuchasAnna Solomonand ChloeRadfordtolookout for This new Tigerteam is readytotakeon everything in 2024.

Traralgon

Coach: Amy Harrison

In: Stacey Jacobsen (Pregnancy).

Out: Kate French (Moved).

2023Ladder: Sixth (8 wins, 10 losses).

VNL: Sophie Lecchnio (GippslandStars Under 23s), Montanna Styles(Gippsland StarsUnder 19s), Grace VanTilburg (Casey DemonsUnder 23s).

TRARALGON have welcomedthe experiencedAmy Harrison on boardtocoach the young Maroonssidewith formerplaying

coach Kate French moving away

The young Traralgon side might surprise the competition this year,astheyare getting better with everygame

“Sixofour nineplayersare under 23,which is really exciting forbothour present hopes but alsoholdsusingreat steadover the next five years,”said Harrison

Club president Kevin Foley said he’slooking forwardtothe season based on last year’s results with the young side.

“They werecompetitiveinjust about every gameand improved as theyear wenton,” he said

Harrison told the Express to lookout for likes of newest additiontothe midcourt Stacey Jacobsenalongside young guns Milly Murphy, Montanna Styles and AshlynPavey

Bairnsdale

Coach: Alyshia Kennedy

In: Paris Dunkley(Brisbane South, QueenslandHeartSapphire Series), Maddi Fullgrabe (Sale).

Out: Nil.

2023Ladder: Ninth (2 wins, 16 losses).

VNL: Paris Dunkley,Alison Dwyer (Gippsland Stars Under 23s), Anna Mooney,Maddi Fullgrabe (GippslandStars Under 19s).

THE Redlegshope to be competitive Kennedy has decided to run an A/B Grade squad until teams have to be finalised

Expect to seethe Redlegs improveand geta few more wins on theboard.

Drouin

Coaches: Stacie Gardiner

In: Ebony Mumford (Bunyip, West Gippsland FNL), StacieGardiner(Pregnancy)

Out: ChloePapley(Queensland)

2023Ladder: Fourth (12wins, 6losses), Semi Finalist

VNL: AvaGual(GippslandStars Under 23s).

THE Hawks areanother team that hashad a busyoffseason, bringing back premiership player EbonyMumford.

Though Drouinhas lost ChloePapley, the Hawks will keeptheirstrength Stacie Gardiner willbebackoncourt and coachingafterwelcoming herson lastyear. Gardiner says theHawks areeagertoplay reigning premiersMoe, believing they might be the team to match themthis year

Leongatha

Coach: Lyndell Bruce

2023Ladder: Third(12 wins,6losses), Preliminary Finalist.

In: Mikaela Hiliar (Mirboo North), Beth Scott (Unknown).

Out: Notprovided.

VNL: Taylah Brown (Boroondara Express), Jayde Hall (PeninsulaWavesUnder 19s).

LYNDELL Brucecomes to the Parrotswith years of VNL andeven AustralianDiamond anlaysis experience

Bruce has been working hardinthe offseason to bring this Leongatha team together. NicolaMarriot, alongsideTaylah Brown, will undoubtedly be theParrots’ keytosuccess Leongatha hasa fewnew players,but Bruce is confident they'llbefierce competitors.

Maffra

Coach: Staci Scott

In: Keisha Jackson (Moe).

Out: Nat Allman,Grace Ronchi,Chelsea Allman (Travel), Sarah Edey (Moved), RebeccaBurke (University), Ashleigh Keefe (Sale).

2023Ladder: 10th (1 win, 17 losses).

VNL: Chloe Felsburg (GippslandStars, Under 23s).

THE Eagles have replaced their outs with juniors eagertoleavetheir mark.

Thoughthis Maffra team maynot be finals contenders,Staci Scott says they’ve adopted agrowth mindset andare eager to improve.

Is there anyone brave enough to takeddown t theLions?

Sale

Coach: Rachel Ronaldson

In: AshleighKeefe (Maffra), Kasi Johnstone, KristyGlover (Returning).

Out: Isla McCarthy(SaleCity),Dee Dee Lambert (Melbourne), TeaghanHarrison (Hiatus).

2023Ladder: Seventh(7wins, 11 losses).

VNL: Not provided.

THERE weresomebig movementsinthe offseason at theMagpies. Jo Ballingerisgone and Rachel Ronaldsontakes her place

The netballdepartmenthas undergone restructuring aftersome playermovements. Despite this, theMagpies haveafresh startto the season.

Warragul

Coaches: Renee Nobelius andKim Weller

In: Becky Dixon, Emma Ryde (Somerville, Morning Peninsula FNL)

Out: Selene Chadrawy (VNL).

2023Ladder: Fifth (9 wins, 8losses, 1draw), Elimination Finalist

VNL: EmmaRyde(Casey Demons Championship), SiennaGreen (BoxHill HawksUnder 23s), Ella Rees (Casey Demons Under 23s).

THE Gulls areunpredictable.

Adding to strength the Gulls have signed EmmaRyde, aformer SuncorpSuper

Netball-listedplayer

Coach Kim Weller said they’ll be hungry to attack theseason

“Wemadethe first roundofthe finalslastyear, losing to arch-rivals Drouin -the girlshave unfinished business,” she said.

Wonthaggi

Coaches: Jess Blair and KealeyLindsay

In: Not provided.

Out: Not provided.

2023Ladder: Eighth (5 wins, 13th losses). THE Power would hopetoimprove. Far away from their previoustop-fourth finishes,Wonthaggi needsometalentafter losing so much prior to the 2023 season

It is unclear if theteamwill remain the same, but for competition’s sake, we hopethey have had someinclusions to compete

MID GIPPSL ANDLEAGUE

BY TOM HAYES

THE lead-up to the2024 MidGippsland Football-NetballLeague season hasbeen as busyasever.Not onlyfor theleague,but specifically aselectfew clubsthatdesired a transition or simply suffered.

It all started at theend of the 2023 season, whenMorwell East decided to have agoonce again at joining the North GippslandFootballNetballLeague

At theend of the 2022 season,the MEFNC boardwereput to avote which was ultimately denied,but at the endoflast season, theclub votewentthrough.

But they werebroughttoa grinding halt, when fourNGFNLclubs deniedthe move, leaving the Hawks in theMGFNL. Willitbethirdtime lucky forMorwell East at theend of the 2024 season?

Further south, fresh after winning the 2023 MGFNL premiership, Fish Creek wereleft devasted aftertheir clubrooms wereburnt to the ground, destroying everything inside

As themost decorated clubinVictoria, Fish CreekFNC were leftwithnothing, losing all of their premiership cups in theprocess. They werepresented with anew 2023premiership cup,while the rest will now remainasa memory.

And more recently,Mirboo Northwerehit hardest by astorm that ripped throughthe townand surrounds, droppingdowntrees and tearing roofsoff houses.

The clubwentthrough aperiod of rebuilding and still are, but areconfident theycan be readytoplay football andnetballinMirboo North ahead of theirfirst homegame.

On the field, it hasbeen amaniclast two seasons, andifyou watched both seasons closely,I’m sureyou would’ve guessed the premier incorrectly Newborough have now completedtwo consecutive seasons wherethey have reached aGrandFinal butwerebeaten (Yinnar,2022 andFish Creek, 2023)

Lastyear would’ve stung just as much being the secondtime in arow,and the fact that the Bulldogs didn’trecordasingleloss until Grand Finalday

What can only be described as the definition of agonisingly close, the Bulldogs mayhave seentheirpremiership window closeinfront of them.

Thatbeing said, that shouldn’tbethe case. Newborough will remain as oneofthe mostdangerous sides to come up against in 2024. Fish Creek sentamessage thatthey weren’t going to staydown for long, resurgingfrom

ninthtowin the premiership,somethingthat doesn’t happen too often.Alsomaking abig leapwas Meeniyan Dumbalk United (MDU Boolarrawillbelooking to get back to finals, withreturning players in Joel Mason and Ricky Cochrane.Bothplayed in 2022, whic saw Boolarrafinishfourth.Last season,they missed finals completely,finishing 10th.

Yinnar proved thattheir 2022premiership wa nothingshortofa miracle, nottotake anything awayfromthe triumph

Similarly to theWestern Bulldogs in 2016a 2017, Yinnar wentfromwinning theflag from thehardest route, to missingfinals altogether the following year

Theywilldowhatever they cantoget back into the mix.

Morwell East continuetogrow. Seventhin 2022, sixthin2023.They don’twant to look back andwill be looking to continue their dr up the ladder too

The Hawks will be another scaryoutfit this season,withthe additionofa newfullforwa and depth added in allareas.

Mirboo North wereone of theveryfew teams to remainquitestagnant. But change has arrived as the Tigers turnover anew leaf, with anew president anda newsenior coach.

Willthisbethe year when Mirboo North being to re-establish themselves in the MGFNL?

Tarwin, Stony Creek, and Toora occupiedthe

thereatthe time, but then the flickswitched, andthey werenear-on unstoppable.

Theywentontowin five games in arow beforelosing to minor premiersNewborough by 14 points. Theylosta second matchin threeweeks, shockinglygoingdowntoFoster by seven points.

Thatwould be the final blunderfor Thorpdale’s home and awayseason, as they wontheir finalfivegames to ensurea finals berthin fourth place.

It wouldstill be classedasthe hard route, going through Elimination Finals,but Thorpdale’s seasoncame to an endin aPreliminaryFinal against theeventual premiers

Let’shopethat2024 hassomething just as exciting waiting forus. Thefluctuation in recent MGFNL seasons tell us to expect something we’renot expecting Tom'sLadderPrediction: FishCreek, Newborough,Foster, MDU,Thorpdale, Yinnar, Stony Creek,Boolarra, Morwell East, Tarwin, Toora, Mirboo North, HillEnd.

Against the clock: Mirboo North was hit with astorm that disrupted the preparation of the footballnetball season. They’ve come along wayinthatshortperiod.

MIDGIPPSLAND LEAGUE

Newborough

Coach: Craig Skinner

In: DarnellGrech (Morwell),Blake Julin, KyleJennings(YYN), Daniel Risol (Ellinbank, EDFNL), Jack Hudson(Redcliffe, AFLQ)

Out: JoshMonacella (Gormandale), Sam Hanson (Moe),NickCaldow (Mackay,AFLQ), JoelMitchell (Mackay,AFLQ), Jayden van Dyk (Moving).

2023Ladder: First(15 wins, 0losses, 1draw), Grand Finalist.

TWO GrandFinals in twoseasonsand no flag for the Bulldogs, wheredotheygonow?

Newborough hasbeen adangerous side as any in thelast coupleofyears,and have backedthat up with at undefeatedhomeand-away seasonin2023, butthe absenceof premiershipsafterthat period will havethem searching for answers

On the field, the Bulldogswon’t stray toofar awayfromthe norm,but instead theyhope to adjust their stylefor insurance.

“Wefeel that we play aprettygoodbrand of fast-movingfootball,what we have foundout is sidesthat lock us down andplaybehind the footy is what we hadtrouble with, so we’ve beenworking on thattype of scenario,” senior coach Craig Skinnersaid

Yinnar

Coach: Sam McCulloch

In: Caleb Frith (Traralgon), Jarrod Henderon (Churchill).

Out: Harri McColl (Morwell)

2023Ladder: Seventh(9wins, 7losses)

PREMIERSHIP hangoversare a phenomenon.

I’m not entirelysureifthisqualifiesexactly, mainly because of the way theYinnar jumped to premiership successin2022,but it counts.

The Magpies missed finalscompletelyin 2023following aflag, but their season's weren’ttoo dissimilar

In fact, duringthe 2022 and 2023home and awayseasons, Yinnar heldthe exact same win-loss record;nine wins,seven losses It just seemsthat everyone else gotbetter Thingsdidn’tgotheir way either,witha number of exclusions duetoinjury, whowe hopetosee back on thefield in 2024.

Yinnar haveproventhey can beat anyoneon their day,despitethatinfamous Grand Final run beingtwo years ago, the bruntofthe 2022premier remains.

“Overall, we feellikewehave astrongenough side to be competitiveagain.”

Newboroughwon’tworry aboutwhatthey can’t control andinstead will give full focus to those in between thefour walls.A majorpoint to that is making sureeveryoneisenjoying themselves andfeel apartofthe club

Another successful season is well andtruly on the cards, but Skinner saysthe Bulldogswill do everything they cantoget therefirst

“Its hardenough to getthere, let alone win. We’d lovetoget there, we justneedtomake sure we’re finishinginthe finals and we’re trying to keep everyone on the park,”hesaid.

“We’rereallyhappywith the guys we’ve got coming in,all greatpersonalities andnew energies."

Skinner has been thoroughly impressed with NathanWhieldon, who he describesas“a bull”.While HaydenPrestidge haslooked good all summer.Ontop of that,the senior coach is happy with theenergy he is getting from the new arrivals.

“There’sa lot to like, andI’m looking forward to just getting agood lookand the new-look team,” Skinnersaid

Withthe return of players from injury,those in theMid GippslandFNL shouldn’tdiscount the Magpies.

Going offearlypreseason reports, almost every teaminthe league is settoimprove in one way or another,but notevery team can go up in theladder

It begsthe question of: willYinnar be trapped just outside of the finals or worse, or will they be asignificantimprover that returns to the finals?

Suggesting that they returntofinalsis somewhatmorereasonable,asthey were abletoproduce an almost identicalseason withless availabletothem in 2023,than the year prior

All we can expectisthatthe racefor the top six will go down to thewireonceagain, as a teamhas missed out on finals by percentage in thelasttwo seasonswiththe 13-team competition.

The introductionofSam McCullochassenior coach may addsomething to the squad, it is yet to be known whatthatmight be exactly, but playerswillstill have lessons learntfrom former premiershipcoachDaniel ‘Tac’ Taylor in theback of their minds.

Coaches: Jason Winderlich andRay Pickering

In: Anthony Rosato (Tatyoon, Mininera District FL),DillonLeys (Churchill), Ben Britten (Glengarry), Shaun Falla (Boolarra).

Out: RobertTurnbull(SouthFremantle, WAFL), Mitch Chopping (Tweed Coast, AFLQ).

2023Ladder: Fourth (11 wins, 5losses), PreliminaryFinal.

THORPDALE will be keeping things simple

It seems to be the formulathat worked last year, so why change it?

Senior co-coach JasonWinderlich wants to keepthings the same, anditwillsee Thorpdalewinningtough contests, progress withsimpleball movement,and kicking long to talls if needbe.

“From ourpoint of view,we’ll keep it simple, tryand be good in thecontest and alot of longkickingdowntotalltargets,”hesaid Followingtheir monumental journey to finals lastseason,Winderlich hasnow set thebar highfor his boys as they hope to stay near the top.

“After ourimprovement last year,the guys havehad ataste of playing finals so we’dbe

Fish Creek

Coach: JarrodWalker

In: DarcyBerryman (Leongatha), Kairon Dorling (Inverloch-Kongwak, WGFNL), Brady Mitchell (Warburton Milgrove, Outer East FNL), Bailey Park (Returning).

Out: AidenWilson, MatthewMcGannon (Travel). 2023Ladder: Second (13wins, 3losses), Premiers.

Foster

Coach: SamDavies

In: Dylan Williams (Catani, Ellinbank District FNL), CodyBanbury (EDFNL), Riley McDonald(EDFNL).

Out: ReghanLewis (Toora), Troy van Dyke(Chelsea Heights,SFNL), Jake Thornell (Chelsea Heights (SFNL), Brendan Neville (Unknown),Tim Wigney, TomBatholomew,Trent Hamilton (Retired),Mitchell Green (Injury).

2023Ladder: Fifth (10 wins, 5losses, 1draw), Elimination Finalist.

MDU

Coach: Nathan Allen

In: Lachie Wright, SteveForrester (Leongatha), Jake McMillan,Ryan Giliam (Returning).

Outs: BenSchroen (Frankston, MPFNL), Billy Evers (Mordialloc, SFNC),NickTuckett (Injury). 2023Ladder: Third(11 wins, 5losses), Semi Finalist.

aiming to finishinthattop sixagain,” he said Butaseveryoneelse improves, it willbe tough, andheexpects teamslikeYinnar,Fish CreekorFoster to be ahardtasktoget past. Last year wasnostroke of amiracle for Thorpdale, as the momentumpropelled them towardsSeptember

“Thereisa groupofguys who played footy together,but the focus was lastyeartobring in alot of medium-sized guys whocan play multiple positions, so if someone wentdown it didn’taffect us thatmuchfromaninjurypoint of view,” Winderlich said Thepersonnel theyaddeddefinitelyhelped them gettowherethey were, butinthe end, they didn’thave enough depth, which saw five or sixplayers miss thePreliminaryFinal against Fish Creek.

“Toreplicate whatwedid last year -yeah, it’sgonnabetough. But themain thing for me is just to sneak into thoselastcoupleof positions in thetop six,” Winderlich said. “Ifwecan winmoregames thanwelose, I’ll be happy.”

Winderlich wantstomould Thorpdale into aunitastheyaim for back-to-backfinals appearances.

Surrounding Clubs

Stony Creek

Coach: Chris Verboon

In: Cam Stone(Leongatha),Ben Heath (Gormandale), Sam Marriot, Alex Scholte (Returning), WayneGroves(Devon Meadows, MPFNL), Ryan Lewis (Bunyip, WGFNL)

Out: SamBright(Toora).

2023Ladder: 11th(3wins, 13 losses).

Tarwin

Coach: Jason Kennedy

In: LachieJones,Travis Krause, Kane McCarthy (Wonthaggi), JakeCochrane (Injury).

Out: Nathan McRae (Churchill), TomCrocker (Korumburra, WGFNL), Lachie Schreurs (Garfield, WGFNL).

2023 Ladder: Eighth (8 wins, 8losses)

Toora

Coach: Jack Weston

In: Reghan Lewis (Foster), Sam Bright (StonyCreek), Will Goosey,JakeSmart (Mornington, MPFNL), Leigh Craig (Somerville, MPFNL), LachlanIreland (Dalyston, WGFNL).

Out: JoshToner (Foster), Chris Gardiner (Thorpdale), Majok Puok (Work).

2023 Ladder: 12th (2 wins, 14 losses).

MID GIPPSL ANDLEAGUE

BY ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

Boolarra

Coach: Greta Douch

In: Tayla Beyer (Churchill)

Out: Courtney Stevens-Risol (Ellinbank).

2023Ladder: Fourth(11 wins, 4losses), Elimination Finalist.

THE Demonshave reappointed GretaDouch as the Netball HeadCoachand AGrade coach forseason 2024.

Douch has worked hardoverthe pastfew years to build the netball club,recruiting new playersand developing the game.

Thoughthe teamhad alittle seasonshake-up withsomeplayers leaving in themiddle of the season, theycontinuedtobea teamthat brought their best.

Boolarrasurprised quite afew people with the level of netball they playedinseason2024 withDouch at thehelm

Hill End

Coach: Notprovided.

In: Notprovided.

Out: Not provided.

2023Ladder: 11th (1 win, 14 losses).

HILLEnd will struggle fornumbers again this year.

The Rovers haveyet to recruit enough numbers to fillanA Grade side andwill most likely need to bringfill-ins from juniors and other senior grades to do so.

It is understoodthe clubisattempting apply for an exemption from fielding an AGrade sideasThorpdale haspreviously

It is unclear what willbecome of HillEnd’s A Grade,but if anylocal netballers arelooking to playand haven’tfound ateam yet,perhaps consider Hill End.

Mirboo North

Coach: Emily Taylor

In: Sienna Cheffers(Unknown)

Out: Mikaela Hiliar,TylaPeters (Leongtha), DanielleBlair (Pregnant).

2023Ladder: Seventh(6wins, 8losses)

MIRBOO Northhas yet to finalisetheirA Grade side,but it willlookalittledifferent Lastyear’s playing coach, Mikaeli Hilliar,left to joinLeongatha andfirsttime AGrade coach Emily Taylorwilltake her place

MirbooNorth will trytodotheir bestwith what theyhave -eager to findopportunities. Chloe Hogg andAbbyForresterwill be two players to watch in season 2024.

Vice presidentKatrina Palmer said withan interruptedpre-seasondue to stormdamage the club is eager to seethe Womenout on court in Round 1.

Morwell East

Coach: MaddisonBurney

In: KeelyBourke (Unknown)

Out: Innika Hodgsonand SarahGreenwood (hiatus).

2023Ladder: Third(12 wins, 2losses), PreliminaryFinalist.

THE Hawkshavealwaysbeenstrong,and theycontinue to be under Maddison Burney. The agiledefender will be hard to stopasshe workswithup-and-comer Sienna Blair Leaguebestand fairest Danni Dunnwill also cause headachesfor theoppositionwith her full-court hustle and shooting accuracy

East'smid-courtmay look abit different with afew athletespromoted from BGrade, but there’s no doubt they’llrisetothe occasion

The team willrun an Aand Bsquad to allow for flexibility

The Hawks will alsobestrengthened during the season whenzippy mid courter Georgia Zammitreturns followinganACL injury. Expect theMorwell East team to remainjust as competitive in season2024

Newborough

Coach: Sammy Walters

In: Lucy Findlay(Trafalgar).

Out: Amber Macmanus (Moved), Olivia Rock (Hiatus)

2023Ladder: Eighth(5wins,10losses)

THE Bulldogswillhave some biteinseason 2024, and coach Sammy Walter is confident that heryoungside is capable of greatthings.

The main playing group at Newborough have playedtogetherfor awhilenow,and withthat consistency,perhaps theyoung side will be abletosee some positive results.

Withanaverage age of 21, the teamhas a brightfuture ahead.

Walters said the goal for theyoung Bulldogs is to getback to playingfinals

With the youngDoggieshungrytobe competitive expect to see somefight.

Thorpdale

Coach: Darcy Ellen

In: EllaSnell (Mirboo North),Roxy Hibberson (Boolarra),Darcy Allen (Longwarry), Jess Monger (Mornington),Maggie Blackman (Unknown), Jorjie Platschinda (Newborough), Maddi Wright (Hiatus).

Out: Nil

2023 Ladder: Nil.

THE Blues areback in AGrade Thorpdale haveworkedhardtorecruit a senior netball side to compete in season 2024.

With somelocals returning to their club, it’sa sweethomecoming for theBlues Rebuilding an AGrade side from nothing will be challenging, butThorpyhopes to be competitivewhile also working toward strengthening the squad for the future.

Yinnar

Coach: Skye McDonald

In: Nil.

Out: Elly Stewart(Unknown), Georgia Hutchinson (Moved).

2023 Ladder: First(15 wins, 0losses), Premiers.

THEPies were just too strong last season. Yinnarhas alwaysbeensuccessful in netball,and under Skye McDonald’son-court leadership, it’shardtoimagineitbeingany other way.

Theteam might havelosta fewkey players, butMcDonald is excited about bringing in newtalent with the likes of ClaireThorburn. Thoughthe teammay lookdifferent,they won’t playany different. Expecttosee the same relentless workratefromthe Yinnar side. McDonald said she’s eager to faceoff against Toorafor the Grand Final rematch in Round1 Lisa Yates andHalie McColl with young guns Chloe McCullouchand Jaime Chilawillplay a very balanced mid-court. With defencepowerhouses Gabby Maynard, Caitie Patten, and Jess LePage, it’shardto see Yinnarfalling from their last year’sgame Though back-to-back is adifficult task, if one teamcould do it,itwould be this one.

Fish Creek

Coach: Jayde McGlead

In: Jess Edgar(Leongatha), Grace McLean (Toora), Abbey Shaw,Elysia Shaw (Returning)

Out: Nil

2023Ladder: Sixth(8wins, 6losses), Elimination Finalist

JAYDE McGleadisbackinthe coaching seat this year

TheRooshavebeen good -making the first round of finalsfor thelasttwo seasons. Perhaps thenetball team will looktotheir premiership winning seniorfootballteamfor inspiration.

CoachMcGlead has recruitedhardbringing in ex Toorastar Grace McLean so expect the womenfromFish Creek to show some fight.

Foster

Coach: Britt Rooney

In: Not provided.

Out: Not provided.

2023 Ladder: 12th (1 win, 14 losses). FOSTER has struggled to maintain players,

with onlythree athletes remainingfromlast year’s side. Clubpresident Deb Allottsaidthe Tigers willworkhardfor thefollowing season and encourages those looking to play to give her acall on 0418 380699.

MDU

Coach: Jas Friend

In: Nil.

Out: Nil.

2023Ladder: Ninth (4 wins, 11 losses) ONCEagainthe Demons havebacked coach Jas Friend.

JuniorsMia Burt and will taste AGrade for the first timeinthe 2024season

The Demons willfocus on developingtheir home-growntalentthis year, givingjuniors Mia Burtthe chance to play at ahigher level. While MDUmightnot be the most competitive team, theywill seelotsofplayer development.

Stony Creek

Coach: Jeanette Brown

In: Not provided.

Out: Not provided.

2023Ladder:10th(2wins, 13 losses). STONY will have abit of consistency withthe samecoachand thesameplayers. ThoughStonymightnot be the most successfulclub, expectsomeimprovement.

Tarwin

Coach: Amy Robertson

In: Not Provided.

Out: Not Provided.

2023Ladder:Fifth (10wins, 5losses), Semi Finalist

THE Sharks came out of no wherelast year going from ninth to fifth on the ladder Tarwin gave some teams arun for the money last year,soexpect them to stayconsistent withAmy Robertson as coach

Toora

Coaches: Hannah Weston and Kelsey Angwin

In: Not provided.

Out: Grace McLean(Fish Creek). 2023Ladder: Second (13wins, 1loss), Grand Finalist.

NO news hascome outofToora, butafter winning aflag in their debut year in Mid Gippsland and coming runners-up the followingyear, expect Tooratostaya strong club.

Some goodnews from Toora hasmadeits way publicwithpremiership-playingcoach Hannah Weston back on board withToora in season2024

NORTHGIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY TOM HAYES

SOMEmajor shake-ups could have aripple effectonthe North GippslandFootball-Netball League,asthe competitionlooks aheadtoan exciting season.

Lastseason sawTraralgonTyers United (TTU) go undefeated, seemingly marching toward the 2023 flag, but alsowitnessed awinless sideinGormandale.

An unpredictable,even competition would be ideal, butthings likethesecan taketimeto develop

Heyfield made the biggest leap in 2023,going from seventh placeand threewins awayfrom finals in 2022, to adouble chanceberth last year, finishing thehome-and-away season in third

The Kangaroos’risehas come downtoa mixtureofyouth and experience, something thatdoesn’tusually runinthe samesentence. Besides that outlier,wecan expect thebig teams to remain dominant in 2024, thelikes of TTU,Woodside,Yallourn

YallournNorth (YYN) and con fla ear sta

emier since2018 (excluding 2020and 2021, which werecancelled duetoCOVID) havegone on to winthe flag.

ose wantingtodosocouldbeidentified early into theseason,with those recently successfulclubs only losing onegame at most in theirpremiership winning yearsduringthe home-and-away season: Yarram, 2018(1loss), Churchill, 2019 (1 loss), YYN, 2022 (1 loss),TTU, 2023 (0 losses) hough it isn’tacertainty, as this year marks years sinceChurchill triumphed over an unbeaten Heyfield side in the2024 NGFNL Grand Final.

The Jets andCougarswillhope to rise back to their brilliantbest,after finishing fourth and fifth respectively last season,which saw themface offinthe Elimination Final last year. Churchill have seena number of players comeand go in between seasons and will wanttohit thegroundrunningcomeRound

YYN welcome the returnofTom Hutton, who lleadthe seniorside as playing-coach sseason. The past Mid Gippslandleague

Can anyone top the Bombers' 2023 season thhis year?

best-and-fairestwinnerwill only propel the Jets in the right direction.

Aplethoraofnew additionstothe side will only be seen as apositive fora number of reasons forthe Jets.

Woodside must be sick of secondplace, afterspending most of season 2023 as the most dangerousside, theWildcats will be wanting to go onebetter thisseason.Can the newsenior coach, MichaelStockdale,bethe man to takethem there?

It wasseen last year that anything is possibleafter finishingthe previous season as therunner-up, with TTUbiting the bullet to go on to hold thecup on the final day, maybe Woodside could be in forthe same treatment.

Yarram andSale City pushed on the walls of finals in 2023, and both wouldbewanting to replicate something similartowhatHeyfield achieved last season,and now alot of clubs missing out of finals know that it is possible to make agiganticleap.

Further down theladder,Cowwarrmight fancythemselvestoclimb theladderwith the massiveacquisition of KeenanHughes from YYN, among manyins.But somemay question if they have done enough to drag Cowwarr back to thepromised land.

Anew coachatGormandale could revitalise their squad andsee them improve with new ideas, while Glengarryand Rosedalewill hope to be moreconsistent,astheyshowed theirability to take teams allthe way last season

For the sake of an equalcompetition,itdoes appear to be the same narrative whichwill see thecompetitiongrowstronger,yet no one coming closertogether. IhopeI’m wrong there

Let’snot forget that theNGFNL nearly had a12thclub,asMorwellEast made their second consecutive bidtojoin the league Makingita step further thistimearound,they were halted by NGFNL clubswho objected the move. My guess is that they tryagainat the endofthe 2024 season. Andtheymight not be the only ones.

How much easier will it be to configure a fixture withnobyes? Onecan only guess. Tom'sLadder Prediction: Woodside,TTU, Heyfield,Churchill,YYN, SaleCity, Cowwarr, Yarram, Rosedale,Gormandale, Glengarry.

lastseason, literally.The Bombers went to win ethroughout 2023 Photographs: File

Tip top: Ex-TTU footballer Liam Willaton (pictured above) won the NGFNLsenior best-and-fairest in 2023. Willaton willtest his trade at Gippsland League club, Traralgoninthe 2024 season

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF LOCAL FOOTBALLAND NETBALL ACROSS THELATROBE VALLEY

NORTHGIPPSLAND LEAGUE

Churchill

Coach: Jordan Fenech

In: Ashley Di Ciero,LukeDiCiero (Bentleigh, Southern FNL), Nathan McRae (Tarwin)

Out: Chris Wangman(Morwell East),Joel Mason (Boolarra),Dillon Leys (Thorpdale), JarrodHenderson (Yinnar).

2023Ladder: Fifth(10 wins,6 losses), Semi Finalist.

AFTER Heyfield’spunctureintothe finals series last year,this year it will be interesting to see howChurchill cancounteract the fact that the Roos jumped them.

The Cougars arealways amongst it, and it appears that theyhavecoveredtheir exits well with anumber of handy incomingplayers. Their threeexits were all important ones, with fullforwardChrisWangman and medium forwardJoel Mason leavingaholeinthe forwardline, whichmight open thedoors for someyounger players when thetime comes.

Losing Dillon LeystoThorpdale will on one handbea massive blow butwillallow 2023 clubbest-and-fairest BaileyFlanigan to displayhis ability not only as ahalfbackbut alsointhe ruck.

The two Di Cierobrothers from theSouthern Football-NetballLeague willinjectsome size

Cowwarr

Coach: Luke Hegarty

In: Keenan Hughes (YYN), Haydn Hector (Traralgon), Zac Tactor,DanielHayes, Rob Farnham (Swifts Creek, ODFNL), Alex Saunders (SwanReach,ODFNL),Harry Broad (New), Connor Cook(Returning).

Out: Brayden Rioli (Marrandera, Riverina FNL).

2023Ladder: 10th(2wins, 13 losses,1 draw)

ASPIRATIONSare high at Cowwarrin2024.

The Saints, who havedwelledatthe foot ends of the ladder in recent yearshave had enough and looked primed to rise.

For the secondseason in arow Cowwarrhave gone on asigning spree, but this year they havemanaged to lockdown playersinkey positionswhich should assist their rise up the ladder

The recruitments hope to makeCowwarrmore competitive, as they look to take on anew running,sling-shotting gameplan.

“We’vepicked up afair fewplayers, some high-quality players. We obviously needed to put abit moreofa scoreonthe board that’sobviously whywe’ve brought in Keenan Hughes andDaniel Hayes,” senior coach

to the contestand in frontofgoals, and willbe hoping to hitthe ground running at theNorth Gippslandlevel.

The Cougarsalsowelcome back Nathan McRae who spent sometime away at Tarwin.

The topfive took areshuffle in 2023, with Heyfield coming in andleapfrogging Churchill andYYN,while Yarram missed outaftera poor start to theseason

It will be interesting to seewhere theCougars will react, andwhether theywilluse that fireof finishing fifth to shoot themselves backupthe ladder

The rejuvenation of their reserveswillonlyhelp the seniors going forward,providing plentyof depth throughout theseason if theyneed to be called upon.

SeniorcoachJordanFenech wants people to keep their eyes on KurtHolt who impressed in hisreturnfrominjurylastseason,and Ryan Lowrie, who steppedupinto the vice-captain role in 2023and is taking his football to anew level everyseason

There’s no doubt thatChurchill won’t wantto staydown fortoo long, evenifthatlow is a bottom-end finals spot. They will wanttobe theonestobeat andbackwithin premiership contention in 2024.

LukeHegarty said on his appointments.

On top of those notable goal kickers, the stocksinthe midfield and backline have been bolstered too, addingmorematurity, sizeand depth to the side

“Fingers crossedthat we’ve covered allthe bases,but you never knowuntilyou getout there,” Hegartysaid.

After finishing second-last in 2023, Cowwarr still hada strong endtothe seasonfromtheir viewpoint. They will look to take thegame on in 2024 and puttheir newsignings to use.

“I think I’ll game style will stackuptomost, I think it’ll be pretty similar to mostteamshow theyplay offthe half back flanks,” Hegarty said

Keep an eye on the likesofHughes, who Hegartydescribes as thebest centrehalf forwardinGippsland, as wellasHaydn Hector comingfromTraralgon,and Alex Saunders as Cowwarr aimtoreach thetop five forthe first time since2012

“If we can finish fifth,thenanything can happen from there,”Hegarty said.

Can Cowwarrbethe surprise package of 2024?

Coach: Alex Bermingham

In: Nil

Out: Thomas Poulton(Boolarra)

2023Ladder: Ninth(3wins, 13 losses).

GLENGARRY areheaded in anew direction. In terms of their ladder position, I’m not completely sure if that means up or down.

Glengarrysuffered amajor shock last year, falling to the lower ends of the North Gippsland FNL,finishing in ninth withinthe grips of Cowwarrand Gormandale.

Looking into 2024, Glengarryhave donethe opposite of those sides, andstuck withtheir teamfor 2024, for the most part

It begs thequestion: how muchcan they improve withthe same team, as everyone elsetriestomake upgradestotheir squads?

It will be interesting to seewhattheycan do under the leadership of newsenior coach

AlexBirmingham, andhow he could rally his troops to abetter finish.

Yes, I’m surethat theMagpiesare working on things behind closeddoors, but thereisno way of knowinghow their plans willmatch up withthe othersuntil Round1

Theywillhopetoget offtoa goodstartand

Glengarry Heyfield

Coach: Leigh Brown

In: Nil

Out: Nil.

2023Ladder: Third(11 wins, 5losses), Preliminary Finalist.

SOMETHING that notmany,ifnot any,side in their positionhas done coming into2024 is go entirely unchanged.

Heyfield willsimply be relying on what they builtin2023, with their sole focus to go one better and develop whatthey have.

In sayingthat, their damagingplaying style won’tshiftfromlast season,which sawthem boost themselves from seventh on the 2022 ladder, up to thirdtoearna double chance

“The boysare obviously ayounggroup, and ayearolder… we tried to play abrand that was exciting andtake thegame on alittle bitand playwithalittle bit of speed,” senior coach Leigh Brown said.

Going intoa season unchanged is almost unheardoffroma country standpoint,but Brown thinks it won’tmake adifference.

“I don’tthink it’llhaveany effect at all, whetheritbepositive or negative. The expectation is that ouryoung kids will continue to playfooty together andplay

get throughRound 1with no worriescoming up against Gormandale, who haven’t won a game sinceRound 1, 2022.

“We’ll probablyhavea more attacking brand than what we’ve hadinthe lastcouple of years,” Birmingham said.

“We’ve gota lotofyoung guys whowant to runsowe’ll be doingstufftofreethemupand let them playtheir footy,and hopefully that translatestosomemorescoring.”

Glengarrywill look to improveinternally,rather than prioritisingtheir results,hoping it will translateduring theseason

“I think therewas sixgameslastyearwhen 16 of the 22 (players)were22(years-old) or younger,” Birminghamsaid

Thecurrent players havebought into theplan andhave stuckaround to give2024 another crack,sothatcan’tbeseenentirelyasa negative.

At Glengarry, keep an eye on Jesse Lee who hadastrongend to the 2023season,and hashit thetrack in 2024 looking “super fit” accordingtoBirmingham.

“I’m excited to see him takehis next step.”

more senior games together,continuing to grow anddevelop individually andasa group,”hesaid

“Thegrowth that we seeand believe is in our youngstersprobably is equal to going out andgetting players to top offour list, so we like whatwegot.”

Heyfield aim to continue on their work from last year, bothonand offthe field. And continue to makeHeyfield aplace for people to enjoythe club with friends and family, bringing club culturetothe forefront.

“The footy will take care of itself from there. The resultswilltakecareofitself,”Brown said

The Kangarooswillbesetting up to win a flag,whetherthat is realistic or not.Unable to have anycontrol onwhatotherteamsare doing, they remainset on thetaskand worry about themselves

Youngplayers like TysonBirss andLiam Heasley areamonga contingent of young Roos who areexpectedtotake thenext step in theirfootballing careersand becomegreat assetstothe Heyfield senior side.

NORTHGIPPSLAND LEAGUE

Rosedale

Coach: Jeremy Reid

In: Blake Safstrom (Sale City), Jake Suter (Morwell), Rohan Diamond (Sale), Harper Fox (Traralgon), Brandon McConnell, Riley Boyle (Palmerston,NTFL).

sortofwhere we’ll be aiming,”seniorcoach Jeremy Reid said.

“I’dsay the lowerend of the finals is probablywherewe’dput our passmark,we look to exceedthat.”

Out: JoelBristow (Maffra), Sam Bristow (Retired).

2023Ladder: Eighth(5wins,10losses, 1 draw).

CONSISTENCYisthe key at Rosedale. In years gone by,the Blues havelosta wealth of experience, and arenow putting theblocksbackinplace to restoretheir maturity

Through the experiencethat younger players havegottenatdifferent,some better,clubs, thatwill only addanotherlayer to the Blues in 2024.

Justlikemostteams, Rosedale arehoping to boost themselvesupthe ladder this season,giving themselves ashout at finals, something they’vebeendeprived of since the 2019 season

“We’llbeaiming to improve acouple of ladderspots, and tryand be aroundthe markfor finals. Without playing agamethat’s

The Foxbrothers in Harperand Spencer have spent some timeaway from the club in the Gippsland League and theGippsland Power system, and nowreturn with awealth of experience, andwith youth on theirside, theymightjustbethe piecestothe puzzle thatRosedaleneeded

The pair of brothershave looked electric in preseasonaccordingtoReid, who is excited to see themdisplaying their talent for the Blues.

Another playertolook out for is Jay Diamond, whoontop of senior football, played alot of Thirdsfootballlastseason.

Butashegraduates into thetop age division,helooks settoexplode.

“His sole focus willbeseniors,sowe’ll seea lotout of him," Reidsaid

Expectsome fast-paced,exciting football from Rosedale this year,astheyaim to return to finals after five years.

Yallourn YallournNorth

Coach: TomHutton

In: TomHutton (College Football), Dylan Brooks, BenMorrow,LucasFry,Lachlan Rees (Moe).

Out: KeenanHughes(Cowwarr), BlakeJulin, KyleJennings(Newborough)

2023Ladder: Fourth(10 wins, 6losses), Elimination Finalist.

WILL this season see the redemption arcfor the Jets?

Sure, theywon theflag in 2022, but then got eliminatedinthe first roundoffinals last year, so there is everything in between to gain back in 2024.

The arrival of newcoach TomHutton is welcomedadditiontothe squad,ashe hopes to sendthe Jets in the right direction Anew coach comesometimesmean new structures,asthatiscertainlythe case at YYN

“Wehave beenaddingsomemorestructures in to supportthe playersthatwehave,” Huttonsaid.

“We’ve got really good playersonthe park and pretty much have been abletoplay instinctively for awhile andgot goodresults out of that, andnow we’replaying more

predictable to each other insteadofeveryone operating offtheirown instincts.”

The Jets have anumber of goalstheywould liketotick offthis season, both on andoff the field.

“Everyone’sgoingfor theflag,but we’ve got the key indictors withthe way we wantto play,” Huttonsaid

“We’reconfident that if we canget thegame plandown patand we play ourway,we’ll finishina good position, and that’sour goal “Ifweget that right, then that puts it on other teams to beat us.”

Lastyear, Hutton believed that YYN were exposeda number of times andwill back that up witha proper structure and monitoring stats week-to-week

On top of that, offthe field,YYN wanttoadd another levelofconnectednesswithin the club, with mentalhealthspeakers coming to speaktothe playing group andtaking a leaf out of Craig McRae’sbookfromwhen he arrivedatCollingwood.

Huttonwants people to keep an eye on the YYN youthand the additionsofBrooks, Morrow, Fryand Rees who have all arrived from Moe in theGippsland League.

Coach: JackBrown

In: James Jacobsen (Morwell), Jake Albanese (Injury), Justin Barnes (Injury).

Out: LiamWillaton (Traralgon), Ricky Cochrane (Boolarra), BradKelleher (Moving).

2023Ladder: First(16 wins,0 losses), Premiers

WHATmorecan TTUdoin2024?

If thereisany room forimprovement,the Bombers will be aiming to check thatoff the list.

In 2023, TTU didwhat everyclub strives to do: win everygame andtake out the premiership.Itwas simplyperfect. Their closest challenger all year was Woodside,which setupanultimate Grand Final, whichwas so contestedthat either sidecouldbarely register ascore.

But it was afairytaleending for theBombers whowon every home and away game, pluseachoftheirfinals to be crowned as premiers

Can theyreplicate season2023 in 2024?

I’d be surprised,but they’ve shownthat it is within the realms of possibility

Gormandale

Coach: Josh Monacella

In: JoshMonacella (Newborough), Aaron Pawel (Drouin), Zac Watson (TTU), Darcy Cooke (Morwell East), Steve Sullivan (St John’s, VAFA).

Out: LiamDeering (Ballarat).

2023Ladder: 11th (0 wins,16losses)

TrarallgonTTyersUnited

League best-and-fairestwinnerLiam Willatonhas moved on to give the Gippsland League seniorsa crack at Traralgon, returning to whereheplayed juniors.

MidfielderRick Cochranehas also departed back to Boolarra afterone season with the Bombers.BradKelleher hasalso movedon. Incoming, TTU have recruitedthe services of much-respected Morwell senior player JamesJacobsen, whoplayed over100 games forthe Gippsland Leagueside.

Thereturn of Jake Albaneseand Justin Barnesfrominjurywillbenothing but helpful

What is theretochange at TTU?They had the winning formula. The ins and outs of countryleaguefootballultimately stop teamsfromhavinglengthy dynasties, butit’s undoubted that the Bomberswillbetough to beat againthis year

What better way to kickoff their season,than aGrand Final rematch on their ownturfas well

If they can set the tonewitha Round 1win over Woodside, seriously,what elsewillstop them?

Surrounding Clubs

Sale City

Coach: Jacob Schuback

In: Daine McGuiness, Cooper Whitehill, Ostin Waugh,KaneMartin (Sale), Declan Scriven (Railway, GreatNorthern FL),JoshTollner, Abe Schuback (Returning).

Out: Blake Safstrom (Rosedale).

2023Ladder: Seventh (8 wins, 8 losses).

Woodside

Coach: Michael Stockdale

In: Mark Collison (Traralgon), James Pryde (Cowwarr), Austin Wonaeamirri (Tiwi Bombers, NTFL), CoryStockdale (Norwood, SANFL), JoshHicks (Dingley, SFNL),Liam Hard (East Wagga Kooringal,Farrer FL)

Out: JackSchultz (Stratford,East Gippsland FNL), JackAvage(AFLQ).

2023Ladder: Second (14wins, 2 losses),Runner-up.

Yarram

Coach: Boadie Motton

In: Kayleb

Pearce(Injury), Chris Coulthard (Traralgon), James Mackenzie (Cora Lynn, West Gippsland FNL), Alessi Green, NickMcKenzie (Korumburra, WGFNL)

Out: DanielO’Keefe (Cricket),Tanner Chisholm(Work)

2023Ladder: Sixth (8 wins, 8losses)

NORTHGIPPSLAND LEAGUE

Churchill

Coach: Katrina Hutchinson

In: Emma Doderico(Glengarry), Gemma Whykes (YYN).

Out: Tayla Beyer (Boolarra), Layla Blair (Hiatus).

2023Ladder: Third(13 wins,3losses), Runner-up.

SECOND-best never tastes good.

The Cougars had an incredible 2023season that saw themcome from seventh on the ladderand intoa Grand Final

There’s no fight lost at theCougars, with playing coach Katrina Hutchinson ready to leadthe team intothe finalsagain

2023league best-and-fairest,Rachel Loechelwillcontinuetocause trouble for the opposition in themidcourt, whilethe newest additiontothe teamEmma Doderico will alsoplay akey role in the Cougars success alongsideTeamofThe Year shooter Lynette Patten

Expect theCougars to remainfierce competitorshungrytogothatone stepfurther in season 2024.

Cowwarr

Coach: Abbey Pleydell

In: Not provided.

Out: Not provided.

2023Ladder: Seventh(5wins, 11 losses)

COWWARR areyet to finalise their teams but to the Express’understanding, the Saints will looksimiliar

FormerMaffracoachAbbey Pleydell will lead the Saints in the newseason,bringingan extensive resume withher

ThoughCowwarr finished seventh on the ladder lastyear, the young talentlikeKayla Woodall will getbetter with eachgame.

The Saints weren’taneasy winfor manyclubs lastyear, andthey will definitely retain that competitivespark in the newseason

Glengarry

Coach: Nikki Douglas

In: EmilyWhitty,Belinda Walker (Injury), Sarah Musgrove, SarahHobson,Sammy King, Jacqui Barnes (Unknown)

Out: Tiffany Boatman (Morwell),MeganGarlic (Moving), Karlee DalPra (Unknown).

2023Ladder: Sixth (10 wins, 6losses).

THEMagpies of North Gippslandwill looka lot differentinA Grade thisyear.

ThoughGlengarrymighthave lost their two dominantshootersinTiffany Boatman and Megan Garlic, players likeEmily Whitty and

BelindaWinkler return from injuryand new coach Nikki Douglas has brought in some experienced talent.

The team has hadtheirfair shareofA Grade exposure,sothere’s no doubt the Magpieswill remaincompetitive.

Narrowly missing outonfinals last year,they’ll be hungryinseason2024.

Heyfield

Coach: Sarah Schellen

In: Nil.

Out: Nil.

2023Ladder: Second (13wins and3 losses), Semi Finalist.

THE youngKangarooshave unfinished business.

After finishingsecond on the ladderinseason

2023tolosing thefinals in straight sets, the Rooshaveunfinished business.

JazzSchellen willplay under her mother’s guidance, back from an injury that saw her side-linedfor muchofthe 2023 season

Jayde Parsons will be the Roos’number-one player to watch.She had quite the preseason, having been selected as an underage Under 23s GippslandStars VNLplayer

Signing thesame team as last yearcan be ahuge win forHeyfield. Theconnection and the drivewillbethere, so expectthe Roos to makeitamongthe league’s top fiveteams.

Rosedale

Coach: Sarah Mayman

In: Notprovided.

Out: Notprovided.

2023Ladder: Fifth(11 wins,5 losses), Elimination Finalist.

ROSEDALE willhopetoimprove on their 2023 seasonaftertheirfinals campaignwas cut short in adefeat to the reigning premiers.

The Blues were notfar offthe mark last year, winning 11 games for theseason and showing real competitiveness against thetop foursides.

Team of TheYearmid courter,SarahMayman willonceagainlead the team, so best believe Rosedale will continue to work hard andmake finals this year.

Traralgon Tyers United

Coach: RachelShaw

In: Faith Farmer (Morwell), Joey Watson (Unknown),Maddison Bond (Hiatus), Rachel Shaw (Hiatus).

Out: Emma Grunwald (Hiatus).

2023Ladder: Eighth(3wins, 13 losses)

TTUwillwelcome Rachel Shaw’scoaching tenacity to theclub. Shawhas an extensive resume, including many club best-and-fairests and multiple premierships across hertime at Moeand Glengarry.

Shaw hasbeen busyinthe off-season,adding someheight to the small, yetfastBombers.

Faith Farmer willbea veryfiercecompetitor for theBombers as agut-runningmidcourter who will help out RahniStyles

“At themoment,it’sjust aboutbeingbetter,” coachShaw said

With Shaw’stalents,TTU will definitelybea team on the up.

Yallourn Yallourn North

Coach: Allison Mitchell

In: Not provided.

Out: Gemma Whykes(Churchill).

2023Ladder: 11th(1wins, 15 losses).

THE Jets have struggledtofindtheirfooting since moving to North Gippsland in 2021, finishingbottom of the ladder in season 2023, but things arelooking up fortheir clubastheir other senior Netball sideshave found success in finalscampaigns.

Experienced coach and gunplayer Allison Mitchell will lead the side

The Jetshave beenworkinghardtodevelop players. Fittingly,YallournNorth will run an Aand Bgrade squad until teams are finalised, giving optimal time to find theright combinations on thecourt.

Gormandale

Coach: Chantelle Weber

In: Not provided.

Out: Heidi Gaudion(Rosedale).

2023Ladder: 10th(3losses, 13 wins).

GORMANDALEhas brought in Chantelle

WeberasA Grade coach as former coach Heidi Gaudionjoins Rosedale. Weberhas played at Gormandale fora long time, so she knows theterrainwell, butthis will be her first timecoachingthe side. Gormandale will hope to improveonlast season’s record and win morethan three games for the year.

Sale City

Coach: JaeEvans

In: Isla McCarthy (Sale), EbonyLee (Stratford, East Gippsland FNL),Maddy Rodwell (Returning).

Out: Not provided.

2023Ladder: First (13wins, 2losses, 1draw), Preliminary Finalist.

Whatteamswill step up to the pllattetthisseason?

SALE City willbelooking to go all the waythis year.

Jae Evans has maintained the strong playing groupsincebeginning her AGrade coaching career at the kennel in 2017; this season, Evans has added to the teamwith some fresh newtalent.

Theteam’s athleticmidcourt with thelikes of newestadditionIslaMcCarthy and2023 Team of the Year player IndigoWaugh willbe adifficult one to breakthrough.

FellowNorth GippslandTeam of theYear players in shooter CharlotteRonchiand defender Simone Turner will also create headachesfor theopposition

Sale City won’t be dwelling on their2023

PreliminaryFinal loss with coach Evanseager to achieve thatpremiershipglory

Sale City willdefinitely be onetowatch

Woodside

Coach: Elizabeth Nicol

In: Saskia Enjes (Morwell),Maddie Evans (OrbostSR, East Gippsland FNL).

Out: JessBanik, Taylah Buckley,AndyElliot (Hiatus).

2023 Ladder: Fourth (12wins, 3losses, 1 draw), Premiers.

THE reigningpremiers willenter theseason witha verydifferent team.

The Wildcats have lost abit of experience in JessBanikand Any Elliotand a bit of speed withthe exit of TaylahBuckley

Coach ElizabethNicol hasworked hard to fill positions with the additionsfeaturing versatile midcourter SasikaEnjes

“Weraisedthe barin2023and we’re determine to build on it again in 2024,”Nicol said.

“Wehave anew teamthis year but we will be justasdangerousand if notmoreexciting.”

Woodside maywellstill be theteam to beat despite theirchanges.

Yarram

Coach: Janette Mansell

In: Not provided.

Out: Not provided.

2023Ladder: Ninth (3 wins, 13 losses).

THE Demonettes havesigned on Janette Mansell who will work hard to improve on last year’sefforts.

MansellsaidAGrade willlookcompletely different with juniorsadded to the list.

Though theteamhas yet to be named, Mansell is confident the Dees will do better thisyear.

GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL

BY TOM HAYES

AFRESH batchofyoung talent will be putting their hearts, minds, andbodies on the linethis season forGippsland Power,astheyhopeto findthemselves on an AFL or AFLW listatthe end of the season.

In every draft since 1992, Gippsland Power has sent of at leastone player to theAFL or AFLWthroughthe National, Mid-Season, or Rookie Drafts.

In the last five drafts, 26 AFL or AFLWplayers havecome from theGippsland Power, including thelikes of CalebSerongand Jai Newcombe.

In the same timeperiod, six havecome from the LatrobeValley specifically:Brock Smith and LeoConnolly who arenolonger on alist, Sam Flanders andBailey Humphrey thriving at GoldCoast,and most recently,Tew Jiath andAmberSchutte.

GIPPSLANDPowerBoysfinishedinthe top eight at the endof2023, with a7-6 record The top 12 teams playedfinals.

Theyprogressedtothe Semi Finals with a four-goal win over ninth-placed Dandenong Stingrays beforegoing downtoTassie Devils by 17 points to bring their season to ahalt

BY ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

EXPANSIONisonthe cards for women’sfooty in season 2024.

AcoupleofLatrobe Valley localshave the eyesofpotential drafters peeled,with Morwell’sRickyMentha and Traralgon’sWill Brentatthe forefront.

Menthamoved to Morwell from Alice Springs in themiddle of lastyearand earnt his opportunity after playingsenior football for Morwell

He’shad abig preseasonand is described by Boyscoach,Rhett McLennan,as“mercurial” He lookstotakethe year by the hornsashe takes on ahalf forwardand midfield role.

Brenthas taken aprofessionalapproachtohis footballing developmentashelooks to lockin halfback andmidfield minutes.

“The startofthe yearisimportanttohis progression,”McLennan said on Brent In termsofgettingmoredevelopment, McLennan believes the best way to achieve results is by solelyworking as ateam.

“Wejustwant to continue to improve and continue to connect and workwellasa team.

It’sdifficult in Talent League football when everyone’sgoalistotry and make an AFL list… more aregonna get thereifweall pool together,” he said

“The moreand the quickerwecan

understandthat anddisplay thatwhenwe play,thenthe better offwe’regonna be.”

THE GippslandPower Girls had theprimary focus of individualplayer development, and it worked withTraralgon’s AmberSchutte being selected in the 2023 National AFLWDraft with Pick 32 to Collingwood.

Finishing theCoatesTalent Leagueonthe 13th rung of the ladder,the Power won three games andlost 10, butthat wasn’t entirely seen as anegative

It tookuntilthe seventhroundtoget their first win on theboard over the Northern Territory, doing so in convincing styleby54points. Theirothertowins cameagainst Greater Western VictoriaRebels in Round 9and MurrayBushrangers in the17thand final round of thehome andawayseason

An improvement as agroup certainly arrived in the second half of theseason,and when results didn’t go their way,itwasn’tbya huge margin.

The goals in thegirl’sprogramremain much thesame: striving forindividual development. Howeverthis year,Gippsland Power Girls coach NathanBoyd hopes to see some results, despite it notbeinghis number one concern.

“I think we’retracking in the right direction We’ve improved,this time of yeartolast year, we’reabout20per cent better,”hesaid “I’mconfident thatour list hasimproved,so we’d be hopingtoreallystack up betterthan we didlast year,but it’s all aboutfocussing on making sure everyonegets better.”

Sale City’s AshCentra and BoisdaleBriagolong’sJas Sowden aredraft hopefuls, comingoff the back of an impressive bottom ageyear. Both havebeen tracking well and could find themselves on an AFLWlistatthe season’send

Keep an eye on other top age talentwiththe likes of Hayley Kamphius(Churchill) who is returning from injuryand BrookeHunter (Newborough).

Traralgon’sAmber Schutte who was drafted by Collingwood’s AFLW team with Pick32in the2023National AFLW Draft. Producing

Foundedin2022,Female Football Gippsland (FFG) saw themerger of allYouth Girls competitions andthe AFL Gippsland Women’s to create one competition across the Gippsland Region.

Local teamsinthe FFGinclude Churchill, Moe,Morwell, Newborough, Traralgon and Yinnar

FFG held aforumatthe Morwell Bowling Club FunctionCentreonSunday,October 22 to discussopportunities forthe 2024season and beyond

From theforum, the league hasopened up an expressionofinterest processfor prospective committee membersalong withapaid operations role

AFL Hall of Famer Debbie Lee was in attendance to shareher knowledgealongside clubdevelopment, talent and participation staff from AFL Victoria.

FFG currently have 20 teamsacross ouryouth girls andwomen’scompetitions with anumber of newteams hopeful of joiningin2024.

Another GatherRound will featureinthis year'sfixture,tobeheld at MorwellRecreation Reservesometimeduring themiddle of the season

Auskicks from across Gippslandwillprovide the half time entertainmentatthe Gippsland equivalent to the AFL’s festivaloffooty

Kylie Mann andBella Rosatowillcoach the Moe-Newboroughallies in 2024 together “We’rereally excitedbythe dynamics this pairofleaderswillbring to thetable,” theclub said.

In 2021, Mann was named in theFemale Football GippslandTeam of Year and wasa premiershipplayer as well as beingatop 10 finisherinthe FFGbest-and-fairest in 2022 Rosato is ayoungemerging leader who tookout ourRising Staraward in the2022 premiership season beforetakingout the runnersupbest-and-fairestawardlastseason.

The Allies willhave atough task aheadof themafterthe 40-point lossinthe 2023 Grand Final, whereBoisdale-Briagolong were crownedaspremiers.

Expectthese two teams to giveittheirall whenthe season returns in 2024.

Next in line arethe bottom agers whocan still make an impact, which includesElla Stoddart (Traralgon), ChelseaSutton (Traralgon), Rae-Marie Collins (Newborough), Abby Howe (Traralgon)and AshMurtagh (Traralgon).

On topofwanting to developthe girls more and being slightly more competitive,Boyd hopes thatGippsland Powercan work alongside AFL Gippsland to work with Female FootballGippsland to grow thegamefurther.

Sale City Youth Girls might continue their dominance in the YouthGirl’s but with a new divisional structure, perhapsthose big scores againstnot-so-strong teams will be athing of thepast

In 2023, thestronger YouthGirl’ssides dominated others with multiple60-plus-point wins

It is understood the divisions willallow amore even playing field and will make the league more appealingtoyoung prospective female players.

TraralgonYouthGirls hadanearly exitfrom the2023 finals seriesafter losing the Semi Final to the Warragul Industrials3.3 (21) to 1.4 (10).

TheTraralgon sidehave hadmany top age players finishtheir YouthGirlcareers in 2022 butare eager to welcomefresh faces intothe side to get backto2022 premiership winning form

As women’sfooty continues to grow,the Valley continuestoproduce the talent, whichisseen at ahigher level at Gippsland Power Anumberofplayers havemade their wayontoAFLWand VFLW listsincluding

UMPIRES &JUNIORS

BY TOM HAYES

Umpires pumped up for the season ahhead

THOSE whowould be just as excited for the football to return arethe umpires,and its businessasusual forthe LatrobeValley Umpires Association.

Justlikeplayers, theumpiresatthe LVUA all train, playtheir partontheir field as celebrate justlike anyone else would

“Ourpreseason usually starts aroundthe start of February, particularlyfor field and boundaryumpires morethan anything else -and thatisrunning,” LVUA SecretaryDan Swallow said.

“Weget intoskill developmenta littlebit closertothe startofthe season.”

Fletcher(128), Tim Charles(54) andJustin Stephenson (65), and1994 Grand Final umpireColin Hood (311games).

Butthe most recognisableofthemall is Leongatha local, Matt Stevic, who hasthe fourth-most games umpired and themost finals umpired of all time

Stevichas umpired everyAFL Grand Final since2012,except the 2013 Grand Final betweenHawthornand Fremantle. Histotal of 11 Grand Finals is also the most in history LVUA and Sale UmpiresAssociationcover theleaguesinour region, from juniorstothe Gippsland League seniors. TheSUA look after theNorth Gippsland Football-Netball Leagueand its surrounds

Foronce in awhile,there havebeen no major rulechanges at AFL level, meaning our local umpires havenot neededtospend time learningnew facetsofthe game.

Every year we areadvised of monster milestones thatumpires have musteredup, which onlygoontohighlight their dedication to game, something thatusually goes unnoticed on the field.

Lastseason, 11 umpires hit significant milestones,ranging from 400towell over 1000 games

Stephen Scholz and Brett Harlehit 400 games, while Bryan Sultana and Scott Moorhousesurpassedthe 500-gamemark withLVUA President Steve Esler ticking over 550 gameswithSean Maxwell.

Moving up the ladder,ScottBaker ticked over800 gameslastyear, while Mark Harris passed 850games andPeter North racked up his900th.

And the twobig milestones of theyear belonged to SteveBuhagiarwho umpired his 1050th game, andDon Wight who continues to go above and beyond with 1350 games. We tend to familiarise ourselves withplayers that come from Gippslandwho go on to bigger andbetter thingsinthe AFL. Well, umpires do thattoo, anda number of them have

Umpiresthathave made it to theAFL from theLatrobe Valley includeboundary umpires JamesFleming (141 games), Darren

With thatinmind, it must be noted that demand forumpiring is low, andnumbers are neededtokeep that game afloat Theleaguescan’t keepresortingtohaving less umpires on thefield as it hasdone in the past, with some clubshaving to find peopleto ride the boundary or stand on the goal line.

UmpireassociationsacrossGippslandare always looking for new recruits,towhichthey train and take part in games just as football playersdo. Some evenget paid.

The LVUA is looking forpotentialumpires “from theage of 10 until youcan’t walk anymore”

Headtothe LVUA Facebookpage to see more informationontheir umpirerecruitment drive, enquireabout trainingand seewhat goes on at the LVUA

BY TOM HAYES AND ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

NO moreweekend sleep-ins. Junior football season is almost back Junior footballersfromthe CentralGippsland JuniorFootballLeague andTraralgon and District JuniorFootballLeagues will be counting down the days until they can gear up andtaketothe field

The two leagues in theregion consist of nearly 20 teams across the two,withsome unable to field teams in allage groups.

Newborough, Mirboo North, Moe,Morwell, YallournNorth, Corner Inlet, MDUand Tarwin. Just likethe CGJFL, theTDJFL will havetheir season underway on April 21 -only amonth away!

The10teams competing in the TDJFLare CombinedSaints, Police Boys, PaxHill, South Side, TEDASand West Endbased in Traralgon, with the addition of Churchill, Glengarry, Rosedaleand Yinnar

visited the region last December,asa part of their community camp.

On separate occasions, Collingwoodplayers werepresented in front of these junior footballers, signing guernseysand taking photos,something those kidswon't forget If you arelookingtoget into juniorfootball, or havea child that is interested, makesureto check out your local clubsand enquire.

The CGJFL will startthe season on Sunday, April 21,boasting fiveage groups consisting of Under 8s, U10s, U12s,U14sand U16s, comparedtothree age groups last year (U10, U12 andU14.5).

Competing in the CGJFLisHillEnd,

The TDJFLissplitupintofourage groups: Under9s, U11s, U13s and U15s During the offseason,a select number of CGJFLand TDJFL players were given the opportunitytomeet some of Collingwood’s premiership winning Magpies whenthey

The juniorlevel is wherekidsdevelopa love for thegame. Noteveryonewants to be the nextbig thing, but if kids arestaying active and having fun outside,you can’t complain.

Of course,thesesporting clubs would not run withoutthe help of the many volunteers, who deserve aspecialthanks for alloftheir work throughoutthe juniorfootballseason.

Four figures: Latrobe Valley UmpireAssociation’s Don Wightsurpassed 1350 games last season. Photograph: File

30 &A

Bairnsdale vTraralgon (March 30)

Moe vMorwell (April 6)

Leongatha vTraralgon

Bairnsdale vDrouin

Warragul vWonthaggi

Maff ra vSale

Round2,April 13

Morwell vBairnsdale

Traralgon vMoe (N)

SalevWarragul

Drouin vMaff ra

Wonthaggi vLeongatha

Round3,April 20 &21

Wonthaggi vMorwell (April 20)

MoevSale

Maff ra vLeongatha

Warragul vDrouin (April 21)

BYE-Traralgon, Bairnsdale

Round4,April27

Morwell vDrouin

Leongatha vMoe

Traralgon vWarragul (N)

Bairnsdale vMaff ra

Sale vWonthaggi

Round5,May 4

Traralgon vWonthaggi

Moe vBairnsdale

Maff ra vMorwell

Drouin vSale

Leongatha vWarragul

Round6,May 11

Morwell vLeongatha

Moe vDrouin

Sale vTraralgon

Wonthaggi vMaff ra

Round7,May 25

Morwell vWarragul

Maff ra vMoe

Drouin vTraralgon

LeongathavSale

Bairnsdale vWonthaggi

Round8,June1

Sale vMorwell

Traralgon vMaff ra

Warragul vMoe

LeongathavBairnsdale

Wonthaggi vDrouin

Round9,June8 &9

MoevWonthaggi (June8)

Bairnsdale vSale

Maff ra vWarragul

Drouin vLeongatha

Morwell vTraralgon (June9)

Round10, June15&16

Morwell vWonthaggi (June15)

Sale vMoe

Traralgon vBairnsdale

LeongathavMaffra

Drouin vWarragul (June16)

Round11, June22

Bairnsdale vMorwell

Warragul vTraralgon

Moe vLeongatha

Maff ra vDrouin

WonthaggivSale

Round12, June29

Morwell vMoe

Traralgon vLeongatha

Drouin vBairnsdale

Wonthaggi

SEASON FIX TU RE

Leongatha vWonthaggi Maff ra vBairnsdale

1st Semi Final, September 8

PreliminaryFinal, September 14

Grand Final, September 21

Round14, July 20

Wonthaggi vTraralgon Bairnsdale vMoe Morwell vMaff ra

Sale vDrouin

Warragul vLeongatha

Round15, July 27

Leongatha vMorwell

Drouin vMoe

Traralgon vSale

Maff ra vWonthaggi

Bairnsdale vWarragul

Round16, August 3

MoevMaff ra

Warragul vMorwell

Traralgon vDrouin

Wonthaggi vBairnsdale

Round17, August

Sale vLeongatha 17

Morwell vSale

Maff ra vTraralgon

Moe vWarragul

Bairnsdale vLeongatha

Drouin vWonthaggi

Round18, August 24

Traralgon vMorwell

WonthaggivMoe

Sale vBairnsdale

Warragul vMaff ra

Leongatha vDrouin

Round1,April 13

Fish Creek vNewborough h

MDU vThorpdale

Yinnar vToora

Boolarra vMirboo North

Hill End vStony Creek

Foster vMorwell East

BYE -Tarwin

Round 2, April20

Newborough vYinnar

Thorpdale vBoolarra

TooravHill End

Mirboo North vFoster

Round6,May 18

Boolarra v Foster

Yinnar v Morwell East

Fish Creek v Mirboo North

Newborough vThorpdale

MDU vStony Creek

Tarwin vToora

BYE -Hill End

Round7,May 25

Morwell East vHill End StonyCreek vBoolarra

Mirboo North vYinnar

Thorpdale vFish Creek

StonyCreek vMorwell East

Tarwin vMDU

BYE -Fish Creek

Round3,April 27

Yinnar vFish Creek

Boolarra vTarwin

Hill End vNewborough

Foster vThorpdale

Morwell East vToora

StonyCreek vMirboo North

BYE -MDU

Round4,May 4

MDUvBoolarra

Fish Creek vHillEnd

Newborough vMorwell East

Thorpdale vStony Creek

TooravMirboo North

Tarwin vFoster

BYE -Yinnar

Round5,May 11

Hill End vYinnar

Morwell East vFish Creek

Mirboo North vNewborough

TooravThorpdale

Foster vMDU

Newborough vTarwin

TooravMDU

BYE -Foster

Round8,June1

Hill End vMirboo North

Boolarra vToora

Yinnar vThorpdale

MDU vNewborough

Fish Creek vTarwin

Foster vStony Creek

BYE -Morwell East

Round9,June8 &15

Fish Creek vMDU (June 8)

Mirboo Nth vMorwell East (June15)

Thorpdale vHill End

Newborough vBoolarra

Tarwin vYinnar

TooravFoster

BYE -Stony Creek

Round10, June22

Morwell East vThorpdale

Foster vNewborough

Hill End vTarwin

Boolarra vFish Creek

Yinnar vMDU

StonyCreek vTarwin

BYE -Boolarra

StonyCreek vToora

BYE -MirbooNorth

SEASON FIX TU RE

Round11, June29

Thorpdale vMirboo North

Newborough vStony Creek

Tarwin vMorwell East

MDU vHill End Yinnar vBoolarra

Fish Creek vFoster

BYE -Toora

Round12, July 6

TooravNewborough

Mirboo North vTarwin

Morwell East vMDU

Foster vYinnar

Hill End vBoolarra

StonyCreek vFish Creek

BYE -Thorpdale

Round13, July 13

Tarwin vThorpdale

MDU vMirboo North

Yinnar vStony Creek

Boolarra vMorwell East

Hill End vFoster

Fish Creek vToora

BYE -Newborough

Round14, July 20

Newborough vFish Creek

Thorpdale vMDU

TooravYinnar

Mirboo North vBoolarra

Morwell East vFoster

BYE -Hill End, StonyCreek, Tarwin

Round15, July 27

Boolarra vHillEnd

StonyCreek vThorpdale

Yinnar vNewborough

Foster vMirboo North

MDU vTarwin

BYE -Morwell East,Fish Creek, Toora

Round16, August 3

Thorpdale vToora

Fish Creek vBoolarra

Morwell East vYinnar

Mirboo North vHill End

Tarwin vStony Creek

BYE -Newborough, Foster,MDU

Round17, August 10

Boolarra vStony Creek

Morwell East vNewborough

Hill End vMDU

TooravTarwin

Foster vFish Creek

BYE -Mirboo North, Thorpdale, Yinnar

Round18, August 17

Thorpdale vMorwell East

Mirboo North vFish Creek

StonyCreek vYinnar

Tarwin vHill End

Newborough vToora

MDU vFoster

BYE -Boolarra

FINALSSERIES

Qualifying Final, August 24

Elimination Final, August 25

2nd Semi Final, August 31

1st Semi Final, September 1

PreliminaryFinal, September 7

Grand Final, September 14

Round1,April 13

Sale CityvCowwarr

Heyf ield vRosedale

TTUvWoodside

Round6,May 18

YYNvChurchill

Gormandale vTTU

Glengarry vCowwarr

Gormandale vGlengarry

YarramvChurchill

BYE- YYN

Round2,April 20

Rosedale vTTU

Glengarry vHeyfield

Churchill vGormandale

Cowwarrv YYN

Woodside vSale City

BYE -Yarram

Round3,April 27

YYNv Woodside

Sale City vRosedale

TTUvGlengarry

Heyf ield vChurchill

Gormandale vYarram

BYE -Cowwarr

Round4,May 4

Rosedalev YYN

Glengarry vSale City

Churchill vTTU

YarramvHeyfield

Woodside vCowwarr

BYE -Gormandale

Round5,May 11

YYNvGlengarry

TTUvYarram

Heyf ield vGormandale

CowwarrvRosedale

BYE -Churchill, Sale City, Woodside

Rosedale vWoodside

Sale CityvYarram

BYE -Heyfield

Round7,May 25

YarramvYYN

TTUvHeyfield

CowwarrvChurchill

Woodside vGlengarry

Sale CityvGormandale

BYE -Rosedale

Round8,June1

Gormandale vYYN

Heyf ield vSale City

YarramvCowwarr

Churchill vWoodside

Glengarry vRosedale

BYE -TTU

Round9,June15

YYNvHeyfield

Sale CityvTTU

CowwarrvGormandale

Rosedale vChurchill

Woodside vYarram

BYE -Glengarry

Round10, June22

TTUv YYN

Heyf ield vCowwarr

YarramvRosedale

Churchill vGlengarry

Gormandale vWoodside

BYE -SaleCity

SEASON FIX TU RE

Round11, June29

YYNvSale City

CowwarrvTTU

Woodside vHeyfield

Rosedale vGormandale

Glengarry vYarram

BYE -Churchill

Round12, July 6

CowwarrvSale City

Woodside vTTU

Rosedale vHeyfield

Glengarry vGormandale

Churchill vYarram

BYE -YYN

Round13, July 13

YYNv Cowwarr

TTUvRosedale

Heyf ield vGlengarry

Gormandale vChurchill

Sale CityvWoodside

BYE -Yarram

Round14, July 20

Woodside vYYN

Rosedale vSale City

Churchill vHeyfield

YarramvGormandale

BYE -Cowwarr,Glengarry, TTU

Round15, July 27

YYNvRosedale

Sale CityvGlengarry

TTUvChurchill

Heyf ield vYarram

CowwarrvWoodside

BYE -Gormandale

Round16, August 3

Glengarry vYYN

Sale CityvChurchill

YarramvTTU

Gormandale vHeyfield

Rosedale vCowwarr

BYE -Woodside

Round17, August 10

Churchill vYYN

TTUvGormandale

CowwarrvGlengarry

Woodside vRosedale

YarramvSaleCity

BYE -Heyfield

Round18, August 17

YYNv Yarram

Heyf ield vTTU

Churchill vCowwarr

Glengarry vWoodside

Gormandale vSale City

BYE -Rosedale

FINALSSERIES

Qualifying Final, August 24

Elimination Final, August 25

2nd Semi Final, August 31

1st Semi Final, September 1

PreliminaryFinal, September 7

Grand Final, September 14

TTMI | MID GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE | 2022 PREVIEW

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE | 2022 PREVIEW

AGL Loy Yang | NORTH GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL -NETBALL LEAGUE | 2022 PREVIEW

March30

7.00 WeekendBreakfast.

9.00 Rage.(PG) 12.00 ABC News At Noon.

12.30 Death In Paradise. (Mv, R) 1.30

Miniseries:Life AfterLife. (Masv, R) 2.40 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery.(PG, R)

3.10 ExtraordinaryEscapes (PG, R)

4.00Universe With Brian Cox. (Final, R)

5.00 Better Date Than Never. (R)

5.30 Landline. (R)

6.00 Australian Story: On TheBrink

–Bon Scott. (R)PresentedbyLeigh Sales.

6.30 Back Roads:Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania. (R) Joe O’Brien travels to the Tasman Peninsula

7.00 ABC News At Easter Takes alookattoday’s top stories.

7.30 Miniseries: Life After Life (Mal) Part 4of4

8.30 Endeavour (Mav,R)Part3 of 3. Aseriesofdeath noticesinthe Oxford Mail,each with adistinctive, cryptic message, provides clues to Endeavour’s final investigation. Thursday is under pressure from afamiliar face.

10.05 House Of Gods. (Mls, R) Isa uncovers avaluable asset.

11.00 Happy Valley. (Malv,R) Catherine confronts Clare.

12.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

ABC TV PLUS (22)

6am Children’s

Programs. 7.05pm Riley Rocket. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30

Spicks And Specks. 8.00 QI. 8.30 Melbourne

Comedy Festival: TheGala 10.35 Shaun Micallef’s MAD

11.05 MythBusters. 11.55 Double

5.25 Pablo 5.40 Late Programs.

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Cook Up Bitesize. (R)

6.00 NBCToday 7.00 WeekendSunrise.

10.00

6.30 SBS WorldNews.

7.30 Britain’sMostBeautiful Road. Part 4of4

8.30 RoyalCrisis: Countdown To Abdication: TheFall Of AKing. Part 3of3.Edward VIII’srelationship with divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson comes to ahead

9.30 From Paris To Rome With BettanyHughes: Venice, Bologna And TheBay Of Poets. (PG, R) Part 2of4

10.25 Those Who Stayed. (Final, Mal)

11.10 Between TwoWorlds. (Mals)

12.05 Miniseries:True Colours. (Mlv,R)

1.55 MOVIE: The Father.(2020,Malv,R)

Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Imogen Poots 3.40 Face To Face.(Ma, R) 4.35 In Therapy.(Mls, R) 5.00 NHK World English

News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature 5.30

ANC PhilippinesThe World Tonight.

6am WorldWatch.

10.00 TheMovie Show 11.30 The Tailings. 11.45 Gymnastics. Trampoline World Cup.H’lights.

12.45pm Figure Skating. ISU WorldC’ships. H’lights. 3.15 WorldWatch. 5.55 The Food That Built The World. 7.35 Impossible Engineering 8.30 MOVIE: Constantine. (2005, MA15+) 10.40 BetterThings. 11.15 We Are WhoWeAre 2.35am The X-Files. 3.30 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera.

6am Roxanne. Continued. (1987, PG) 7.00 SkiesOf Lebanon. (2020, PG, Italian) 8.45 Paris Can Wait (2016,PG) 10.25 The Justice Of BunnyKing. (2021, M) 12.20pm The Wife.(2017,M) 2.15 What’sEating GilbertGrape. (1993,PG) 4.25 Monsieur Verdoux. (1947, PG) 6.40 The LakeHouse. (2006, PG) 8.30 The Father.(2020,M) 10.20 Body Double. (1984 MA15+) 12.25am Late Programs.

6.00 SevenNews.

7.00 Football. AFL.Round 3. Port Adelaide vMelbourne. From Adelaide Oval.

10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back at all the action from the game.

11.00

Lockerbie. (PGav, R) Part 3of4 The FBIcaseagainstthe twosuspects is strongbut circumstantial, they need eyewitness testimony.Inanunprecedented move,the CIA hand overa Libyandouble agentwho offers confirmation.

1.10 TheArrangement (Mav, R) Meganand Shaun investigate aleadthat could expose Terence’smisdeeds.

2.30 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Mystic (R) Ateenage girl encounters amysterious horse, sparking an unexpected interestinthe animals

5.00 HouseOfWellness. (PG,R)Alook at locations thathighlight living well.

7TWO (72, 62)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Blokesworld. 1.30 Bossy’sBucketList. 2.00 Rides Down Under: Workshop Wars 3.00 Motor Racing. Night Thunder.AustnTitle H’lights. 4.00 Supercar Customiser: Yianni. 5.00 Storage Wars: NY 5.30 Storage Wars 6.00 Pawn Stars. 7.00 StorageWars. 7.30 MOVIE: Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. (1991, PG) 10.30 MOVIE: TheBook

6.00 9News Saturday.

7.00 ACurrent Affair

7.30 Space Invaders. (PG) Apair of siblings’ home is filled with clutter

8.30 MOVIE: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. (2005,PGv,R) Apoor British boywinsatourofa massivechocolate factory,conducted by the factory’seccentric owner.Johnny Depp,FreddieHighmore, David Kelly

10 50 Hotel Chocolat: Inside TheChocolate Factory. (R)

11.45 Renovate Or Rebuild (R)

12.35 World’sGreatest

NaturalIcons. (R)

1.35 TheGarden Gurus. (R)

2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PGa)

2.30 Getaway.(PG, R) 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 Global Shop.(R) 5.00

TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)

9GEM (92, 81)

Programs.

8.00 MOVIE: BarbieAnd Stacie To The Rescue (2024) 9.15 Children’s Programs. 1.40pm IndyCar Series,The $1 Million Challenge. H’lights. 2.45 A1: HighwayPatrol. 3.45 MOVIE: Get ALife Alright. (2022, PG) 5.15 Kenan. 5.45 MOVIE: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. (2009) 7.30 MOVIE: Zookeeper.(2011, PG) 9.30 MOVIE: Sex And The City.(2008, MA15+) 12.20am Late Programs.

1.00 All 4Adventure.(PGal, R) 2.00 Roads Less Travelled. (R) 2.30 Everyday Gourmet.(R) 3.00 What’sUpDown Under (R) 3.30 GCBC. (R) 4.00 My Market Kitchen. (R) 4.30 Taste Of Aust. (R) 5.00 News

6.00 Ready Steady Cook. (PGa,R)

EverydayAussiehomecooks team up with some of the country’sfinest chefs and go head to head in the kitchen.

7.00 TheDog House. (PG, R) An 85-year-old is trying to decide who wouldmakeabetter match: a stubbornbeagle or shyJackRussell 9.00 Ambulance UK. (Mal, R) North East Ambulance attends to afamily which arrived in theUK just 17 days earlier as refugees. Crew members fearfor aboy who has beenknocked down by amotorcycle outside aschool andisunresponsive.

11.30 So Help Me Todd. (PGadv,R) ThegovernorseeksMargaret’shelp

12 30 FBI:International. (Mav,R) Theflyteam heads to Berlin.

1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.

Sunday, March31

ABC TV (2)

6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 WeekendBreakfast.

9.00 The Pope’s EasterVigil 10.30 World

This Week.(R) 11.00 Compass. (PGa, R) 11.30

Praise. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30

Gardening Aust. (R) 2.30 DreamGardens. (R)

3.00 Nigella Bites. (R) 3.30 TheCook AndThe

Chef.(R) 3.55 Grand Designs New Zealand. (R)

4.45 Extraordinary Escapes. (PG, R) 5.35 AGrand Royal Design. (R)

7.00

7.30

8.30

9.30

10.30

of women protests Miss World. KeiraKnightley

12.15 SignificantOthers. (Final, Mals,R)

1.05 Rage Vault (MA15+adhlnsv)

3.55 Cancer: AStory Of Hope –A Catalyst Special. (PG, R) 5.00 Gardening Australia. (R)

SBS (3)

6.00 Morning Programs. 9.10 Love Your Home AndGarden. (R) 10.05 Vintage Voltage.

10.55 The Story Of Coffee. (R) 11.25 My Unique B&B. (Premiere) 12.00 WorldWatch. 12.30

PBS Washington Week With TheAtlantic. 12.55 Taekwondo.(R) 1.00 Speedweek. 3.00

Figure Skating. ISUWorld Championships.

Highlights. 5.30 Ballroom Fit. (R) 5.35 Secrets

Of TheChocolate Factory:Inside Cadbury.(R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Easter Island Origins. Explores themoai of Rapa Nui(Easter Island).

8.30 TheLife And Deaths Of Christopher Lee. Documents the colourful life and career of iconic Englishactor SirChristopher Lee.

10.00 Hindenburg: TheCover Up: TheTitanic Of The Skies. (PGa, R) Part 1of2

11.45 Massacre On Hadrian’s Wall. (Mv,R)

12.35 TheChocolate Factory: Inside CadburyAustralia. (R)

3.40 Singfest:The Literacy Of Music. (R)

4.35 Bamay. (R)

5.00

NHK World EnglishNewsMorning 5.15 France 24 Feature 5.30 AlJazeeraNews.

SEVEN (7,6)

6.00 NBCToday 7.00 WeekendSunrise.

10.00 The MorningShow: Weekend.(PG)

12.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 1.00 Border Security USA.(PG, R) 1.30 Border Security: International. (PG, R) 2.00 Football. VFL.Round2.Sandringham vEssendon.

From Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham.

5.00 SevenNewsAt5 5.30 Border Security: Australia’s FrontLine. (PG, R)

6.00 SevenNews.

7.00 Border Security:Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R) Apassenger has two extrapassports in his bag.

7.30 John Farnham: Finding TheVoice. (Mal,R)Acelebration of John Farnham.

9.30 What TheKiller Did Next: Nicola Stevenson. (Mav) Examines the behaviour of killers after amurder, including in the case of Nicola Stevenson.

10.30 Quantum Leap (Mav)

11.30

AutopsyUSA: Scott Weiland. (MA15+ad)

12.30 MOVIE: Jesse Stone: Thin Ice. (2009,Mav,R)

2.30

NINE (9,8)

6.00 Fishing Australia. (R) 6.30 ACurrent

Affair.(R) 7.00 WeekendToday 10.00 AFL Sunday FootyShow.(PG)

TEN (10, 5)

6.30 TheSundayProject.

Alookatthe day’snews.

7.30 I’mA Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! (PGals) The celebrities celebrate Easter in camp,but, there will be no chocolate treats for them.

9.15 NCIS:Hawai’i. (Mav,R)Captain Milius continuestoworkwithTennant and her team in the aftermath of the prisoner exchange. Whistler takesErnie’s advice and makes agrand gesture in the hope of winning back Lucy 10.15 FBI. (MA15+av,R)After ayoung woman is killed on her wayhome from a lavishyachtparty,the team investigates 12.00 TheSundayProject. (R) Alookatthe day’snews. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBSMornings.

Monday, April 1

6.00

1.00

2.30 To Be Advised.

4.10

4.40

6.30

7.00 ABCNews.

(PG,R)

7.30 7.30 Presented by Sarah Ferguson.

8.00 Australian Stor y. Presented by Leigh Sales.

8.30 Four Corners. Investigative journalism program exposing scandals firing debate and confronting taboos.

9.20 To Be Advised.

10.20 YouCan’t Ask That: Priests. (Ma, R)

10.50 ABCLateNews.

11.05 TheWeekly With Charlie Pickering. (R)

11.35 YouCan’t AskThat (MA15+l, R)

12.10 MOVIE: TheSecret Garden (1993,G,R)

1.55 Long Lost Family.(PG, R) 2.40 Rage (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.30 The Truth About Fasting: ACatalyst Special. (PG, R) 5.30

7.30.(R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. Presented by Marc Fennell.

6.30 SBS WorldNews

7.30 Finding Your Roots: Chosen. (PGa) Hosted by Henry LouisGates,Jr.

8.30 The2010s: 2020 –The Year That Changed Ever ything. (Final, Malv) Achronicle of theevents of 2020,fromTrump’s firstimpeachment to the COVID-19 pandemic.

10.00 SBSWorld NewsLate.

10.30 Christian. (MA15+d) Christian breaksa city-palace rule.

11.25 My Brilliant Friend. (Mav,R) An author’s friend disappears.

2.40 Mastermind Australia. (R)

3.40 Going Places With ErnieDingo (PG,R)

4.40 Bamay. (R)

5.00 NHK World EnglishNewsMorning. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe World Tonight.

6.00 SevenNews.

7.00 Home And Away (PGads)

7.30 HighwayPatrol. (PGa) Officers spot some dodgyactivity

8.30 RonIddles:The Good Cop: Bonnie Clarke. (Mav,R) RonIddlesrevisits the 1982 murder of six-year-old Bonnie Clarke.

9.30 TheIrrational. (Mav) After witnessing ahit and run during a friend’slivestream, Alec and Kylie aim to prove it wasnot an accident

10 30 TheLatest: SevenNews.

11.00 S.W. A.T. (Mav) The team busts agroup of robbery suspects.

12.00 MOVIE: Secrets In TheWoods (2020,MA15+av,R)Brittany Underwood

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBCToday.

5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 9News.

7.00 ACurrent Affair.

7.30 Married At FirstSight. (Ml) Thefinal vows continue

9.00 My Wife,MyAbuser. (MA15+alv)

Part 2of2.Documents the story of Richard Spencer and the abuse he endured at the hands of his wife.

10.00 FootyClassified. (M) Footy experts tackle the AFL’s big issues.

11.00 Kenan. (PGals) Kenan’s mum decides to sell the family home.

11.30 Cour tCam (Mlv,R)

12.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R)

1.00 Pointless. (PG, R)

2.00 Hello SA (PG)

2.30 Global Shop (R)

Shop:Home Shopping. (R)

Of Vic tor y. (PGa)

Affair (R)

6.00 Deal Or No Deal

Hosted by GrantDenyer.

6.30 TheProject Thehosts and guest panellists takealook at the day’snews, events and hot topics.

7.30 I’mACelebrity… GetMeOut

Of Here! (PGals) As the competition for charity continues in thewilds of Africa, a12th celebrity entersthe jungle.

9.00 FBI: MostWanted. (MA15+v,R)

SpecialAgent Remy Scott and the team investigate the homicides of twoarmy veterans in amurder spree connected to their time in Afghanistan. Hana receives surprising news about her birth mother

11.00 TheProjec t. (R) Alook at the day’snews.

12.00 TheLate ShowWithStephen Colber t. (PG) Hosted by Stephen Colbert. 1.00 HomeShopping. (R)

4.30 CBSMornings.

9GO! (93,

R) 3.20 Rage (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.25 TheWildlife Revolution

–A Catalyst Special. (PG, R) 5.30 7.30.(R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

6.30 SBS WorldNews.

7.30 Who Do YouThink You Are? Billy Porter (Return, PGa) Billy Porter explores his roots.

8.30 Insight. Kumi Taguchiexplores why people become superfans and what happens when they go too far.

9.30 Dateline: Finding Yusuf Pt 2. Alook at Australians in detention in Syria.

10.00 SBSWorld NewsLate

10.30 TheMurdochs:Empire Of Influence. (Malsv, R)

11.20 Faking Hitler (Premiere, Man)

12.15 Vise Le Coeur.(MA15+a, R) 3.20

Mastermind Australia. (R) 4.20 Bamay. (R)

4.55 Destination Flavour Scandinavia Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning

5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe WorldTonight.

6am

10.00

6.00

7.00 Home And Away (PGad)

6.00

6.30

7.30

Me Out Of Here! (PGals) As the competition for charity continues, the split camp continues to pit thecelebritiesagainst eachother.

9.00 NCIS. (Return, Mav) TheNCISteam must help Torres when he puts his future at stakebyconfronting the man who tormented his family when he wasachild

10.00 NCIS: LosAngeles. (Final,Mv, R) The team continues to work with the ATF.

11.00 TheProjec t. (R) Alook at theday’snews.

12.00 TheLate ShowWith Stephen Colber t. (PG)

1.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.30 CBSMorning s.

New mental health centre

CONSTRUCTION is now underway on anew

Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) centre in Traralgon.

Ak ey recom mendat ion from the Roy al Commission into Victoria’s MentalHealth System, the referral-based service will aim to deliver around-the- clock careand support to young people aged 16-25 experiencing mental health challenges or psychological distress, once it opens in 2025.

The Traralgon facility will join anetwork of YPARC services across the state; operating as a referral-based service, it willallow youngpeople to continue attending work or school, while receiving the appropriate treatment, careand support they need in asafe, home-like environment.

Thecentre’s designdraws on theinsights and experiences of clinicians, carers and young people with lived and living experience of mental health challenges- carefully consideredreflect asafe, calming, and home-like environment for people on their recovery journey.

Complete with 10 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, it will also include acommunal kitchen, dining and livingareas, and outdoorareas, providing plenty of room for leisure, recreational activities and visits fromlovedones, as well as space for group activities and tailored one-to-one support.

Serving as acommunity-based treatment option forthose in theearly stages of recovery, it will also help to reduce pressure on localhospitals with early interventioncare for those who are unwell, acting as an alternative to acute hospital admission. The project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authorityinpartnershipwith Latrobe Regional Health and builder McCorkell Constructions.

TheTraralgon centre is part of a$141million state government investment to double the capacity of the YPARC service network across Victoria, including new YPARCs in Ballarat, Geelong, Heidelberg and Shepparton and upgrades to existingcentres in Bendigo, Dandenongand Frankston.

The Minister for Mental Health, Ingrid Stitt, said “the Royal Commission highlighted the need for more youth mental health services”.

“This new YPARC in Traralgon will deliver this -givingmore young people accesstotreatment and care close to their family and loved ones,” she said. The Minister for Healt hI nfras tructur e,

Invest: Construction on anew Youth Prevention and Recovery Care centreis nowunderwayin Traralgon.

Mary-Anne Thomas said the centrewould provide better access to support for young peopleinthe regions who traditionally had to travellong distance for appropriate care.

The Memberfor Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing,

Photograph: iStock

said recovery environment is critical to aperson’s mental health journey.

“This service will deliver asupportive and homelike space for vulnerable young people across the Latrobe Valley when they need it most,” she said.

QUA NTUM Suppo rt Ser vice sh as been appointed to play akey role in Gippsland

Primary Health Network’s national pilot project to support victims of family, domestic and sexual violence.

Gippsland PHN was one of only six primary health networks nationally to receive the Australian government funding of $10.6million to pilot the ‘Supporting Recovery’ project.

Baw Baw and Latrobe regions experience some of the highest rates of family, domestic and sexual violence in Victoria.

Quantum Support Services will be the local care coordination team for Latrobe City and Baw Baw Shire until June 30, 2026.

It will significantly expand existingcase managementand carecoordination in the family domestic and sexual violence sector and empower victim-survivors to be involved in the development of their own Supporting Recovery care plans.

The Gippsland project will feature anew model of care trialled to improvecoordination and access to trauma-informedrecovery services for victim-survivors of family domestic and sexual violence.

Gippsland PHN’s chiefexecutiveofficer, Amanda Proposch, said the funding was an endorsement of the critical need to support a local system under increasing pressure.

“There is currently avery high demand for familyviolencecase management services, with limited therapeutic and recovery services available to victim-survivors,” Ms Proposch said.

“We are very pleased to have Quantum ready to start work on asignificant part of our project.

“The program aims to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation and support victims to be safe and healthy to be able to recover from traumaand the physical, mental, emotional, spiritualand cultural, and economic impacts of violence.”

Pasture, pathways and performance

By PHILIP HOPKINS

DIFFERENT wintering options for New Zealand dairy farmers in aworld of tightening environment regulations due to water quality and climate policy, was the subject of discussion at aGippsDairy Muster at Trafalgar last month.

More than 200 dairy industry members gathering on-farm. The theme of the day was ‘Pasture, Pathways and Performance’,and it showcasedthe latest trends, technologies, and practices in dairy farming.Emceed by Trish Hammond, adairyfarm owner fromWestGippsland,attendees heard from industry experts and Gippsland farmers on ways to optimise pastures, business succession plans, and overall performance.

Farm hosts Graeme and LouisePaul, Belinda Egan, and Simon Reid shared their dairying stories and highlighted their current farm system as share farmers.Among the attendees was a group of eight agriculturestudents from Foster Secondary College, who networked with local dairy employers and members of the Gippsland Young Dairy Network, and joined the career pathways and progression breakout session.

The guest speaker, aSenior Scientist at DairyNZ, Dawn Dalley, said the NZ dairyindustry had been working to deliver to national and environmental regulations for many years.

“There is national and regional policy for water quality and in more recent years, NZ has committed to reducegreenhouse emissions as amemberof the Paris Agreement. We now havegreenhouse gas commitments that we need to work towards,” she said.

“Also,dairyfarmers are requiredtooperate within the Dairy Cattle Code of Practice. That is beingupdated at the moment;some of the changes being suggested could have implications on how farmers farm.”

In this context, Dr Dalley, who spent eight years workinginGippsland at the Ellinbank research centre earlier in her career, discussed the key management considerations and some environmental benefits of thedifferent wintering options that NZ farmershad adopted.

These included pasture and supplement-based winteringoptions, and winter forage cropsthat are used quite extensively in the South Island, where winter pasture growthislow due to cold temperatures.

“It’s hard to havecowsonpasture in winter,” she said, hence the use of kale and swedes, or fodder beet.

Dr Dalley said these three main feed types created areal advantage; they were of high quality

andgrewalot of kilograms of dry matter. Fodder beet also offered an opportunity to reduce nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions.

“Farmers can grow them through the summer and autumn and break-feed as astanding crop with supplements through the wintertime,” she said.

“That means they can minimise the area need for wintering; that area goes back into grass the followingspring.Whilewidely usedbyfarmers,this wintering practice has come under some scrutiny in NZ because the animals graze off the crop completely. It’s not agrass paddockwhere there is still material left behind; they pretty much eat all the crop, so it looks like the cows are standing in amuddy paddock. Despitehow the paddock looks, the cows do very well on winter crop diets.”

Public perceptions have changed how farmers winter on crop in recent years.

“That is the challenge we have in theage of smart

phones. We are instantly connected to the rest of the world. It’s very easy to take aphotograph out of context, whichcan have anegative impacton howfarming is perceived,” she said.

Dr Dalley said NZ research centred on the environmentaland animal welfare benefitsof forage crop wintering.Other winteringsystems were based on pasturewith conserved feed, (silage or baleage) and more recently, more regenerative approach, “using hay and pasture”.

Another system was the ‘off-paddock infrastructure’ -barns and other housing options.

“The disadvantage of theseisthe capital cost. There is aalsobelief that having animals improves the animal welfare outcome, but it takes different skills to manage animals indoors; it does notnecessarily lead to better welfare outcomes,” she said.

Dr Dalley said conditions on NZ’s South Island andGippsland were not that different (apart from annoying, pesky flies).

“Both have strong southerly squalls that come through, although Gippsland is less likely to get snow. Ilived here for eight years; there were southerlies, frosts and lots of rain, so it was not muchdifferent, except it gets hotterhereinthe summer,” she said.

Dr Dalley said NZ was doing research into nitrate leaching to meet regional regulations.

“NZ farmers have acap; they can’t put on more than 190kg of fertiliser nitrogen per hectare onto their pastureareas. Because it is difficultto measure nitrate leaching, there has been alot of research on how to reduce nitrogen surplus -that is, how much nitrogen is coming into the farm in fertiliser feed and clover fixation versus how much is going out of the farm -through milk, meat and supplementary feed -anything that’s soldoff,” she said.

“In the main Fonterra report on the end of the season, farmers get their nitrogensurplus number as an indicator of Nleachingriskfor the farm. There is alot of pressure to improve water quality in rivers and lakes. Farmers are looking for opportunities to reduce Nlosses from their farms.”

Dr Dalleysaidthere was alot of farm system research to identify future systemsthat reduce

nit rate lea chi ng an da ll ow farm st ob esti ll profitable.

“Some have beenmoresuccessful thanothers. We know we’ve gotmitigation options to reduce nitrogen loss-but can we maintain the profitability of our current system?” she said.

“Recently, we have changed how we talk about environmental risk, and future systems to focus on delivering profitablesystemswith reduced environmental footprint rather than maintaining profitability,which impliesnoloss in profit but which might not be achievable in some regions.”

Dr Dalley said that for most farmers, profit was stillassessed on a$/per kilogram milk solid basis, “but as we move to meet environmental targets, metricscould include $/kg of nitrate leached, or $/ kg greenhouse gas emitted”.

“Resilient businesses in the future are likely to be assessed on arangeofmetrics, not just dollars in the bank,” she said.

Ds Dalley said another option to help deliver better environmental outcomes was including the herb plantain into the pastures. Plantain has been shown to reduce urinary Nconcentration and therefore the risk of nitrate leaching into ground water.

“NZismore regulated thanAustralia around environmental emissions from agriculture.Nitrate leaching risk is probably not as big an issue in Gippsland as there is not the same concentration of dairy farms in the landscape compared to NZ. In some regions of NZ, there is dairy farm after dairy farm,” she said.

“However, the Maffra irrigation district is a possibleexception. Nitrate leaching lossescould be an issue there due to ahigher concentration of farms and the irrigation practices used.”

Dr Dalley said for boththe NZ and Australian dairy industries, customer (eg Nestle)expectations weregoing to drivechanges to the way we farm in the future.

“Farmerscan either sit back and wait until regulation dictates how they farm or they can take the opportunity now to makechanges to drive their own destiny,” she said.

Expert: TheGippsDair yMuster Trafalgar hostess,LouisePaul, left, with the guest speaker,Dr Dawn Dalley,achief scientist with Dair yNZ. Photographs supplied

The GippsDairyMuster: Chatting at one of the sessions are(from left) BelindaEgan, Simon Read and the Trafalgar hosts Louise andGraemePaul.

Dancers to descend on Moe

By KATRINA BRANDON

SINCE 1995,the MoeDance Eisteddfod has been up and running, inviting young dancersfrom all overtoperform against each other while being able to make friends and have fun.

This year’s eisteddfodstartsonApril 3and ends on April 10, at LowannaCollegeAuditorium, Newark Avenue, Newborough. Dancers of all ages, from the age of two to 18 participate.

“The week aims to haveawholeheap of kids from all dance schools and ages come togetherand enjoy afriendly competition. Even though it is a competition, we likeour kids to have fun,” Moe Dance Eisteddfod President, Shirley Weir, said. “We hope that allowing them to dance on stage gives them the confidence not only to dance but the confidence in themselves, to growinto the great people that they can.”

Over the week,therewillbeover 1500 performances, starting at 9am and ending around 10pm.

Ms Shirley has been on the eisteddfod committee for 10 years and told the Express that it has been a friendly experience for her, saying it often becomes afamily event where families come together and help support them as part of the audience.

Over the week, people are welcome throughout the day to prance into the doorways of the auditorium to watch the performances.

“Anyone is welcome to watch. We have amorning session at nineo’clock, an afternoon session at one o’clock, and an evening session at six o’clock. Usually, during those sessions, they might see four or five different sections, four or five different age groups, and dance genres,” she said.

The dance genres included are classical, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, song and dance, character dances, national dances (dances of a country), solos, duos, and the occasional trios.

Ms Weir said that many of those who have come through over the years are mainly in for passion andfun, but she has seen some continue and turn theirpassion into their occupation.

“Over the years, we have quite afew kids who continue and go onto cruise ships, showcases and productions, or professional dancing. Some go on to do the Australian Ballet or other ballets. We have kids whowill then move on and open their dance schools or take over others,” she said.

Manyperformers experience nerve troubles,but according to Ms Weir, quite afew of the performers that attend lose their nerves after their first interaction with the stage.

“Any time you start with something unknown, you find that the nerves will be there, but once the kids come off stage, many say it wasn’t too bad. They enjoy it,” she said.

“It’s lovely to see the youngkids, especially those

On-point: Maddison McMillancameinthird placeinthe Under 14/16classical ballet section at lastyear’s Moe Eisteddfod. File photograph

who have just started. You can see that they are quite nervous. They get on thatstage,come off, and are relieved and realise thatitisn’t thatbad.”

“Theydowhatthey do because they love it and havealot of fun doing it. Thenexttimeyou watch them, you can see the excitement and the joy that it brings them to get on stage, and you watch as the years go on and on that, these kids are actually building confidence, and they just want to get on stageand dance. Those nerves, in those cases, are no longer there.”

For more information on the eisteddfod, visit the Moe Dance Eisteddfod Facebook page.

Energetic: Upliftteam readytohelp the communitywith funevents Photographs: Katrina Brandon

Uplifting Latrobe Valley’syouth

By KATRINA BRANDON

FREEevents have been poppinguparound

Latrobe Valley recently, one of which was Uplift Latrobe Valley, which was held on March 7.

The event was held at MoeSkate Park and Library, and is run by Latrobe Health Assembly, Head spac eM or well, Commu nity Col lege Gippsland, andReclinkAustralia. Artsbus or Artists For Kids Culture, GippsSport, Latrobe City, PHN,TAFEGippslandand more joined in on the fun.

Filled with manyactivities,the event had eight stations, which includedpaintprinting, show bags, snacks, sausages, trivia, community input, drunk goggle beer pong with chocolates, free games and skating.

It ran from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, and many kids camealong,joining each station with achecklist. Uplift Latrobe Valley is an event that helps connect youth within the community.

Kids who attended the event had afree opportunity to learn how to skate with supplied boards, helmets, and pads. Those less inclined to skate joined in with chess, Jenga, trivia, and painting. Thetrivia covered many different topics, such as movies,TVshows, and general knowledge.

Latrobe Health Assembly held the community input table. They are currently looking for things that the community would like to have.

Learning: Skating lessons were included at the Upliftevent on Thursday, March 7.

Celebrating eternal love: The Gray’s75th anniversary

By KATRINABRANDON

BOUNDinmatrimonyfor 75 years, Vera and Tony Gray are still going strong.

Vera and Tony met at adance,but Vera wasn’t too keen on Tony at that point because he didn’t dance. After the dance, they went their own ways, with Vera joining the Army and Tony joining the Air Force, where they soonmet again weekslater

Afterdatingfor awhile,the couple decided to get engagedand went to see Tony’s mother. When they told Tony’s mother, she told them they were too young.

At the age of 21 for Tony and 19 for Vera, they married in the northern English city of Hull, in 1949.

In 1957, they soon moved away and came to Melbourne via ship, where they had their two children, Margaret and David.

The family moved to Morwell in 1966, where

Tony worked with the SEC for 20 years, and Vera worked at Ericson's.

Further down the line, Tony’smother visited Vera and Tony in Australia.

“She came out for aholiday along time ago when Tonywas still working. Tonywas working an afternoon shift, and we were sittinginthe garden because it washot. She lookedacross (she was a very stern lady) and said, ‘I have to admit, Iwas wrong,’” Vera said.

Tony said, “That was something because she never admitted that she was wrong.”

Now, the couple has taken up residence at Mitchell House Village in Morwelland is enjoying their time with their garden, friends, and family.

While they say they don’t have the key to along and happy marriage, the Grays remain positivite in life and perhaps that’s the secret.

“Life is pretty good,” Vera said.

Anniversary: Married for75years, Vera and Tony Gray arecelebrating this accomplishment by lookingbackonthe yearsthathavepassed. Images supplied

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Now: Tony andVeraGraywill celebrate75years of marriageonApril 2. Photograph: Katrina Brandon

Away from fossil fuels and into nuclear

IN the financial pages of The Australian,Thursday, March 17, 2024, the once National Chief Scientist, Professor Alan Finkel, presented arguments to support an acceleratedcancelling of Australia’s carbon use: “We must say yes to solar power and yes to wind power”.

On June 1, 2007, Prof Finkel replied to aquestion from Senator Ian MacDonald in aSenate Estimates hearing on the effect reducing human Carbon Dioxide (CO2) by 1.3 per cent, (Australia’s proportion of human produced CO2) would have on global temperature. His answer was “virtually nothing”.

Despite this admission Prof Finkel continues by claiming that our slowness of energy transition is due to unnecessary planning and farming actions which must be removed.

Prof Finkel typified this as removing the “banana” in the room.

Various large atmospheric research institutions share with me anotherview of the relationship between global temperature and human production of carbon dioxide.

The institutions include NASA, The National Cent re for Atmos pheri cR ese arch and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Summarising from these institutions e.g., NASA: “The atmosphere warms Earthbyanaverage of 33-35 Kelvin (33-35 degrees celcius). This warming from the atmosphere is the difference between a freezing planet and ahabitable one.”

Thisiscompatible with my similar but more primitive calculations.

Water vapourinthe atmosphere accounts for 96.1 per cent of the greenhouse gases of this life-giving global warmingeffect, carbon dioxide accounts for only 3.88 per cent.

“This natural movementofcarbon (as CO2 ) dwarfs human contribution: it amounts to 10 times (i.e. 90 per cent) as much CO2 as humans produce through activities such as burningfossil fuels.”

Take these factors together, the contribution to the global warming from Australia’s people and industry can be calculated.

The effect of Australia on the global temperature is the proportionofgreenhouse duetoCO2 (0.039) multiplied by (X)the proportion of human CO2 emitted by humans (01.) X the proportion of human global CO2 fromAustralia(0.13) X no-greenhouse global temperature (34 degrees celcius).

Combine all these effects by simply multiplying together and the answer is 0.0017degCor” virtually nothing”.

T=0.039 X 0.10. X 0.013 X 34.=0.0017degK or degC.

In fact, it is “nothing”, because it is so small that it cannot be observed and certainly not measured.

CSIRO hasestimated Australia’scontribution to human CO2

It states Australia is the world’s 14th highest emitter, contributing just over 1percent of global emissions.

Isuggest Prof Finkel made the same calculations as NASA, UCAR, Prof Ian Plimer and myself and got the same answer.

Where we differ is that Idonot think it is good businessfor Australiatospend $1.5 trillion ($58,000 per person) to 2030 on transition to renewables and achieve “virtually nothing” in return unless we replace it with large scale nuclear power.

Full cost of the transition to 2060 is estimatedto be $9 trillion (Net Zero Australia, 2023).

ProfFinkel’sview is, however, “On our journey to wean ourselves off fossil fuel, there are no alternatives to building an abundance of cleanelectricity.”

Iwould be very happy to have our first big nuclear stati justd nthe road here at Loy Yan

Time forchange

IWAS saddened on hearing the news of the recent accident that occurred on Grey Street, involving ayoung person.

Iwork in Traralgon and frequent the Grey Street and Grubb Avenue area.

Ihave seen other accidents and near misses in the past. In 2003, my wife was killed in aroad accident, as apedestrian, and the coroner stated that oneof the factors that contributed to her death was the lack of appropriate infrastructure. In that case it was alack of footpaths and adequate lighting.

Ilost my wife and my three young children lost their mother.

Aloss of aclose family member has adevastating effect on both family and friends.

With the case of Grey Street there are anumber of schools within one small area, and the current situation is not asafeprecinct and current infrastructure is not effectively protecting young people who are pedestrians or bike riders.

Iwould hate to think that it would need to be adeath of ayoung person that might prompt the responsible authorities into action.

Idoappreciate the challenges of traffic control andthe difficulties of finding aworkable solution, however, Iwould appeal to the leadership of Vic Roads, Latrobe (City) Council and local members of parliament to consider the people you represent andserve

This is an opportunity to change peoples’ lives for the better. Please do not let this opportunity slip by without any effective action.

Chris Denny Neerim South

,Political

slogans. Same old cry vote for me, never do Ihear Iwillfight for you.

Greg Hansford’s answer to Dan Caffrey creates alot of thought as to just exactly what facts are given to us. Certainly not by Bowen.

China and Russia are not depending on renewable energy,sowhy arewesacrificing our natural mineralsfor apie in the sky. Our two per cent of carbon emissions are not going to save the world. Our industries are suffering from this dream of the left. Iagree with Joe Pugh his quote from UptonSinclair.The so called expertswho are advocating climate change have been well paid for their comments. Al Gore made millions. The change in the climate did not happen overnight, it possibly started when man discovered fire.

The comments by Oliver Bergens ‘Political correctness gone mad’ disgusting behaviour and our tough justice system which is non existent.

NoticedlastThursday,March 14 the West Gate Bridge protester already out of jail, so much for ourstrictlaws.

These are problems the Allan Government refuses to fix. Good to seethe green vote at Dunkley dropped, let’s have more at further elections. Also why have indigenous rights. Four per cent of population got more say and disruption in our progress as in the Western Highway, than the other 96 per cent and also misusing aFijian ceremony of welcome whichweare allsickofit being forced on us.

Patricia Correa Traralgon

THE Latrobe Valley Express welcomes letters to the editor.

Preference will be given to brief,concise letters which address local issues.

The editor Liam Durkin, reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and clarity, and may refuse to publish any letter without explanation.

The Express does not publish letters from anonymous contributors.

Letters must include aphone number, email addressand the author’s hometown for purposes of substantiating authenticity. Readers are entitled to aright of reply to aletter directed at them.

While healthy debate is encouraged,the editor will use his discretion if he believes let ters are be comin gsla ggingmat ches between writers.

The viewsexpressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Latrobe ValleyExpress management or staff.

The letters section is designed to allow people to have their say, and not be hijacked forpolitical agendas.

Email letters to news@lvexpress.com.au and include ‘letter to theeditor’ in the subject line.

Deadline for letters is Thursday 3pm. Have your say

Energy: With the argument to acceleraterenewables,othersargue that nuclear poweristhe wayofthe future Photograph: iStock

Yinnar’s very own meat maestro

By PHILIP HOPKINS

BRETT at WebstersButcheryinYinnar may not be known as the ‘Sausage Man’ but he may as well be. Loversofthe traditional ‘snag’ have access to 30 to 35 different speciesatthe well-known meatoutlet.

“We are well knownfor our sausages -wehave won alot of awards for them, as well as our ‘burgers’. Of the 30-35 different sausage varieties,we mostly make twoorthree available each week.

We rotateitall,” saidBrett, whoboughtthe shopabout10yearsago from its founder,Colin Webster

“The plain sausages, traditional beef sausages, sellthe best, but beef, lamb and porkmakedifferent flavours.”

When Brett bou gh tW ebster s, he kep tt he original name.

“My surname is Ciantar-that’s why that’s

why Ileft it as Websters; no one would be able to pronouncemysurname, which is Maltese,” he said.

There’s also someScottish and Irish in his background.

“Peoplelike things that havebeen going for a longtime. Some people like to change the name; Ipersonally prefer not to,especially in small towns,” he said.

Brett has been abutcher for more than 30 years since starting out aged 16.

Originally from the Mornington Peninsula,he’d worked around thetrapsbefore settling in the Latrobe Valley in 2001, buyinga 10-acre hobby farmatBoolarrawhereheran sheep.

Thatwas fineuntil2009 whenhewas burnt out by the BlackSaturday bushfires.

He had to “pick up the pieces” and startrebuilding,turning the property into aworking farm of pigsand sheep.

“I worked in acouple of different places, but ‘Webby’ hadbeen hassling me since the fires about buying here,soheurged me to come back here and get back into butchering. ‘Webby’ had been here for 10 years -heowned this placebut wanted to getout and thought Iwas the rightperson to takeover,” saidBrett

Over the years, he has developedaspecial relationship withdifferent farms in thedistrict, buying meat directly from them and sell the producethrough the shop

Radford’s award-winningabattoir in Warragul playsakey role in Websters’ success. Brett sends localcattletherefor processing andalsosources other beef andlamb fromRadford’s.

It’s all Gippslandmeat.

However, beef is not the only ‘game in town’; “We sellnormalmeat cuts as well,amixtureof all -beef, port, lamb, chicken. Beefand lamb are stillthe most popular, but sales drop offasprices or interestrates are up.Itdepends on the price -what people areprepared to pay. We definitely notice the drop-off,” he said.

Wha tever ,ther eisasteady flow of peo pl e throughthe Yinnar outlet.

Yinnar is about 20 minutes fromMorwell, but Webstersgets alot of customers from Traralgon, Morwell and Moe.

“People comefromGrantville, Gormandaleregularswho stockup,” Brett said.

“It’sa large area people come from, but we -little butcher shops-are definitely adyingtrade and breed.Supermarkets hit you, butwedefinitely haveabetter product. Alot of ourpricesare the same-but in some places, our prices(are) much cheaper. Supermarkets make their ownrules.”

Brett works with Steve Barry, while Lisa O’Reilly alsohelps outasa casual.

“We’ve both worked in supermarkets in the past-weknow what we are talking about. Our point of difference -isservice -and we have 60-plus years’experience,”hesaid

Thecash register is kept busy, but it can vary fromweektoweek. On theday before our most

recent conversation,therewere90‘eftpos’ transactions, plus another 30 to 40 in cash.

With often more than 100 customers aday,that makes regularly well over500 customersa week.

“It’sacrystal ball, aguessing game,how much to buy,” Brettsaid,but fresh product constantly comes in duringthe week.

The seasonshaveanimpact

“It’s prettyconsistentthroughout the years, you definitelynoticewinter andsummer- more barbecuesinsummer or slow-cook roastsinwinter.”

Onedisadvantageisthat withoutthe range of abattoirs, it’s alongway to processors; pigsgoto Laverton or Orbost, beefand lamb at Radford’s, while chicken is processed at Carrum Downsin south-eastMelbourne.

Thereare afew venisonfarms, butnovenison abattoirs.

“I do venison ‘snags’, butitdepends ongetting the meat,” Brett said.

Fed Uni to celebrate graduates

MOR Et ha n4 80 Fede rati on Un ive rsit y Australiauniversity students will celebrate their achievements at graduation ceremonies in Gippsland and Berwick this week.

Theywill be among morethan 1200graduates across the University’s campuses to mark the academic milestone in front of family, friends and classmates in March.

In Gippsland, graduate speaker Jessica Kelly will invite her peers to take pride in all they haveachievedand to acknowledge the friends and family who havehelped them reach graduation.

Apaediatricnurse at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Jessica is now putting her Graduate Diploma of Midwifery into practice, working as amidwife at Frankston Hospital.

“After working as apaediatric nurse, I thoughtmidwiferywould really complement paediatrics,” Jessica said.

“I find women’s healthreally interesting and am passionateabout advocating for women to empower and supportthem into motherhood.”

Jessica completed her graduate diploma throughFederation’sblock model of studywhere students study online, with blocks of on-campus learning.

“It was really good to have the same group of

people studying on campus at the same time, connectingwith asmall groupofpeople and hearing their stories.”

Among those at Berwick’s graduation ceremony will be Bachelor of Community and Human Services graduate Danielle Lewis, who is now working in the sectorwhereshe feels like she’s making adifference to people’s lives.

“It'svery meaningful work and thatgives me asense that I'm contributing in some way,” Danielle said.

“Community and Human Services was a really good general degreewhere Icould build a much broader range of skills.Ithelped broaden my knowledge base of the sector.”

“I also felt that being asmaller university, there was more one-on-one time. It was amuch more intimate experience and you get to know your lecturers and tutors.”

Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley, wished the graduates the best of luck.

“Graduations are aspecial time for students to gather with theirfamily and friends and take great pride in all they have achieved,” he said.

“Weare delighted to see our graduates celebratetheirsuccess and carry their knowledge and passion into their communities.”

Fanfavourite: TheYinnar butcher yiswell known in town, kept busy with around 100 customersaday

Specialty: BrettCiantar could be called the ‘Sausage Man’witharound30different kindsofflavours on sale at the shop.

Handover: BrettCiantarbought the WebstersButcher yfromfounder ColinWebster 10 yearsago Photographs

Farmers attack new energy fast-track

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE state government’s new policy to fast-track renewable energy projects by accelerating planning approvals has been stronglyattackedbyVictoria’s peak farming body and one of the state’s leading planning experts.

The VictorianFarmers Federation (VFF) said the policy was aslapinthe face afteryears of sham consultation with farming communities, while the RMIT Emeritus Professor of Environment and Planning, Michael Buxton, said it would leadto “terrible decisions”, with wind and solar farms being “placed in the wrong locations”.

Speaking to The Australian newspaper, he warned also that the new scheme left communities with no avenue to appeal unless they could find alegal loophole and could afford costly Supreme Court action.

The VFF President, Emma Germano, said the ‘green-lighting’ of major renewable projects added to apoor-track record of consulting landholders set to be affected and riskedfurther alienating already frustrated farmers across Gippsland.

“Vastparts of Victoria’s farmland will be needed to reach our renewable energy targets. If we can’t get this right now, our ability to produce the food and fibre needed to feed people willbeseverely inhibited,” she said.

“For the government to say they are genuinely listening to the concerns of these communities and then completely ignore them and fast-track the process smacks of arrogance and them being completely tone-deaf.”

Ms Germano said the government had ignored the VFF’s pleas to introduce afair framework and had now “hit the accelerator”.

“It’s farmers and our regional communities that are set to pay the price. Decisions like this one leave us shaking our heads,” she said.

The VFF was not against the transitiontoa renewable energy futurebut criticised the government’s failure to planaccordingly. As aresult, farmers and regionalcommunities were “the scape-goat in the process”.

“Renewable energy has lost social license and the system is broken. This moveisa seriousregulatory and planning failure. There remains alackofany regulatory safeguards for landholders who host renewableenergy generation,transmission or storage,” she said.

Professor Buxton told The Australian that the Victorian government for years had been progressivelyremoving local government and communities from decisions on planning issues.

“They’veincreasingly adopted an autocratic model of decision-making, centralisingdecisions with the minister.It’s now become the mostradically centralised and autocratic modelofdecision-making in the country,soit’snosurprise thatthey’ve extended it to renewable energy projects,” he said.

“The minister has the final say.”

Professor Buxton said withnothird-party rights of appeal, wind and solar generating facilities would be placed in the wrong location.

“It’s likely all those broader aspects, the loss of farmland, the impacts on biodiversity and landscapes,won’t be properly considered,” he said.

Those contemplating legal action would need to find alegal loophole to taketothe Supreme Court. Government used its power to stop these possibilities.

“It’s also incredibly expensive. To go to the Supreme Court costs alot of money, so it’s out of the reach of most people,” he said.

The new scheme, underwhich renewable projects

will be eligible for an accelerated planning pathway under the Development FacilitationProgram (DFP), applies from April 1.

All new renewable projects in Victoria will be treated as significant economic development, making them eligible for an accelerated pathway -removing the planning panel process and thirdparty appeals at VCAT. Stalled projects will also be able to access the accelerated pathway. From the time acomplete application is lodged, decisions can be made within four months. The government saysthe voices of communities who want to raise concerns will continue to be protected. Thirdparty objections will still have aplace in the approvals process, but “this change prevents time-consuming andrepeated delays thathold theseprojects backfor years”,the governmentsays. Adedicated facilitation team will overseeall renewable energy applications.

Projects will be monitored on an ongoing basis to identify blockers earlier and resolve them faster.

The issue comes as negotiations are deadlocked for access to South Gippsland farm land to connect proposed Bass Strait wind farms to the Latrobe Valley electricity grid. The connections will be either by transmissionlines aboveorbelow ground. The state government body VicGrid is overseeing the whole process and is expected to make recommendations soon.

Last year,the Strzelecki Community Alliance lost abattleinthe Victorian Supreme Court to stop the Delburn wind farm, which consists of 33 250metre high turbines in the middle of aHVP pine plantation. It is bounded by Coalville, Thorpdale, Darlimurla, Boolarra and Yinnar. The alliance, an incorporated association of more than 1000 members, raised more than $200,000for the fight.

Voice: Victorian FarmersFederation President, Emma Germano File photograph

Anger: TheVictorian FarmersFederation questions therenewablemovement. Photograph: iStock

TRAFALGAR HIGH SCHOOL

Employment Opportunity

Trafalgar High School has the following teaching roles commencing Term 22024:

Classroom Teacher

● English 7-12, Humanities 7-10. Full time, ongoing

● Humanities 7-10. Part time .6, Term 2

● Science 7-10, Part time .6, Term 2

Apply via DET Recruitment Online https:/www.schools.vic.gov.au/recruitment-online

If you have any questions, please call

POSITION avail., suit active pensioner couple, CareTaking position, in return for aself-contained one b.r. cabin. Must have good ref's. 5195 5204, wait one minute then leave amsg.

51 35 4455

CONVEYANCING CLERK

bdlegal is acommercial law firm with offices in Traralgon and Warragul.

We are seeking asuitably experienced

Conveyancing Clerk or Conveyancing Assistant to join our expanding team.

This role involves frequent customer contact -in person, by telephone and email.

The successful candidate would be required to perform conveyancing duties, supporting our

team and Solicitors, and preferably possess the following attributes:

● Experience in aconveyancing environment or related administrative role

● Strong literacy and numeracy skills

● Familiar with Microsoft Office Suite (Word/ Outlook/Calendar/Excel etc.)

● Time-management skills

● Accuracy and attention to detail

● Excellent customer service skills and telephone manner

● Respectful of privacy constraints

Full training will be provided, with scope for career growth.

The role is full-time -Monday to Friday 8.20am to 5pm with a9-day fortnight.

This position is subject to a6-month probationary period.

Applications will be considered as received.

Please forward your CV, including 2referees, to: fiona.diaz@bdlegal.com.au

Ca reersatL at robe

PLEASE NOTE:

Much hardship and difficulty is caused to job seekers by misleading advertising placed in the employment columns.

Situations Vacant columns are reserved for advertisements which carry aspecific and genuine offer of employment. Ads for `Business Opportunities' and `Training Courses' and `Employment Services' should be submitted under those headings.

misleading ads is an offence against the

Brett Pedlow-Principal on 5633 1733 or email trafalgar.hs@education.vic.gov.au ADVERTISERS

Practices Act and state/territory fair trading acts and all advertisements are subject to the publisher's approval. For further advice, contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on

302 502 or your state consumer affairs agency.

LatrobeCityCouncil hasexcitingopportunities forenthusiasticand forward-thinkingindividualswithapassion for providingexcellent services

• Manager Creative Venues, Events &Tourism –FixedTermFull Time Contract

• PerinatalMentalHealthClinician–Temporary Part Time

• Maternal andChild Health Nurse– Permanent Part Time &Casual

• Experienced Maintenance Employee –Tree Maintenance– PermanentFullTime

• Cleaner –LeisureFacilities -MultipleCasual Positions

• Galler yTechnician –MultipleCasual Positions

• Fitness Instructor–Casual

• LearntoSwimInstructor–MultipleCasual Positions

• Economic Investmentand TransitionOfficer –Temporar yFullTime

• Parent GroupFacilitator–Permanent Part Time

• SeniorProjectOfficer -BuildingProjects–Temporar yFullTime

• Community EngagementOfficer -Activating YoungPeople–Permanent Full Time

• Supervisor Horticulture,Landscaping and Wetlands –Permanent Full Time

• Childcare andPreschool Educators– Cert 3and Diploma–CasualPositions

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Would you liketodeliver the Latrobe Valley Express newspaper to individualhomes on Tuesdayand/or Wednesdayafternoons in Traralgon, Morwell and Newborough.

Please apply to:

The Circulation Manager0456000 541 Please

LAW CLERK

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Machinery &Plant •

Deaths •

APOSTOLOU, Pandelis (Andy).

Passed away peacefully

18 March 2024 at The Alfred Hospital.

Beloved Grandfather of Aaron, Sarah (dec.), Luke, Heath and Bryce. Fatherin-law to Ashley. Although you are now gone, your humour, your strength and your wisdom will forever remain in our hearts. There your legacy shall continue. Take care, see your daughter once again as you now set sail into the West.

DAVIS, Joyce Esmae 'Joybelle'. 10/12/1937 -24/3/2024.

It is with sadness we announce that our darling Joybelle has passed away.

Loved and loving wife of Gordon. Cherished mother of Brett and Vicky. In our hearts you will stay Loved andremembered every day

DICKSON, Robert Francis. 16/7/1947 -20/3/2024.

Passed away peacefully after ashort illness. Much loved husband of Marlene. Loved father, stepfather, pop, brother, uncle, and friend to many.

DICKSON, Robert Francis. 16/7/1947 -20/3/2024.

Much loved husband of Marlene.

Loved step-father to Mark (dec.), Christopher (dec.) and Darren. Adored Pop Dicko to Natalie, Peter, Eboney, Ryan and Jye. Great Pop Dicko to Jax, Chad, Chayse, Leyarnie, Eliahz and Hendrix.

Awonderful person whose passion for life will be with us forever.

On the road of life we walked, Together day by day, Friends and sweethearts, Man and wife, Good companions all the way. But every marriage has its sunsets, One is taken, one goes on, To make the most of what is left, Although the best is gone, And yet Ishall not be alone, Some part of you will remain, To help me through the darkest hours, Until at last we meet again.

DICKSON, Robert.

DRAPER, Ronald (Tac).

25/5/1934 -24/3/2024.

Aged 87 years

Passed away peacefully at LRH Traralgon. Much loved husband of Fay, loving father of Wayne and An net te Rhonda and Peter. Cherished Pop of Ben and Felicity, Michael and Jenny, Jessica, Matt and Tomoko, Holly and Ellis and loving Great Pop to Mya, Mason, Zac and Ava. Dad, Pop and Great Pop you were our world. You gave so much. You will be missed forever.

For Service details please visit: latrobevalley funerals.com.au

EXELL, Russell Owen. 7/11/1980 -18/3/2024.

Passed away at the Alfred Hospital. Son of Lynette and Jared. Brother to Anthony, Leon, Donald, Jamie and Natasha. Uncle to Ava, Blake, Zoe, Logan, Hannah and Ryan. Go Hawks !

EXELL, Russell Owen. Friend to Samantha, Emma, Bec, Crissy, Sean, Mark, Troy, Alex, Caitlyn, Brad, Ben, Bo, Marshall and Josh. Gone Fishing !

FERRIS, Kim. In me mo ry of ou r granddaughter and niece Kim who sadly passed away 6February 2024. Our thoughts are with her sons Cory and Aaron. You're at peace now Kim, with your mum Pam and stepmum Annette. From Nar and family.

FREEMAN, Ian Cameron. Passed away peacefully at Latrobe Regional Hospital Traralgon on 18 March 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Aged 73 years Dearly loved husband of Anne. Much loved father and father-in-law of Ronald and Sarah, and good friend of Mel and Steve. Adored grandad to Haidee, Makai, Allira, Margaret, and Olive. Loved EtoBelinda and Tyson, Amanda and Aaron, Alastair and Jessie, Tim and Kayla and their 15 grandchildren and 1great grandchild.

GILBERT, Donald Gordon 'Don'. Passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday 20 March 2024.

Aged 82 years Loved son of Allan and Ada (both dec.). Brother of Dot (dec.), Roy (dec.), Helen and Rosy. Loved friend and mate of Craig (dec.), Cathy-Anne and Danny. Much loved Grandad to Darion, Elysia, Bianca, Sophie and Charlotte. Friend to Mady. Loved brother of Helen, Ken (dec.), Jason, Kellie and family. Always in our hearts

HAMMOND, Patricia Ann. Passed away in peace at Whyalla,

on

Pop Dicko, We take comfort in knowing you are now at peace. Driving around heaven's roads and enjoying abeer with some of your dearest friends.

Rest in peace Love always Pete, Nat, Jax and Chad. XX

Aged 79 years. Late of Morwell and Churchill. Dearly loved mother of Robert and Michael. Adored grandmother to Chloe, Jack, Alexandra and Francesca.

Wide-spread rule changes

NETBALL

By ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC

WE alllove the game of netball, but if there is one thing we don’t likeabout it -itmight have to be that infuriatingreplay call.

When the whistle blowsand “replay” is yelled, it is aplayer’s worst nightmaretobecalled for it and an umpire’s headachetojudge.

Everyone knows areplayed ball is confusing.

With so much grey area, World Netball has given the rule alittle refresh before the upcoming 2024 season.

To gain possession aplayer may:

 Catch the ball with one or both hands;

 Catch the ball if it rebounds from the goalpost;

 Bat or bounce the ball once, then catch it, or;

 Touch the ball in an uncontrolled manner once or more than once, then catch it.

Without possession, aplayermay:

 Bat or bounce the ball to another player;

 Bat the ball once, and then either bat or bounce the ball to another player;

 Bounce the ball once, and then either bat or bounce the ball to another player, or;

 Touch the ball in an uncontrolled manner once or more than once, and then either bat or bounce the ball to another player.

Players still aren’t allowed to kick, punch or roll the ball. Unfortunately, netballers still cannot pass the ball or shoot for agoal while lying or kneeling on the ground.You still can’tfall on the ball to gain possession, and you certainly can’t use the goalpost as asupport.

Buzzer-beating goal rules have also been slightly modified, as the goal will stand if the ball has left the shooter’s hands and the shot is successful.

Throw-ins have alsobeen updated, with players no longerneeding to waitfor aplayer to come back onto the court.

You still can’t touch the line when taking athrowin,but youdohave to be within 15 centimetres of it.

The rulehas changed to speed up agame and not lose momentum when it comes to balls going out-of-bounds.

The good old toss-upwhen players infringeon another player at the exactsametime has been thrown out; instead, the team with last possession will keep it.

The wordingaround the advantage rule has been adapted and includes greater principles for applicationtoallow umpires to apply and execute successfully

This will help ensure ateam will not be disadvantaged when an opponent infringes, and allow the match to continue smoothly, withoutinterruptions.

The short pass has been updated to make sure a pass between players occurs with sufficient space for an opposing player to be able to intercept the ball.

Foulplayhas nowbeendivided intothree categories: unfair play, unsporting behaviour, and dangerousplay,with escalatingpenalties for each category.

Cautions have now been removed, and umpires arenow giventhe ability to advance or escalate asanction. After four minutes, players who are ordered off can now be replaced by another player.

Umpires are meant to follow the game management plan but can serve harsher penalties if they deem the incident serious enough.

Steps 1and 2are for non-dangerous game infringements.

 Step 1: Consists of umpires giving proactive advice -giving players feedback to change their behaviour.

 Step 2: To advance or escalate the sanctionasanction may be advanced up to half athird or aboutfivemetres.

 Step 3: This is to warn aplayer, letting them know that if they continue to infringe the foul play rules, they will be suspended.

 Step 4: Suspension -the player will be sent from court for two minutes of playing time. After the suspension period concludes, the player may return to the court or be replaced with abench player.

 Step 5: Ordering off -this is where aplayer must leave the court and take no further part in the match. The key change with this rule is that the team can replace this position after four minutes of play.

These rule changes come after the World Netball Rules Advisory Panel (RAP) completed an extensive12-monthRulesReviewprocess, which ended at Congress 2023 in Cape Town with the members approving the rules changes.

“The rules changes focus specifically on player safety and gamemanagementalong withclarification and streamlining of existing rules such as contact and advantage. The Rules layout has also been updated to simplify and encourage use by all of the Netball Family, not justumpires,”World Netball said.

“The changes will ensure that the spectacleof netballismaintained while player welfare is protectedbyputting agreateronusonself-regulation.”

With tactical and rolling substitutions being rolled out across local countryleagues, many coaches have commented on the benefits of the new change.

Yinnar Football-NetballClub’s premiershipplaying coach, Skye McDonald, said the rolling substitutions will be an interesting addition to the game.

“We will make useofrolling subs coming into Mid Gippsland League amongstour defensive midcourt and defensive circle,” she said.

North GippslandFNL club Woodside thinks the rolling subs will allow the game to become more about strategy.

“Netball is changing and we’re excited to change with it. With the introduction of rolling subs comes alot more strategy,” Wildcats coach, Libby Nicol said.

“It will be about understanding each other’s strengths, creating our own momentum and knowing how each change can influence agame.

“We’re excited for it and think it will make netball abetter game for everyone.”

BOWLS VIC OPEN

BY TOM HAYES

THE Henselit eV ic tori an Open is Bowls Victoria’s premier tournament, and the secondlargest bowls eventbehind the Australian Nationals.

In 2024, the tournament has over $100,000 in prize money up for grabs, almost double that of 2022.

The event in 2022 sawa record3854bowlers enter various divisions, the following year, the tournament movedtoGippsland.

As of last year, Bowls Victoria and the Latrobe City Councilannounced afive-year agreement to stagethe Victorian Open in Gippsland, until 2027.

The event will inject millions of dollars into Latrobe City.

Right now, the 2024 Victorian Open is in progress,withfinals to be playedtoday (We dnes day, Mar ch 27 )a nd tomo rr ow (Thursday, March 28).

As of the time of print, we enter the pointy end of the tournament, with bowlers from all over the state still in contention.

 MEN’SSINGLES

THE Quarter Finalsare set to take place today (Wednesday, March 27) at Morwell Bowls Club, with eight bowlers still in the mix.

Yarraville-Footscray’s BrettMahoney will take on Mathew Kurta from Beaumaris, while Rosebud’s Frank Krslovic and Koroit’sScott Boschen will battle in out.

On the other side of the draw, Pakenham’s Neville Brown will verse Middle Park’s Dean Kuran, and Melton’s Todd Trewarne will take on Michael Funcke from Minyip.

Between these eight, only four will progress to the Semi Finalsthe following day (Thursday, March 28) at the Traralgon Bowls Club. Two of those four will play in the Grand Final that afternoon.

 WOMEN’S SINGLES

THEfinal four women have been identified in the singles division.

To take place on Thursday, March 28 is the Semi FinalsatTraralgon Bowls Club, with RichmondUnion’s Samantha Atkinson to take on Raymond Terrace’s Natasha van Eldik.

On the otherside of the draw,Clayton’s Lisa Phillips is set to face New Zealand’s Selina Goddard (Takapuna).

Once again, onlytwo will progress to the Grand Final later that afternoon.

 PAIRS

MIXED Pairswill playtheir Semi Finals on Wednesday,March 27 at the MorwellBowls Club from 9am, with the winners progressing to the Grand Final, to be played at 12pm.

Women’s Pairs take to the greensfor their Semi Finals from 2.30pm on March 27 at the Morwell Bowls Club, with the Grand Final to be played afterwards from 5pm.

Men’s Pairs playonthe following day on March 28, with the Semi Finals going ahead from9am at the Traralgon Bowls Club, followed by the Grand Final at 12pm.

 TRIPLES

AT the time of print, the winners of the Men’s and Women’s sectional games were unknown, but the three games were played on Monday, March 25.

The Roundof32, RO16, RO8 and Semi Finals tookplace the followingday (March 26), again, scores were not known at the time of print.

VICTORIAN OPEN FINALS FIXTURE

Women’s Triples: March 27,9am (Morwell Bowls Club)

Mixed Pairs: March 27,12pm(Morwell Bowls Club)

Men’s Triples: March 27,2.30pm (Morwell Bowls Club)

Women’s Pairs: March 27,5pm (Morwell Bowls Club)

Men’s Pairs: March 28, 12pm (Traralgon Bowls Club)

Women’s

Men’s

Fleming visits SnickStreet

CRICKET

CLV BY LIAM DURKIN

THIS one was abit bigger than the last league presentation.

Cricket Latrobe Valley clubs and dignitaries gathered last Wednesday for the league's inaugural awards night.

Athrong of tablesextended in the Morwell BowlingClubfunction room, welcoming the competition's near 20 clubs.

Awards were presented commemorating the achievements of those during the 2023/24 season, as wellasacknowledgingand respecting various namesakes.

As part of the merger deal when the Traralgon District Cricket Association and Central Gippsland/ Latrobe ValleyDistrict Cricket League came togetherlastyear,leagueawards willnow rightfully take in the names from their former equivalents.

For example, the Cox/Bryne/James Medal is awarded to the CLV Premier APlayer of the Year.

Previously, the LH Cox Trophy was awarded to the TDCA Player of the Year,and the Bryne/James Medal to the Central Gippsland/Latrobe Valley District Player of the Year.

Last Wednesday's presentation was highlighted by former Australianfast bowler, Damien Fleming coming along as guest speaker.

Fleming regaled the audience with the story of his hat-trick on Test debut, and his part in the famous 1999 WorldCup semi-final.

In that final, Fleming bowled the last over of the game, and saw Australia tie the match in unbelievable circumstances against South Africa.

Scenes of absolute disbelief followed when Fleming rolled the ball to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist to complete the run out, which sent the Aussies into

the final they went on to win against Pakistan.

The game has gone down as arguably the most memorable in one day cricket history, as even those with no interest in cricket are vaguelyfamiliar with it.

Manylocal coaches sincehave referenced the ending when teaching youngsters the importance of communicating running between wickets.

Fleming knewatleast one personinthe audience personally, having crossed pathswith Moe's Harry Frei in Queensland cricket circles.

Frei played first class cricket in the sunshine state, taking close to 100 wicketsasa left arm fast-medium bowler.

The night was MC'd by Dan Robinson, who many radio listeners will know as the Dan of Mornings with Gabi and Dan on TRFM.

In anew initiative, the league named aTeam of the Year for each senior grade, going all the way down to CGrade.

Ex Students bowlingallrounder,MitchHarris won the Premier APlayer of the Year in aseason that saw him take 23 wickets and make close to 200 runs in home-and-away matches.

The Sharks also showed the strength of their club, winning both the senior and junior club championships.

Other major award winners were Raiders stalwart Ken Hutchinson, who was acknowledged for his services to cricket, and Mirboo North rising star, MaxWoodall,who was an obvious choice for the Lindsay George Medal for Young Cricketer of the Year.

The young fastbowlertook21wicketsthis season, and was rewarded with aspotinthe senior Country Week team.

George was aprominent junior coach of Central Gippsland players during his younger years, and had astellar playing career himself in and around the Moe district.

Thursday, 21 March 2024 OPEN Medley

GOLF

CHURCHILL &MONASH

2Person StablefordMultiplication

Saturday16thMarch 2024.

Winners: J. Sterrick/R. Zomer 85

RunnersUp: R. Welsh/A. Sharrock80

D.T.L: 1. W. McGrath /A.Wright 69, 2. D. Byers/P.Boulding 67,3.R.Abel /I Heppelston 67

N.T.P: 3rdPro-Pin:I.Fortune,5th M. Soppe 12th,V.Monument, 14th G. Byer

Target Hole: I. Fortune Birdies: I. Fortune 3rd, Ad.West 3rd, D. Byers12th

StablefordTuesday19th March 2024.

Winner: J. Blizzard38

D.T.L: 1. L. Brent 36, 2. M. McConville 36.

N.T.P: 3rdV.Reid, 5th S. Turner,12th M. McConville 14th M. McQuillen

MOE

Sunday, 17 March2024 OPEN Sunday9

hole Stableford

Grade AWinners: Chessells,John (23) 18

Sunday, 17 March2024

Grade AWinners: Nankervis,Brett (9) 34

Grade BWinners: Duncan, Nick(17)38

Place Getters: Hutchins,Paul 37

Tuesday, 19 March2024 Vets Stableford

WinnersMen: Trevor Langmaid 21 pts

RunnersUp: AlainBabet, BarryCahill, LukeVan Der Meulen 20 pts

Womens Winners:Judy Lee &Pat Thompson 19 pts

Wednesday, 20 March 2024 Twilight

Stableford

Winners: H. Stanlake19pts

Wednesday, 20 March 2024 WOMEN'S

4BBB STABLEFORD

Overall Winners: Bates,Linda &Griggs

Andrea 45

Place Getters: Tate,Sandy &Stanlake, Helen 41

Great Score: Linda Bates (Birdie) @12, Gwen Young (Birdie) @9

Nearest to Pin: 4th KarynSavige, 8th

KarynSavige

Target Hole: Jane Blandford

Stableford

Grade AWinners: Wilson, Graeme (8) 38

Grade BWinners: Boyce, John (15) 40

Grade CWinners: Tsebelis,Peter (21) 35

Place Getters: Ray, Michael 39, Taylor, Amy38C/B,Shelley, Chad 38,Campbell, Brian 37 C/B,Goodwin, Barry37C/B, Makepeace,Troy37, Eastaway,Karl36, Yeomans,Wayne 36, Harland, Bob 35 C/B, Johnson, Tony 35 C/B,VanRhee,Martin 35 C/B,Fife, Mark 35 C/B,Nyko, Steve35C/B

Great Score: Murray Donaldson (Birdie) @ 4, John Boyce(Birdie)@4,TonyJohnson (Birdie) @14, Troy Makepeace (Birdie) @ 4, GavanPanozzo(Birdie)@14, Barry Goodwin (Birdie) @8,AnthonyColvin (Birdie) @8,Ricky Dyt(Birdie) @14, Michael Ray(Birdie)@8

Nearest to Pin: 4th MannyBorg, 8th Michael Ray, 14th Tony Johnson

Saturday, 23 March 2024 MENS Stableford

-Overflow

Grade AWinners: Weir,Liam (5) 41

Grade BWinners: Hall, Bill (14) 36

Grade CWinners: Pearce,Liam (22) 45

Place Getters: Koppen, Paul 39 C/B,Grant, Callum 39, Muirhead, Neil 38, Beverage, Daniel 37 C/B,Bassman, Jeffrey37, Allen, Ray36C/B,Wolski, Ted36, Campbell, Brian 35 C/B,King, Rob35C/B,Panozzo, Gavan 35 C/B

Great Score: Liam Weir (Eagle) @3,Brian Campbell (Birdie) @14, RickScurlock (Birdie) @8,Martin VanRhee (Birdie) @ 8, Jeffrey Bassman (Birdie) @8,Peter DRAPER (Birdie) @8,LiamWeir 1Ball (Birdie) @8,MarkFife(Birdie) @4

NearesttoPin: 4thGaryRenwick, 8th Peter DRAPER,14th Liam Pearce

Saturday, 23 March 2024 MENS

Foursomes

Grade AWinners: Stephens,Simon & Stephens,Peter 70

Place Getters: Boyce, John &Thomson, Bruce 73 C/B,Stansbury, Les &Veenman, Laurie 74 C/B,Howard,Bernard&Condon, Jeff 74

Foursomes (Gross) Winner: Aaron Bassman &Andrew Pickard 74

GreatScore: Aaron Bassman (Eagle) @3

Saturday, 23 March 2024 WOMEN'S

SATURDAY

CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY SEASON 2023/24 AWARD WINNERS

SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

BertHill Memorial Ex Students CC

JUNIORCLUBCHAMPIONSHIP

Ex Students CC

SPIRIT OF CRICKET

PeterMcLean Memorial KenHutchinson (Raiders)

YOUNG CRICKETEROFTHE YEAR

LindsayGeorgeMedal Max Woodall (Mirboo North)

UMPIREOFTHE YEAR

Anton/Mussared Medal Dale Ireland

PREMIER A

PLAYEROFTHE YEAR

MitchHarris(Ex Students)

BATTING AGGREGATE

Sean Pickles (Toongabbie)

BATTING AVERAGE

Jackson McMahon (Ex Students)

BOWLING AGGREGATE

Keenan Hughes (Toongabbie)

SCOREBOARD

GradeA Winners: Middlemiss,Kaye(15)

36

Great Score: KarenShaw(Birdie) @4

MORWELL

Women Wednesday20th March 2024

Winner: SKarleusa 33 pts

DTL: NTePaa 30 pts

NTP: 2nd CBoers8th CBoers11th CBoers 15th DVuillermin

TRAFALGAR

Tuesday19/03/2024 -Stableford

Players: 29, Women 4, Men 25

Winner: Nola Fordham (22)

Runner Up: RodBrisbane (20 c/b)

DTL: Dot Kidd (20), Vic Hill (20), Glenn Doolan (20), Jim Kidd (19), Stan Evison (18), John Dodorico (18)

NTP: Duane Baker (5)

Bradmans: NormMether

Thursday21/03/2024 -Stableford

Players : 67,Women 26, Men 41

Women’s Winner: Aija Owen (23)

Runner Up: Cheryl Deppeler (22)

DTL: Lorna Risol (20), Sonia Roberts (20), Sue DeVries (20), Silvija Brown(19), Aileen

McNair (19)

NTP: JanGriffin (13)

Bradmans: Heather Savige

Men’s Winner: Duane Baker (23)

Runner Up: Tony Price (22)

DTL: John Dodorico (20), Les Pearce (20), Russell Balfour (19), Jim Kidd (18), BarryLudlow(18), David Balfour (18), Ray Williams (18)

NTP: Laurie Snowball (13)

Bradmans: PatO'Connell

20/3: 2nd Rd Foursomes Championships

DailyWinners: Donna Mellon and Sam Caldowwith64nett

DailyRunners-Up: June Tickell and Christine Paynewith 74 nett

DTL: Cheryl Deppeler and Sue Klemkewith

77 net and Aileen McNair and Lorna Risol with 80 nett

Championship Winners: SamCaldowand Donna Mellon with 166

Championship Handicap Winners: Sam

Caldowand Donna Mellon with 138nett

NTP: 2nd –Bev Keily15th Donna Mellon

Gobblers: KarenMacGregor on the 1st and Chris Payneon the9th

BOWLING AVERAGE

Nathan Allen (Glengarry)

PREMIERA -TEAMOFTHE YEAR

Frank Marks (Glengarry)

366 runs

Alistair Jenkin (Glengarry)

301runs

Sean Pickles (Toongabbie)

510runs

Andrew Philip (Moe)

384 runs

Jackson McMahon (Ex Students)

371 runs

Lee Stockdale (Ex Students)

357 runs, 19 wickets

Keenan Hughes (Toongabbie)

361 runs, 31 wickets

Ben Marks (Glengarry)

23 catches, three stumpings

Tim Ford (Morwell)

27 wickets

Nathan Allen (Glengarry)

24 wickets

MitchHarris(Ex Students)

23 wickets

Ross Whelpdale (Morwell)

29 wickets

*Note: Three/four weeks washed out. Statistics from home-and-awaymatches only.

Friday,March 22nd 2024, Open Men’s&

Ladies Stableford

AGrade Winner: Ricky Dyt40pts

BGrade Winner: John Dodorico 38 pts

DTL's: PeterPankhurst 36, Heath Black

36, Wayne Robbins 36, Glenn Vassett36, Chris Moody 35, Roger Matheson 35, Peter

Hobson 35 C/B

Birdies: 2nd: Chris Moody 13th:Ricky Dyt

Saturday, March 23rd2024, Par

AGrade Winner: TimTraill +6

BGrade Winner: Phil James +4

DTL’s: NickBickerton +5, Ramon Dyke +4, John Warren +3, Stan Evison +3, Josh Clarkson +3, PeterPankhurst +2, Graeme Ayre +2, Chris Moody +2, PatO’Connell +2, ScottMcKinnon +2

NTP’s: 2nd: RexDaly5th:Jess McGrath 11th: StewartCluning 13th:Josh Clarkson

TRARALGON

SaturdayMens 23rdMarch,2024 4BBB

Stableford+ Rnd 1Ball Championships

Blue Course

Players: 162DTL to:42pts c/b

Division 1: J.Pickersgill (20) +A.Milbourne (11) 48 pts

Division 2: J.Cunning (36) +D.Canning (19) 49 pts

Nearest the Pin: 5th Smith, Raymond, 8th Privitera, Alf,10th Platt, Brad, 15th Cheney, Darren

SaturdayLadies 23rdMarch,2024

StablefordRed Course

Players: 19

Division 1: L. Woolcock(10)35pts

Division 2: P. Coles (27) 35 pts

MondaySeniors9 Hole Competition 18th

March,2024 Stableford

Players: 35

Ladies Winner: L. Roberts 19 pts c/b

Mens Winner: J. O'Brien 24 pts

TuesdayOpen Mixed 19th March,2024

StablefordWhite/Red Course

Players: 111DTL to:35pts c/b

Division 1: D. Bray (10) 40 pts

Division 2: G. Knee (15) 39 pts

Division 3: R.

WednesdayLadies

NTP

Round Foursomes Championships Red

Foursomes Champions: M.Alexander (13) +N.Colahan (24) 18.5 186scr

Handicap Champions: K.Roberts (24) + S.Ashford(27) 25.5 145nett

Daily Event -Foursomes

Players: 30

Best Score: K.Roberts (24) +S.Ashford (27) 25.5 71.5 nett

Wed13/3/24

Centrefire

AGrade: CBond 535-38-573.

DGrade: HSheilds 415-232-647.B Kelly 312-173-485. 25 mt pistol

CGrade: JSmith 289-183-472.

DGrade: VPardini 414-131-545.D Best 372.

TENNIS

Packed: TheMorwell Bowling Clubfunction room hostedthe inauguralCricketLatrobeValley presentation night. Photographs Liam Durkin

Bowlogist: Former Australian fast bowler Damien Flemingwas guest speaker.Flanking the Test quick areCricketLatrobe Valleyboard membersPat Spiteri,Wayne Mills,Dale Banks, Brad Howlett, SarahPrime,Rod Cheatleyand Trevor Blandford.

CLVPresentationEvening

Umpire’scall: CricketLatrobe ValleyUmpireofthe Year,Dale Ireland, with fellowumpirePeter Baker. Both menofficiated the Premier AGrand Finalatthe weekend.

Great seasons: PremierA Playerofthe Year Mitch Harris (Ex Students), bowlingaggregate winnerKeenan Hughes (Toongabbie),batting aggregate Sean Pickles (Toongabbie) and batting average,JacksonMcMahon (ExStudents).

Lonesome: Premier BBowling Aggregatewinner,Jarryd Atkinson-Mobourne of Moe CricketClub

Photographs: Liam Durkin

Rising star: Mirboo North’s MaxWoodall wonthe Lindsay George Medalfor Young Cricketerofthe Year.The medal’s namesakewas on handtocongratulateWoodall at the league presentation last Wednesday.

Dedication: KenHutchinson wasrecognisedfor his services to local cricket.

Bfor best: BGrade bowling aggregate winner SteveCarney (Rovers), Playerofthe Year Marty Anthofer (CATS) and batting average winnerSam Varsaci (Traralgon West).

Plaudits: Premier Cbowling average winner Ronnie Whitney(Moe), bowling aggregate Luke Wilson (CATS),batting aggregate Ash Hodson (Glengarry) and Playerofthe Year Corey Beaver (CATS). Joining themisMoe cricketlegend, Brian Mathison, whom thePlayerofthe Year award is named after.

Generations: Avarietyofage groups wasrepresented in theCGrade awards,with Jason ‘Jock’ Macfarlane(Raiders)winningthe batting aggregate,and Toongabbie pairJosh Pearsonand Josh Elmssharing the bowling aggregate

Models of consistency: AGrade Team of the Year 2023/24membersMarcFenech(Centrals), LukePayton(Willow Grove), James Skingle(Imperials),Yohan Soyza (Gormandale), Anthony Bloomfield (Latrobe), Dylan Keyhoe (Gormandale) and Simon Duff (Rovers). Old Bloomy still getting it done

Topnotch: CricketLatrobe ValleySenior Women’s Team of theYear;Zoe Treloar,Kate Richards, RyleyReid, DanielleCole,BrideeClymo,KylieMann (front), Gracie Sanders, Zoe Quinsey-Munro, Abi Dean and Kerryn Doble

CRICKET

CLVPREMIER A

BY TOM HAYES

SHARK week in March? Who says no.

Ex Students marched to the inauguralCricket Latrobe Valley PremierA premiership at the weekend.

TakingtoTed SummertonReserve, Moe, Ex Studentsfaced the last Traralgon DistrictCricket Association AGrade premier, Glengarry, in the first CLV Premier Adecider.

For the fourth season in arow, Ex Students and Glengarry wouldmeet on the finalday of their seasons, following three consecutive TDCA AGrade Grand Finals.

Glengarry won in the 2020/21 season, before Ex Students flipped the script in 2021/22, and the Magpies returned serve 12 months later.

Ex Students are no strangers to the big dance, playing in an AGrade Grand Final for the last 12 consecutive seasons.

Since the 2012/13season whenExStudents made the first of the Grand Finals in their current run, they have won six TDCA AGrade premierships, and can now add aCLV flag to that list.

After the TDCA merged with the Latrobe Valley District Cricket League, Ex Students and Glengarry proved they were still the two teams to beat throughout the Valley, claiming the top two spots on the ladder in Premier A.

Fortunately for all involved, the weather was near-on perfect as the two grand finalists graced themselves onto the wicket.

Nat Freitag won the toss on Saturday and elected to bowl, sending Ex Students opponents Mitch Membrey and captain James Prydeintoopen the batting.

Freitag’s decision to bowl looked like agood one in the early stages of the Grand Final, as the Magpies held the Sharks by the scruff.

Glengarry had the Sharks scrambling after just 12 overs, taking three wicketswithin the first hour.

Cam Graham got the ball rolling in the fifth over, using the newballtohis advantage to snag the wicket of Membrey for 10.

Just four overs later,the new-to-the-crease Matt Dyke was sent packing after just 11 deliveries for one run, when he was dismissed almost identically, caught behind off the bowling of Graham.

Things went from bad to worse, as Lee Stockdale hadhis innings brought to an abrupt end, when he was caughtfor an eight-ball duck in the 12th over, thanks to the bowlingofthe Glengarry captain.

With the score reading 3/17, some serious work was needed to be done by the middle order to ensure arespectable total was posted.

Jackson McMahon walked to the crease to join captain Pryde in the middle, and the pair batted for nearly three hours.

They kept the scoreboard ticking at arespectable rate, and beforeyou knewit, after nearly 50 overs, they were both approaching their half centuries.

Pryde, on acarefully made 49, perked up to face Freitag, hoping to knockone more runpast for his half-century, but Freitag had other ideas.

The Glengarry captain sent the ball straight through him to knock him over, but nonetheless, the fourth-wicket partnership did exactly what it needed to do.

Pryde and McMahon took the score from 3/17 to 4/107, and with the dismissal of Pryde, McMahon stepped up in his absence.

McMahon was only able to continue his work if the batters down the other end could stick around, and that theory didn’t start according to plan.

Mitch Harris stepped up to the wicket, and faced three balls before he too was caught behind for a duck, igniting Glengarry’s chances.

Freitag suddenly had two in an over, and Ex Students’tailwas becoming exposed, the score reading 5/107.

RickBattista, amorethan capable batter, joined McMahon to continue to pile on the runs and bat throughout the day.

Battista added 27 in somewhat hasty fashion compared to the rest of the innings, but he drew the short end of the stick in the 75th over.

After adrive from McMahon, Battista was caught ball watching,and when he turned around McMahonwas half way down the wicket, forcing him to sprint helplessly to the striker’s end.

Despite falling to 6/156, the Sharks were still in good stead with McMahon still alive at the crease on 65 not out.

The next batter, Daniel Trease, was able to do a similar job to Battista, watching McMahon edge closer to acentury.

McMahon began to get amove on, adding 30-odd runs in the space of 15 overs, allowing Trease to negotiate the strike.

It worked perfectly, as Trease was able to stick around long enoughtosee McMahon go to his century -his third of the season.

At the same time the tally hit 200 runs, with the Sharks now in acommanding position.

Max Merton saw the back of Trease, going shorter andseeing Treasepop acatch ball up at mid-wicket.

Again, another wicket fell, but Glengarry weren’t claiming them in quick succession, allowing the Sharks to addmore runs in the meantime.

McMahon met his fifth partner in the middle whenMichael Warne stepped into batwith the scoreboard reading 7/200.

McMahon had looked comfortable as ever at the crease,but he soon met his match when Merton trappedhim in frontofhis stumps, sending him back to the sheds for an incredible Grand Final knock of 108, which included 12 boundaries.

At the end of play on Day 1, Ex Students were eight down, but had 230 runs to their name, with Warne and Andrew Mathews in the middle.

After105 longovers of cricket, little did they know they would be in for much of the same on Day 2.

Ex Students chose to bat on into Day 2, and lasted seven of the 10 available overs. Warne and Matthews fell for 19 and 12 respectively, leaving the Sharks to defend 248.

Statistically at least, it was just the second time

Ex Students had surpassed 200 runs in an innings for the season.

All was very much in the air in the early stages of Glengarry’s innings, but the fate of the Grand Final soonbegan to take shape,and it went rapidly in one direction.

Glengarry were fast starters, smashing 13 runs within two overs, but that was quickly brought to ahalt when Matthews struck first for the Sharks.

After just creaming asix,Frank Marks was trappedinfront and givenout for eightoffive balls.

Visibly unhappy with the decision, Marks whackedhis batinto the turf beforereluctantly walking back to the pavilion.

Freitag joined vice-captain Alistair Jenkin in the middle,needing to keep themselves in the contest and not allowing the Magpies to lose wickets cheaply. They didtheir job to an extent, but I’m sure they

wished theycould’ve done just alittle bit more.

With the score 1/49, Jenkin and Freitag had added 36 to the total in the space on 15 overs, and with nine wicketsinthe shed, they were ticking along nicely.

Everything soontook aturn for the worst for the Magpieshowever, as they slowly saw the flag fall from their fingertips.

Freitag was bowledbySharks captain Pryde after making avaliant 27 (41 balls), including four boundaries,but his replacement Sam Marks lasted just13deliveries, making four runs,before he was also dismissed by Pryde.

It was now 5/53.

Hamish Busk was sent in at number four and did quite abit of defending during his time at the crease. Almost no scoring was on the cards as Glengarry hoped for some stability first.

In the spaceofeightovers, the Magpies added sixrunsbefore they lost another man.

Busk departed for three off 30, and all of asudden, Pryde had three wickets to his name, and ahell of alot of momentum up his sleeve.

In his next two overs, Prydehad his five-fa, picking up the wickets of number five batter Graham for afive-ball duck, andopener Jenkinfor apatient 20 off 78.

Glengarry were in tattersat6/64,needing 185 to win with only four wickets in hand, making it anear-on impossible job.

Glengarry’s tail was put to task to either record an unbelieve victory, or to at least put avaliant total on the board.

They made some progress. ChrisDunnput on 22 runs before he was the next to go,starting another onslaught of wickets.

Now 7/114,the Sharks began to tear the Magpies apart, right at the death.

Nathan Allen and Brandon Mayberry became victims to thebowling of Stockdale, who picked up two wickets in quick succession, putting him on ahat-trick.

Now 9/118, Ben Marks and Merton toyed around with the 56-over ball.

Marks smashed 39, featuringfive fours,but it wouldn’t be anywhere near enough, perhaps too little too late for Glengarry.

Stockdalewould eventuallypick up his third, the final wicket of the season, when Ben Marks was caught by Dyke at mid wickettoclaimpremiership honours.

There was elation on field for Ex Students, who have gone back-and-forth with Glengarry over the last four years, which has now seen both clubs pick up two premierships each.

McMahon was named Man of the Match for his incredible Day 1century.

Dare Isay, aclose secondwould surely havebeen captain Pryde, who fell one short of ahalf-century and claimed five-fa with the ball.

Ex Students hane now claimed seven flags and made every Grand Final since the 2012/13 season -simply incredible. How much longer will the Sharks’ reign continue over Cricket Latrobe Valley?

Centrals snappremiership hoodoo

CRICKET CLVAGRADE

BY TOM HAYES

RIGHT down to the wire. That’s how we like it. Defenceproved to be the best offence at the weekend,asCentralsand Imperialsbatted long and hard in theCricket Latrobe Valley AGrade Grand Final

Bothsides displayed their consistencies as well as weaknesses,but for the most part, slow and steady won the race.

Centrals won the toss on Saturday and captain

Tye Houriganopted to bat at Fred King Oval, Glengarry.

Centrals startedfairlyconfidently, as Andrew Slimmonand LachlanSpeairs put on 38 for the first wicket until the former was dismissed.

Todd Mannwas the man to break Centrals first, as Slimmondeparted for 17.

Sam Gray joined Speairs at the crease, and the two put on another 38 runs for the second wicket.

Speairs would be forced to see his third batting partner come to the crease, as Gray was bowled by Dominic Thompson.

Wicketsfell in quick succession for Centrals. Hourigan lasted 28 balls for just nine runs, becoming the second man to be caught behind off the bowling of Mann.

Speairs had himself afourth batting partner, but

he would be next to go after an impressive 43 runs. Suddenly, the score was 4/91, merelyfiveminutes prior, theLionswere 2/91.

Mark Rawson and Corey Pollard now occupied the crease, as Imperials were desperately looking for abreakthrough to expose the tail.

Rawson made ahasty 13 from 21 before he became Mann’s third casualty, the score reading anervous 5/107.

Centrals called upon their bowling attack to get themselves to arespectable score, and boy did they answer the call.

When Centrals wicketkeeper Ben Doble was trapped in front for 11,thingslooked bleak for the Lionswith only 132 on the boardwith four wickets left in the shed.

It looked even worse when Pollard’s 85-ball innings came to an end with only 12 runs added.

At 7/137, things could’ve quicklytakena turn forthe worse for Centrals, but their ship finally steadied, and at what atime.

The eight hw ick et par tn er ship of Bryc e Williamson and Tyron Gamage put Centralsback in control,and by some length of persuasion.

At this point of thematch,Centralsmay have been looking for another 20 to 30 runs to get to 150 and defend for all hell.

But Williamson and Gamage combined for 59 runs, taking the total to 8/196 by the time their partnership came to an end, when Gamage was dismissed for 24.

Williamson continued to collect runs, so much so he became Centrals’ top-scorer for the match. Williamson wouldeventually runout of steam to be theninth wicket to fall, for 46 runs. Not bad for some bloke who averaged just under eight runs

throughout the season, with atop score of 20.

Talk about amatch-winning performance.

Marc Fenech added four runs of his own before Centrals were thrown in to defend their total of 215, having batted on into Day 2. Favouritism all of asudden pointed to Centrals.

Mann was thebestofthe bunch for Imperials, taking 4/71.

In response,Imperials also had aconfident start to their innings. From the outside looking in, it looked to be along slog on Day 2, as if they were going to chase these runs, they would be done slowly and steadily.

Thankfullythe music sounding around Glengarry in between overs was just enough to keep people going throughout the day.

A48-runstand helped keep Imperialsingood stead before losingtheir first wicket, when Anubhav Meenakshi was trapped lbw for 27. The opening partnershipofMeenakshi and captain Ryan Morley lasted more than 20 overs.

When it rains, it pours.

Morley was next to go for 23, and he was swiftly followed by James Skingle whowas sent on his way for agolden duck.

Next thing you knew, Imperials were 3/54.

When Imperialsneeded apairtobringthem back into contention, up stepped Dilshan Thilakarathne and Nilantha Thillekarathne.

For more than 40 overs, the two added over 80 runs. Two runs per over would’ve won Imperials the game from here.

Dilshan Thilakarathne faced 141 balls for awellmade half century, hitting three fours, before his exit left the scoreboard reading 4/137.

ShaneGalea came to the crease and looked

dangerous fromthe get-go,but his flair only lasted so long, hitting five from 17 deliveries.

Now five down for 149, only 67 runs were needed for victory, with about 30 overs left in the day. It was coming down to the wire.

Just when it looked like Imperials had enough ammunitiontogoall of the way, Centralsdeflated them in amatter of overs.

Despite adding 26 runs for the sixthwicket, NilanthaThillekarathnewould leaveKaveesha Jayasuriyaatthe post, departing for 46 runs off the bowlingofFenech.

After missing outonapotential hat-trick earlier in the innings, Fenech gave himself another opportunity,when he dismissedMannfor agolden duck

Jayasuriya couldn’t hold on much longer, dismissed lbw off Gamage for 15. Allofa sudden, Imperials were in strife at 8/175, losing 3/0 in the space of minutes.

The damage was all done, and with one hand on the premiership, Centrals swiftly made it two, when they skittled the final two wickets for 15 runs, to claim the flag by 25 runs.

Fenechwas namedMan of the Matchfor his five-wicket haul in the defence, taking 5/47 from his 31 overs.

Gamage bowled admirably for 3/58, while Pollard picked up awicket, the other arun out.

It was adrought-breaking triumph for Centrals, winningits firstAGrade premiership since 1990/91.

During that drought, they had only ever been to three Grand Finalsin1993/94,2008/09and 2018/19.

As for Imperials, they have to wait even longertheir last AGrade premiershipwas backin1987/88.

CENTRALS CRICKET CLUB BREAKING THE CURSE

2018/19: Lost Grand Final by 6runs

2019/20: Bowled out for94inSF

2020/21: Bowled out for97inSF

2021/22: Bowled out for104 in SF

2022/23: Bowled out for105 in SF

2023/24: Premiers

Premiers crownedacrossthe grades

Effort: Centrals players embrace afterwinning the CricketLatrobeValleyA Gradepremiership.

Photograph: TomHayes

Long time coming: MarcFenechwas instrumental in the win, taking 5/47 to be named man of thematch. Fenech wasone of many Centrals veterans to have waited their whole career to playinanA Gradeflag

Photograph: Zaida Glibanovic

Shortodds: Toongabbie wonthe Premier Bflag after accounting forMorwell. TheRams had aver ystrong seconds side,arguably stronger than its firsts,with seasonedA Grade campaigners RobWheildon and KevStoddar tfeaturing

Easypeasy: CATS were toostrong forTraralgon West in B Grade

Premiership in the park: Toongabbie also wonthe CGrade flag,winning the titleatthe picturesqueVillage Green.

Girlpower: Raiderstook outthe senior women’s flag

Young guns: Centrals wonthe Under16premiership

Tiger time: Morwell had thethrill of winning apremiershipon their home ground, securing thePremierCtitle.The honour boardhas surely already been updated. Photographs supplied

sr t p o va ll ey

New league, fa mi l i ar result. Ex Students officially became the best cricket team in the Va lley at the weekend, after comfortably defeating Glengarr yi nt he Cricket Latrobe Va lley Premier AG rand Final. The win completed ar emarkable fortnight for the Sharks, who only just hung on for ad ra wi nt he semi-fina l to give themselves as hot at the title.

Rams on the board in season2024

LVSL

By LAURIE WILLIAMS

THE big three of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, Fortuna, Falcons and Moe all had big wins in Round 2action at the weekend.

Churchillbroke through fortheirfirst win of the season, and Monash scored their biggest ever win over East Gippsland.

There is no LVSL this weekend for the Easter break.

 MONASH DEF EAST GIPPSLAND 7-0

WITH both teams having arough time in the opening round, it was going to be survival of the fittesttobreak the ice for the first time this season

However, it was Monash who drew first blood, withtwo goals in the first four minutes through Marcus Krzaric and Ethan Lawrence, and from there, the game was amere formality.

Monash, with plenty of good positional play, were able to show the Easterners how to score goals.

East Gippsland had never beaten Monash, and

they will now have to wait until they meet again in the reverse fixture.

East Gippsland held possession many times, with Chin hong Oon and Lachlan Dare getting plenty of the ball, but they weren’t able to penetrate the strong defenceset up by Ryan and Jesse Davis and Duane Gillespie.

Monash had free rein across their forward third, with Krzaric scoring his second just on halftime, giving Monash a4-nil advantage by the break.

East Gippsland tried adifferent approach with the match seeminglyover,but keeper Logan Troughton kept the Eagles goalless.

Monash had many of their shots saved by East Gippsland’s Luciano Albomez, but the constant pressure applied by the Wolves finally broke the Eagle’s spirit with further goals to Adam Semple, Matthew Janson and Gillespie as Monash ran out 7-nil winners -their biggest ever over East Gippsland.

 CHURCHILL DEF OLYMPIANS 2-1

AFTER surprising many by collecting apoint from

Sale in Round 1, Olympians were cominginto this fixture buoyant about nabbing all three points against aChurchill side that was handed afour-nil drubbing by Falcons the week before.

Playing-coachJaydenUnmuckgave the Rams thelead and it would soon be two as birthday boy Blake Whykes converted truly.

Olympians were about to drag one back in injury time, but it would merely be aconsolation goal as the Rams got their season up and running.

 FALCONS VTYERS 10-0

FOLLOWING their Round 1demolition job on Churchill, Falcons were looking to exert further pain on aTyers outfit that was severely undermanned

The Birds did just that, witha commanding 10-nil victory in aperformance that showed that their attacking prowess has improved significantly in the offseason.

Major signing Kuku Mahmoud was in the thick of thingsearly and across the day, helpinghimself to afive-goal haul.

Fortuna’ssecondhalf goal spree

SOCCER LVSL

BY ALLAN ROBERTS

FORTUNA’S seniormen’sgameagainstSale United proved to be agameoftwo halves.

The first half wasapretty scrappy affair between the two sides. Home side Sale came out in the first half with clear intent to make it aphysical game, in an attempt to slow Fortuna’s possession and passing style.

The ball movement from the Lions wasn’t as crisp or slick as the week before, with the visitors

When you’re hot, you’re hot: Jake Budija had apur ple patch against Sale United, scoring a hat-trickin13minutes

beginning to fall into Sale’s game plan and playing reactionary football.

In the eight minute, Fortuna played awide ball from out of their defensive third to Joel Palermo, who put in ablistering run down the right side of the pitch.

Palermo whippedthe ball into the feet of Damon Scott, who calmly slotted it past Sale’s keeper to give the Lions a1-nil lead against the run of play.

The game would then see-saw for the next 25 minutes, and it was againthe Lions forward talisman in Scott who received the ball and took on the Sale keeper to score his secondfor the game in the 33rd minute.

After ahalftime rev-up fromFortuna senior coach, Mick McAuley aboutthe importance of playing their brand of football, the Lions took to the pitch for the start of the second half.

Unfortunately for the home team, the second half turned into a‘Nightmare on Raglan Street’, with the Swans conceding six goals as the Lions dominated the rest of the game.

Jake Budija went on a13-minute goal spree for the visitors, scoringinthe 67th, 70th and 80th minute for asecond half hat-trick.

JordanCampbell returned to the field for the Lions in the 65th minute after becoming the league’s first ‘Sin Bin’ recipient for the season.

Not to be outdone by Budija’s scoring heroics, Campbell would score in the 87th, 90th and 92nd minute to net asecond half hat-trickina five minute timeframe.

Fortuna ran our 8-nil winners to continue their strong start to defending their 2023 League Championship.

IN the Reserves, atough and brutal affair played out.

The home Sale side played avery physical brand of football to try and shut down the pace and run of Fortuna.

Like the Seniors, Fortuna’s Reserves would go into the sheds 2-nil up at the break.

Some stern, but required wordsfromFortuna coach, Luke Cheney at the break saw Fortuna come out in the second half and control the game.

Afurther goal midway through the half sealed a3-nil win to the visitorsplaying apromising Sale United Reserves team who put in asolid performance against the 2023 Reserves League Champions and Cup Winners.

Double: Damon Scottscored twofirst half goalsfor Fortuna at the weekend.

Photographs supplied

SECOND DIVISION action saw Fortuna again take to the pitch with avery youthful team, complemented with afew of the club’s older heads.

In particular, the club welcomed the signing of Bryce Cortese to the Second Div team for his first game with the club.

The team conceded an earlygoalfromawelldrilled Sale United team, and from then on Fortuna had to work its guts out to find the equaliser.

In acruel twistoffate, the team was denied the equaliser in the 90th minuteinone of those‘when is agoal not agoal’ scenarios with conjecture on if the ball crossed the goal line.

Red Devils survive early NYU fright

SOCCER

LVSL BY JOHN CARDONA

MOE Unitedrecorded aconvincing7-1 win overa depleted Newborough/Yallourn United at Olympic Park on Sunday. Such ascoreline looked along way off however early in the pieceafter the Combine drewfirst blood, when afailed defensiveclearance fell to Dylan Fairbrother, who spottedMoe keeper Peter Albanese well off his line and from 40 metres out, nailed asuperb hit shot which gave Albanese no chance at all.

Moe United were shocked into action from there, and unleashed abarrage of shots from Connor O’Hanlon, Matt Shearing, Oscar Sceney and Bayden Heusmann, but were thwarted by Combine keeper Justin Allman and twice by the upright. Moe finally broke the Newb/Yall resistance after 25 minutes, when arun by O’Hanlon saw his cross rifled home by Heusmann from 10 metres out. Heusmanncontinued his impressive start to the season, and againthreatened the NYU goal

afterracingclear, only to see his shot parried wide by Allman.

Shortly after, Heusmannbroke the deadlock whenheracedclear fromaperfectly timedthrough ball from O’Hanlon and slotted the ball home from an advancing Combine keeper.

Just before the break, Moe United increased its lead when O’Hanlon put Tanner Pyle through on the right wing and outpaced the NYU defender, then rounded the keeper to slotthe ball home from an acute angle.

United dominated astruggling and undermanned Combine side in the second half, and were soon 4-1 up when astrong run up the left by O’Hanlon saw him hammer home alow hard shot from an acute angle.

The Combine’s resistancewas broken, and minutes lateraRiley Winklemannthrough ball sent Heusmann clear and he made no mistaketo bringuphis hat-tricktoput United 5-1 up.

MoeUnited continuedtoattackand it was soon 6-1 when apass from Connor DasteyfoundChad Shelley who then raced towardsgoal and cooly slot anear post shot.

Of particular interest was his ability to link up withfellow striker,Jamie Pistrin, and it seems that partnership will continue to be aprosperous one in season 2024.

Pistrin himself was able to get on the scoresheet, as did another new signing in Moni Eliaser as he expertly slotted awonderful goal from outside the box to leave the Tyers keeper rooted to the spot.

It seemsthat Falcons coach,AdrianSalvatore and his coaching staff have made aconcerted effort to blood younger players in the opening two rounds, with the likes of Brayden Murray and Will Lester getting valuable game time.

The Falcons defence was resolute and obtained its secondclean sheet in arow as it welcomed back captain Harley Broadbent to marshal the backline.

For Tyers, it will be back to the drawing board, but some positive signs were on show with themselves fielding several younger players which is hopefully asign of things to come for the Lightning.

More sport on Pages 12 and 19

Cricket is taking up most pages in this issue as the weekend just gone was Grand Final weekend.

Please keep in mind Cricket Latrobe Valley is the second-biggest countrycricket league in the state and cricket is the region’smostpopular summer sport.

Local football and netball begins this Saturday in the Gippsland League.

Youwill find season and club-by-club previews of all local football/netball leagues intoday’s special lift out.

Those sports not featured in today’sissue will be given prominence next week.

Liam Durkin -LVE Editor

Just on fulltime, United finished off an impressive win when Dastey wasagain involvedwhen he passed to Winklemann, who beat two defenders then passed aballtoO’Hanlonwho made no mistake.

Just on fulltime, Shelley unleashed a35-metre thunderboltdrive,but afingertipsaveand a crossbar denied him asecond goal.

BestMoe wasHeusmann, O’Hanlon, Dastey and Lachlan McKenzie.

Moe Reserves scored a7-3 win over NYU, with HarleyRobinson scoring four goals, and Nick Dastey, Zane Poxon and Tully Anderson one each

In the women’s game, Moe United were outclassed by an impressive NYU side 8-nil.

Adominate first half had the Combine 7-nil up, but arear guard Moe second half stopped the onslaught.

Best for Moe were Haley Laws, Summer Cooper and Paris Troughton.

Best for the Combine was Gabby Fisher-Wolfe, Shyla Anderson and Ange Knersh.