Star Weekly - Wyndham - 17th January 2024 by Star Weekly

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17 JANUARY, 2024

Beach watch Lifeguards patrolling Wyndham’s beaches now have a better vantage point from which to spot swimmers in need of assistance. A Life Saving Victoria (LSV) Rescue POD has been stationed at Werribee South beach, one of several coastal locations across the state identified as in need of temporary infrastructure. Previously, LSV provided beach lifeguards at eleven standalone sites, including Werribee South, where there was no lifesaving facility. But a pilot program funded by LSV has resulted in the development of temporary and portable infrastructure which can be deployed at seasonal beach lifeguard sites. Fully self-sufficient, with power and water, the pods can be placed on the beach or foreshore and provide flexibility for other purposes including as a communications centre or base during emergency response activities, or while clubs undergo redevelopment. The new pod at Werribee South beach has been installed just in time for a series of beach education sessions offered to people with a disability or from multicultural backgrounds. Participants will learn beach and water safety skills from qualified instructors trained in diversity and inclusion. The third of these sessions will be held on January 19. Life Saving Victoria lifeguard Mac looks out from the new rescue pod at Werribee South beach. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382080_07

Trail bridge unblocked By Cade Lucas A long awaited extension to the Bay Trail walking and cycling track in Point Cook will finally open on Thursday after pressure from frustrated local residents. A joint project of Parks Victoria and construction company Aveo, the Saltwater Coast Bridge over the Cheetham Wetlands connects Sanctuary Lakes to the Saltwater Coast and means the Bay Trail runs uninterrupted from Point Cook to Williamstown. The extension was completed in October and due to open by late December, but a dispute over the maintenance and management of the bridge between Aveo,

Parks Victoria and Wyndham Council, resulted in it remaining closed into the new year, with Aveo blocking access to the southern half it constructed. However late on Monday January 15 Aveo bowed to community pressure and announced it would allow access to the bridge despite the dispute not being resolved. “Aveo acknowledges the community requests to use the bridge and are pleased to confirm that the Saltwater Coast Bridge will be made open for public use this week, effective Thursday 18 January 2024,” said a spokesperson for the company. “Aveo remains in discussion with Parks Victoria and Wyndham City Council regarding management of the Saltwater Coast

Bridge and surrounding reserve.” A spokesperson for Parks Victoria confirmed the northern section of the bridge it was responsible for had been completed and open since November last year. Wyndham council said the bridge was a development between Parks Victoria and Aveo and declined to comment further. News of the impending opening was welcomed by Sanctuary Lakes resident Kathy Sheat. “It’s wonderful news. I’ve had over 30 responses on Facebook saying ’yay’,” said Ms Sheat who was among locals demanding that barriers blocking access to the bridge be removed. “We’ve been waiting expectantly and

expected it to be open before Christmas and it was such a big disappointment that it wasn’t. We’re all thrilled that it’s now about to open.” Ms Sheat said it was disappointing that that delay was only due to disagreements over maintenance rather than something more serious and criticised the lack of information provided to residents. But after waiting so long, she was looking forward to finally going bike riding with her granddaughters who live on the Saltwater side. “It was inconvenient for my son to bring all their bikes over here. Now they can ride over to me or me over to them and off we go.”

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Thieves rob sports club

Dirt bike burnout arrest

By Cade Lucas Sporting clubs based at Galvin Park Reserve have again been targeted by thieves with police investigating a burglary at Werribee Centrals Football Club in the new year. Police have been told offenders gained entry to shipping containers and portables at the club sometime between the evening of Sunday, December 31 and the afternoon of Wednesday, January 3. Once inside, the offenders stole two televisions and a range of sporting equipment. Investigators are yet to determine if the burglary is connected to previous thefts at Galvin Park, including at Werribee Centrals. Club secretary Alan Stewart said the break-ins have become a regular occurrence. “We’ve had four or five in the last, I’d say, three months” he said. “Some of them are construction related, so people pinching copper pipe and writing, we’ve had two of those and we had one where they got into the building into the bar area and took all the loose drinks and that sort of stuff and this one.” Werribee Centrals clubrooms are currently being renovated which is why containers and portables are being used to store sporting equipment. It was while checking them after putting the bins out on January 3 that Mr Stewart noticed they’d been broken into. “I just walked around the building to do a security check and noticed all the locks were missing from the security containers and the doors were ajar.” Mr Stewart said it was clear the offenders were targeting the two televisions, football, netball and cricket gear. “There was stuff left outside, one of the exercise bikes was out in the open, there was

A dirt bike rider who performed a burnout in front of police in Werribee on Thursday has been arrested. The rider was travelling along Point Cook Road, near Sneydes Road, when he was spotted by police at about 8.30pm on January 11. Police were in close proximity to the rider when he allegedly looked at them, performed a burnout and lost traction with his wheels. The police air wing assisted officers on the ground as the rider took off down Sneydes Road and then along Duncans Road where he mounted a gutter and rode on the footpath in an attempt to get away. The 19-year-old also allegedly ran a number of red lights through Werribee before officers caught up with him outside a home in Taisho Court, Werribee. The rider was then breath tested by police and recorded an illegal blood alcohol reading of 0.078. He has been charged with drink driving as well as conduct endangering life, unlicensed riding, loss of traction and other traffic related matters. The Werribee mans’ phone has also been seized after he was seen allegedly using it to film police as they attempted to pull him over in Duncans Road. He has been bailed to appear before Werribee Magistrates’ Court on July 30 and his dirt bike impounded for 30 days at a cost of $995

Werribee Centrals vice president Ash Dadhwal at a storage container that was broken into over the new year. (Damjan Janevski) 382267_01

stuff thrown around so they could get to the back of the containers. They’ve had to get to the back of the containers to get those so that’s why everything was thrown out.” Werribee Centrals are located on the other side of the oval from a storage facility used by the Werribee CFA which was also broken into during the Christmas and New Year period. An estimated $20,000 worth of competitive fire fighting equipment, including hydrants connections and nozzles were stolen on

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December 24. Mr Stewart said Galvin Park had always been prone to robberies and other offences, but that the current situation had to change. “General security across the reserve is an issue and we’re addressing that with council,” he said. Galvin Park reserve is managed by Wyndham council. A spokesperson for the council said they were aware of the recent break-ins and were working with tenant clubs to review security measures.

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Crime still trending up By Cade Lucas Crime remains stubbornly high in Wyndham, with the latest statistics showing another increase in offending. The data released late last year by the Crime Statistics Agency showed offences in Wyndham rose by 11.7 per cent for the year to September. In total, 18,710 offences were recorded for the year, compared to 16,754 to the corresponding point in 2022. The figures are also an increase on the previous quarter when 18,340 offences were recorded in the year to June. A spokesperson for Victoria Police said the figures weren’t as bad as they appeared. “When population growth is taken into account, overall crime in Wyndham is at its second lowest levels in the past decade (outside of COVID impacted years),” the spokesperson said. “While this is positive, offences such as

property damage, retail theft, car theft and theft from motor vehicle offences drove the year-on-year increase. “Our intelligence suggests that a considerable number of car break-ins occur due to unlocked vehicles. Therefore, we strongly urge the community to always secure their properties and vehicles.” The spokesperson’s comments were reflected in the results, with stealing from a motor vehicle again the most common crime, with 2170 offences recorded compared to 1846 in 2022, while other theft was again second with 2048, up from 1738. There were 1647 breaches of family violence orders in the year to September, the third most common offence, but down from the 1687 breaches recorded to September 2022. A spokesperson for Victoria Police said this reduction was negligible and urged victims to continue to report breaches of family violence

orders and family violence incidents. The overall number of family violence incidents grew by 8.2 per cent, with 4499 total incidents recorded to September compared to 4159 at the same point in 2022. Once again Werribee was the suburb with the most offences, recording 5297, up from 4773 in September 2022. Hoppers Crossing was again second with 3006, but Tarneit (2679) leapfrogged Point Cook (2466) into third place. Houses remained by far the most common location for crime, with 7124 offences occurring in homes compared to 6831 in 2022 and nearly 5000 more than the next most common location, streets, paths and footpaths, on 2436. Driveways and carports (867), shopping complexes (803) and other retail (532) rounded out the top five, with all higher than the previous year.

Point Cook parkrun’s Peter Buykx and Blair Rundle at Arndell Park ahead of their 10th anniversary event on Saturday. (Damjan Janevski) 383043_01

Parkrun marks sweaty milestone Parkrun events likes recognising milestones, with anyone running in their 25th, 50th, 100th, 250th or 500th event receiving a shirt to mark the occasion. However, with Point Cook parkrun celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend, providing a shirt to each of the 150 runners expected to take part isn’t feasible. Instead, event director Blair Rundle is encouraging participants to bring along their own commemorative clothing. “The theme for the morning is fancy dress. It will be a party atmosphere,” he said.

Fancy dress is one of the aspects that sets parkrun apart from traditional fun runs and has contributed to its popularity since launching in the UK in 2006. The first parkrun in Victoria was held at Albert Park Lake and among the participants were a group from the Point Cook Running Group. “They thought this would be a great addition to the local area of Point Cook so they set to arranging our event,” said Mr Rundle of how the local version came about in 2014. Since then more than 50,000 people have run in parkruns at Arndell Park, Truganina,

covering a distance of 254,525kms. Blair Rundle became one of them in 2017 and explained the attraction. “It’s not a race. It’s an activity that all family members can be involved in, you don’t have to run the event, you can walk, chat and enjoy the company of others,” he said, adding that anyone over the age of four can take part. “My dad started parkrun three years ago at the age of 76. He has now completed 95 parkruns.” Details: www.parkrun.com.au/pointcook/ Cade Lucas.

Police appeal for assistance Police are appealing for public assistance following an armed robbery and kidnapping in Tarneit on October 29. It’s believed the victim was walking through the Wootten Road Reserve, near the intersection of Cuttlefish Circuit and Colias Walk at about 7.10 pm, when he was approached by three male teens. One of the teens threatened the 24-year-old victim with a knife before demanding he hand over his mobile phone. A scuffle followed during which the victim sustained an injury to his hand before the trio fled the scene with his mobile phone. A short time later, investigators believe that the same trio of offenders approached a second male victim as he was seated inside his white Toyota Camry parked on Cuttlefish Circuit. One of the three offenders produced a knife and demanded that all three be driven to a carpark on Wootten Road. The victim drove to the carpark where the trio then fled the Toyota on foot. The 20-year-old victim was not injured. Police have released CCTV footage and images of three males they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries. The first male is perceived to be Caucasian in appearance, aged in his teens, with a black moustache and a long black mullet. He was seen wearing a blue Nike jumper and black track pants. The second male is perceived to be African in appearance, aged in his teens with an afro hairstyle. He was seen wearing a black tracksuit and dark coloured sneakers. The third male is also perceived to be African in appearance and aged in his teens. He was seen wearing a grey hoodie, dark trackpants and carrying a dark coloured bum bag. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com. au

Images of three men police want to speak to in relation to a kidnapping and robbery in Tarneit on October 29. (supplied)

State government rate cap reduction cops criticism from MAV By Cade Lucas The state government’s decision to lower the cap on council rate increases for the next financial year, has been criticised by the body representing Victoria’s local governments. The rate cap, which sets a limit on the amount any council can increase rates in a single year, was recently reduced to 2.75 per cent for the 2024/25 financial year, down from 3.5 per cent for 2023-24. President of the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) Cr David Clark, said lowering the rate cap would deny councils a key source of revenue at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. 4 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

(Mikhail Nilov via Pexels)

“Councils are dealing with spiralling costs on multiple fronts,” said Cr Clark who highlighted inflation, staff shortages, and

cost shifting as reasons for the financial strain. “To decrease the rate cap at this time means many councils will be struggling to deliver the services and infrastructure our communities rightly demand.” Cr Clark said the financial restrictions being placed on local councils were in stark contrast to those on other levels of government. “While local government goes backwards by 30 percent compared to CPI since the introduction of the rate cap, all while the state and federal budgets increase far beyond this. For councils to be stuck at 2.75 percent is going to be challenging in the extreme.” The state government has justified lowering the rate cap by arguing it is following advice

from the Essential Services Commission which found the rate cap was equal to the forecast inflation rate for 2024-25. Local Government Minister Melissa Horne said the lower rate cap would also reduce pressure on household budgets, a key part of its Fair Go Rates system introduced in 2016. “The rate cap has made a real difference to household budgets over the past eight years and we’ll keep working to reduce costs for families,” Ms Horne said. Wyndham was among the council’s who set rates to the cap limit of 3.5 per cent for the current financial year. Wyndham council declined to comment.

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Help name new stadium

Police conducted Operation Pentagon at train stations and public transport hubs across Wyndham on Thursday January 11.

Police target stations By Cade Lucas A Point Cook man was among seven people arrested during an operation conducted at train stations across Melbourne last week. Aimed at detecting and deterring crime at major public transport hubs, Operation Pentagon took place from Tuesday January 9 to Thursday January 11, at Lilydale, Frankston and Werribee railway stations. The Star Weekly was present at Werribee station on Thursday afternoon when a 29-year-old Point Cook man was arrested for an outstanding warrant and theft. It was the only arrest made in Wyndham and the only incident observed on an otherwise quiet afternoon where uniformed police supported by Public Transport Victoria staff were positioned at the bus interchange outside the Manly Street entrance to Werribee station.

Speaking to Star Weekly after the arrest, Acting Senior Sergeant Andrew Hurst explained the reasoning behind Operation Pentagon. “This is a two pronged operation where we not only are trying to detect crime, but we’re trying to prevent crime by providing physical policing,” Senior Sergeant Hurst said. “By creating a physical presence that in itself is a mechanism that helps prevent crime. It’s a crime prevention strategy.” Using physical presence as a deterrent was behind the introduction of Protective Services Officers (PSOs) to do night time patrols on train platforms more than a decade ago. Senior Sergeant Hurst said Operation Pentagon and other similar initiatives were aimed at providing the same deterrent during daytime hours too. “This particular operation is designed to come into effect when the PSO’s aren’t

working which is where we’ve noticed a bit of a spike in our statistics as far as serious crime and the more petty stuff like grafitti and theft of bikes,” he said. “There’s enough evidence to suggest if we conduct these type of patrols we should be able to put a dent in those statistics.” Along with Werribee Station, Thursday’s operation also involved a police presence at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale stations, the bus interchange at Werribee Plaza and stations outside Wyndham at Altona and Newport. Senior Sergeant Hurst said as a large, fast growing area, public transport crime was an issue in Wyndham, though no worse than other growth areas on the urban fringe. He said most people they encountered during the operation were simply getting to where they needed to go. “The majority of people are always happy to see police when they’re not involved.”

TH E GOR DON

Voting has begun to name the future home of Western United. The Regional Football Facility, which incorporates a reserve and pavilion, is located at the Wyndham Stadium Precinct in Tarneit and will soon host the A-League club’s home games and training sessions. Following community consultation undertaken in September, it was decided the new name would be linked to a place, with Davis (Davis Park and Davis Pavilion) or Ironbark (Ironbark Fields and Ironbark Pavilion) the two options finally put forward. Wyndham councillor Peter Maynard said the two options were based on suggestions made by community members and council officers and were compliant with Geographic Names Victoria naming rules. “Davis is derived from an early farmer in the area, Septimus Davis – we have a road and creek named after him, while ‘Ironbark’ refers to the eucalyptus tree native to Victoria,” Cr Maynard said. When complete, the regional football facility will feature state-of- the-art training facilities including three pitches, a two-storey pavilion and capacity for 5,000 spectators. While still under construction, it is expected to host Western United home games before the end of this season. Voting closes on February 18. Details: https://theloop.wyndham.vic. gov.au/WyndhamStadiumPrecinct

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Wednesday, 17 January, 2024 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 5

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Paramedic has lifesaving goal By Cade Lucas As a paramedic, Werribee South’s Hayley Maher is committed to saving lives. It’s a commitment that extends well beyond her work in an ambulance. “I’m 36 weeks pregnant and come off the ambulance to do a community service role and one of the projects I wanted to work on was to get a 24 hour defibrillator down in Werribee South as we currently don’t have one.” Ms Maher is holding a sausage sizzle this Sunday in order to raise the $3500 needed to buy a defibrillator for the coastal hamlet. It’s a need she understands better than anyone and not just because she’s a paramedic. “There’s a program I’ve been on called

GoodSam which is where first aiders and people who know how to do CPR respond to community members in cardiac arrest,” she said. “I’ve responded to four cardiac arrests in Werribee South in my own time in the last 3 years. None of them survived but if I had a defibrillator it might’ve been a different story.” While there is a defibrillator at the Werribee South marina it is not accessible to the general public. Ms Maher said it’s particularly important that Werribee South have a public access defibrillator given its demographics. “The population down here has high percentage of people over 55 who are at higher risk of cardiac arrest.”

Along with raising funds to buy a defibrillator, the event at the Werribee South Coast Guard building will also feature presentations and workshops on how to operate them. Paramedics and Coast Guard personnel will also will be on hand to provide demonstrations on CPR, water safety, the GoodSam program and calling triple-zero in case of an emergency. “There’s gonna be a firetruck and ambulance for people to explore and ask questions,” Ms Maher added. “Anybody can come down.” The Werribee South AED Fundraiser will be held at the coast guard building on the corner of Beach and O’Connor’s Roads from 10am to 12pm on Sunday January 21.

A sausage sizzle fundraiser at will be held at Werribee South on January 21 to help buy and AED for the local community. From left: Andy Watson (Coast Guard), Jason Connell (AV), Hayley Maher (AV) and Rohan Rizzoli (CFA). (Damjan Janevski) 382867_01

Where to go on Aust Day

Jim Brodie (left) and Mike Frey (right) rest at the Hume and Hovell memorial in Werribee after completing their ride from Albury. (Supplied)

Explorers set out on two wheels By Cade Lucas The onset of 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the Hume and Hovell expedition, the first to travel overland from the then colony of New South Wales, to what is today Victoria. To commemorate one of the most significant expeditions in Australian history, cyclists Mike Frey and Jim Brodie kicked off the new year by retracing the 620km journey from Albury to Werribee. Departing on New Year’s Day, the pair of retirees arrived in Werribee on January 7, their journey on two wheels much quicker than the two and a half months it took Hume and Hovell on bullock drawn carts. However, Mike Frey said it still gave them an appreciation for what the original exploration party went through. “We rode on dirt tracks and thought it was tough, they went through the bush,” said Mr

Frey who along with Mr Brodie followed a route set out by their friend and Albury and District Historical Society committee member Peter Harper. Mr Harper established Explorers Bike Ride 2024 to mark the bicentenary of the expedition by creating a journey based on monuments erected to mark its centenary. As Mike Frey explained, this made it much tougher than just peddling down the Hume Highway. “There’s probably on 20km that has to be on a highway, but that’s the joy of it because it took us to many places we never would’ve thought about going to.” Among those places were Whorouly and Tatong in northern Victoria and Mt Disappointment near Melbourne, along with other places where even their bikes couldn’t carry them. “The challenge comes from some of the bush tracks being quite rocky and some can be quite

steep to the point where you need to push your bike up in places.” Despite these challenges, Mr Frey and Mr Brodie still finished the route a day ahead of schedule. Both are experienced cyclists and did the trip in one go, carrying their own camping gear while picking up food and other supplies on the way. Mr Frey said this needn’t deter others though. “It’s not a one time event, it’s something people can do at their leisure throughout the year,” he said while resting back home in Albury. Unlike Hume and Hovell, Mr Frey and Mr Brodie didn’t have to travel back the way they came. “No we caught the train.” More information: https://www.hhride.net/ home

Wyndham’s Australia Day program on January 26 will be held at Wyndham Park, with a day of family-friendly entertainment. The line-up of live music, kids’ activities and roving performances will take place from 10am to 2pm, allowing the the community to come together and enjoy performances from children’s band Lah-Lah, funky brass tunes from Not My Circus, Bollywood dancing with NB Dance, reggae tunes from Crown Heights and traditional bush dance with The Billy Tea Bush Band. Dr Hubble will be back with his incredible giant bubbles, there’ll be free face painting, outdoor games and roving entertainment including larger than life Australian animals, stilt walkers and more. There will also be hands-on fun for kids, with sensory play and nature craft activities, along with native seedlings to take home. Food trucks will be selling food on-site, but patrons are also encouraged to visit local cafes or bring along their own food and have a picnic. The Australia Day in Wyndham program will also include the presentation of the 2024 Citizen of the Year Awards – recognising the outstanding service of community members who make Wyndham a better place. Entry and parking are free, while public transport is available nearby at Werribee Train Station. For more information visit: ht t p://w w w.w y nd ha m.v ic .gov. au / australiaday

West mum says school saving program is definitely a learning plus The Christmas and New Year period is a joyous time for most, but for those struggling financially, it’s a different story, as western suburbs single mother Jessica Wilson knows all too well. “The whole going through Christmas then back to school fees, book lists, uniforms, December-January is just money going out the door like no tomorrow,” said Ms Wilson who has four children, three of whom are at school. With the youngest about to start too, it should be an even tougher time than normal for Ms Wilson to afford their schooling needs. Instead, budgeting and financial advice she received from completing the Saver Plus 6 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

program, a financial education and matched savings course established by the Brotherhood of St. Laurence in partnership with ANZ, The Smith Family and Berry Street, has made this back to school period the easiest she’s ever had. ‘It’s a huge relief,” Ms Wilson said. “I wouldn’t have been able to give my kids the Christmas that they got and I’d have been a lot more stressed and potentially needing to borrow money to cover their school costs.” Instead, Ms Wilson still has the Savers Plus account from when she began course and which she tops up throughout the year using the saving and budgeting techniques she learnt.

“Even this week I’m going to get the kids new school shoes and I have the money in the saver plus account ready to go.” Ms Wilson began the program in 2022 when she was still living with her former partner. Now separated and working as a creche assistant, Ms Wilson not only uses the advice she learnt in the course to maintain her financial stability, but also the regular tips, hints and links she still receives a year after finishing. She’s urging other struggling parents to join up and reap the benefits too. “I recommend they start it as soon as possible.”

Jessica Wilson and her daughter Winter (8). (Damjan Janevski) 382753

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Air Playground is a hit The summer school holidays are well underway, and there is a ton of fun to be had. At Scienceworks in Spotswood, the addition of the Air Playground has made for some unforgettable memories. Museums Victoria chief executive Lynley Crosswell said Scienceworks remains a great day out for the whole family. “Air Playground was developed to make learning exciting, sparking curiosity and captivating young minds with its colourful blend of air-focused activities,” she said.

Isaac exploring the playground. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

Men from Werribee and Point Cook were among four charged over the weekend in relation to a series of arson attacks in the past three weeks. A 37-year-old Point Cook man was charged with five counts of criminal damage by fire and a 41-year-old Werribee man was charged with seven counts of criminal damage by fire. A 32-year-old Albion man was charged with six counts of criminal damage by fire and one count of aggravated carjacking. A Templestowe man was also charged with two counts of criminal damage by fire. A 17-year-old Yarraville man was interviewed in relation to an aggravated carjacking and two counts of criminal damage by fire and released pending further inquiries. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or sat www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Gunshot

(L-R) Xavier, Lincon, and Oliver. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

The Air Playground will be around until October. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

Police are investigating a shooting in Werribee early on Monday morning. Emergency services were called to a residence on Swallow Street just after 5.30am on January 15 where a man was found with a gunshot wound. The 35-year-old victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Wyndham Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

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Wednesday, 17 January, 2024 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 7

NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Local youngster Audrey floats on a flamingo (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382109_08

Father and son Louai and Adam (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382109_09

Wyndham pool proves popular Werribee Outdoor Pool again proved a popular destination for people looking to cool off during the first week of January. While rain might have marred the Christmas and New Year period, the brief spell of hot sunny weather from Wednesday January 3 to to Saturday January 6 resulted in plenty looking for places to cool off. As it has done for generations, the Werribee Outdoor Pool at Chirnside Park attracted plenty of them, especially children. Whether swimming laps, splashing around in the paddling pool or sunbathing on the grass, Wyndham youth and their parents were more than happy to pose for our photographer, Ljubica Vrankovic, when she visited the pool on Friday January 5. They’ll no doubt be hoping the weather allows them to return again soon. Form left: Xander, Evie, Evie, Evie, Arlo and Freddie soak up the sun. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382109_03

Adrian Lemince and daughter Saint Lemince having fun at Werribee Outdoor Pool on Friday January 5. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

Lifeguard Sofia Montibeller keeps watch. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382109_04

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Sisters Veronica and Victoria making a splash. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382109_05 8 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

Mother and daugher Sruthi and Shrita. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 382109_10

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

NEWS

Lounge returns

Western United chairman Jason Sourasis (centre) with players and partners at its training ground in Tarneit. (supplied)

Stadium partnerships By Cade Lucas Western United’s long awaited stadium in Tarneit is a step closer to fruition with the club announcing partnerships to fund and build the project. New York Stock Exchange-listed technology firm, Johnson Controls, will provide a $50 million debt facility to fund the project, while YourLand Developments has signed on to build the stadium and the surrounding suburb billed as Australia’s first to be focused on sport and recreation. The rest of the funding for the $2 billion project will come from a public-private partnership with Wyndham council and an array of private investors. The club aims to host matches at its 15,000

seat stadium by 2026-27 and at the 5000 seat second stadium and training facility next door by the end of the current campaign. Residential and commercial developments and recreation focused wetlands are also part of the development on a 62.5 hectare site between Leaks and Ison roads, Tarneit. Western United chairman Jason Sourasis said the stadium will be a game changer for the club and the broader soccer community. “This is truly the most exciting project in Melbourne’s sporting landscape and will create only the second A-League broadcast compliant, rectangular stadium in the state,” Mr Sourasis said. “ As one of the newest football teams in the Australian domestic league, creating a welcoming and safe space for our fans is our

Gellibrand is passionate about supporting people with disabilities to live their best life; in their way, with whom and where they choose.

top priority and this project will set our club up for the long-term.” Doubts about the stadium project have dogged Western Untied ever since it helped them gain entry into the A-League in 2018. Repeated delays, missed deadlines and the collapse of original construction partner, Probuild, have led to questions about the veracity of the project and whether the club should’ve been granted a license in the first place. In the meantime, playing home games in Geelong, Ballarat, Tasmania, Whitten Oval and AAMI Park have hampered efforts to build a fanbase. The partnership announcement provides some much needed good news for the club.

Wyndham’s free Park Lounge event is set to return to Kelly Park this summer on Saturday, February 3 as part of Melbourne’s annual Midsumma Festival. Celebrating queer culture and expression, Park Lounge will feature a new line-up of LGBTQIA+ performances, dance, drag, live music and theatre hosted by Indigenous queer performer, 2JOOCEE. Wyndham councillor Marcel Mahfoud encouraged residents to enjoy this much-loved, Midsumma tradition. “Park Lounge is a joyful and inclusive event – where dancing is encouraged and everyone is welcome,” Cr Mahfoud said. “This year’s event will feature a fantastic stage program, including trail-blazing soul sisters, The Merindas, the fierce and fabulous Cerulean, the Bollywood stylings of Sapphire Dance and a re-imagining of ballroom dance by The House of Diesel. “Crowd favourites The Huxley’s will return, featuring Simone Page Jones and Play Date (Turtle and Sugar) by All The Queens Men is a dance party for children and families.” Patrons are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and grab some dinner from the onsite food trucks or enjoy an early dinner at a local restaurant in Werribee before the event. The event starts at 6pm and runs to 1pm. It’s one of a number of Midsumma events that will be held in Wyndham and Melbourne’s west during the festival. Details: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ parklounge

Happy Australia Day!

Our philosophy is about putting people first: Real People, Real Connection, Real Service, Real Outcomes is our passion and our commitment. Gellibrand offers supported accommodation (SIL & SDA), support coordination, community participation 1:1, Meaningful Activities in Partnership (group community participation) and respite supports (STA and MTA) . Gellibrand currently have 6 vacancies in Wyndham, 1 vacancy in Hobsons Bay, 2 vacancies in Melton (Robust House) and 2 vacancy in the Ballarat. For all enquiries please contact us through any of the following channels.

“236 years ago Australia’s first immigrants arrived on it’s shores. Millions have since followed in their footsteps, and together with indigenous Australian’s have worked to build a free, prosperous and peaceful nation for which we should forever be thankful”

gellibrand.org.au | services@gellibrand.org.au | 9300 5491

Moira DEEMING MP Standing for Freedom, Fair Laws & Family 12649792-AA47-23

Suite 1 & 2, Level 2, 13-15 Lake St Caroline Springs VIC 3023 Phone: (03) 8363 0288 Email: moira.deeming@parliament.vic.gov.au

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-Moira Deeming MP

Wednesday, 17 January, 2024 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 9

NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

A ‘dirty’ start to the school year By Zoe Moffatt Government schools are going to be ‘dirtier, unhygienic, and ultimately more dangerous’ for students, a union is warning following ongoing contract disputes with cleaning companies Serco and Tradeflex. The United Workers Union (UWU) is warning of the consequences to students, teachers and cleaners, following a new deal that is set to slash contract hours and strip cleaners of up to 60 per cent of their wage. Serco and Tradeflex contracts run from January 15 to Christmas Day and replace ISS Facility Services, whose contract formally ended on December 22, 2023. UWU property service organiser Corey Matthews said the state government was unable to solve issues with the contract change going into Christmas. “It’s been an awful start to the year for Victoria’s school cleaners with many asking

the union how to apply for unemployment benefits,” he said. “[With] some having to ask for extensions on their mortgages with the bank. “What this means for Victorian families is that going into the 2024 school year state government schools are going to be dirtier, unhygienic, and ultimately more dangerous for our kids.” On December 20, Education Minister Ben Carroll announced “a range of improvements to school cleaning services that will strengthen and enhance workplace conditions for Victorian school cleaners.” This statement read that from 2025 cleaners in Victoria will receive a five per cent pay rise above the Cleaning Services Award and extended contracts of 52 weeks guaranteed for one quarter of cleaning staff. Mr Matthews said the situation wouldn’t have happened if Mr Carroll was paying attention. “It appears that the new deputy premier

and education minister is struggling to adjust to his new portfolios and the responsibilities attached,” he said. “It’s an incredibly bizarre and out of touch announcement when you have on average cleaners suffering a decrease of 35 per cent in wages, with the most extreme examples… losing 60 per cent. “Currently the new contractors are milking the government purse by receiving the same amount of money whilst cutting service delivery by over a third.” Mr Matthews said UWU is in the process of taking ISS to the fair work commission on behalf of members for redundancy payments, with more than 30 members not offered jobs with no redundancy payment made yet. A Department of Education spokesperson, in response to questions put to Mr Carroll, said they are committed to ensuring schools receive consistent, high-quality cleaning services and that cleaners are paid at the

correct rate and receive their entitlements. “There has been no reduction in funding and cleaning service specification as part of the transition from ISS to Serco and Tradeflex for the 2024 school year,” they said. “In addition, the department has instructed Serco and Tradeflex that there is to be no loss of seniority for employees who were previously employed by ISS and will be undertaking the same tasks. “We will not tolerate any evidenced breaches of workplace laws and regulations.” An ISS company spokesperson said they have been working to facilitate a smooth transition for employees to the new service providers in recent months. “A small number of employees chose not to accept employment with the new providers or did not receive an offer. We have redeployed those cleaners where possible and paid redundancy to eligible employees unable to be redeployed.”

Truck thefts

The seal seen at Werribee South beach on Tuesday morning. (supplied)

Seal of approval for Werribee South After days of heavy rain, the return of warm sunny weather resulted in many heading for the to Wyndham’s beaches on January 9, however one sunbather stood out from the crowd. A seal was spotted soaking up the rays at Werribee South beach yesterday morning. The unexpected visitor drew plenty of

interest from other beachgoers, with many taking photos of the large mammal while it dozed near some rocks in the sunshine. But while seals look cute and cuddly, the reality can be quite different. Often tipping the scales at more than half a tonne, seals can pose a danger to onlookers and vice versa and there are strict guidelines

to be followed in the event you do encounter one. Fortunately none of these guidelines were breached at Werribee South, with the seal only staying for a short time before returning to the waters of Port Phillip Bay.

Police are continuing to investigate the theft of trucks and firearms in Little River earlier this month, despite recovering some of the stolen vehicles. Police have recovered two of three trucks stolen from a property on Narraburra Road, sometime between New Year’s Day and January 2. The first truck recovered, a white Volvo prime mover with Tasmanian registration C00AY, was found in Tyabb on Monday, January 8. The second truck, a white DAF with New South Wales registration XN42YZ, was located in Cranbourne West on the morning of Wednesday, January 10. A third truck, a white MAN prime mover with Victorian registration XV42ZX, is yet to be recovered. It is understood offenders smashed a window to gain entry to the Little River property, before ransacking the house, punching holes in the wall, and stealing keys for the three trucks parked at the address and making off with them. Detectives are investigating if the burglary is linked to another residential burglary over the same period at a rural property on Boadles Lane, Little River. On this occasion the offenders gained entry to the home and ransacked the house before stealing a safe containing six registered firearms. The fireplaces in both homes were also rummaged through by offenders prior to them leaving. The firearms stolen include an Emerald, Adler and Stirling shotguns, a Sturm Ruger 22, Norica air rifle and a Savage rifle. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Cade Lucas

Myer Pacific Werribee among latest retailers forced to close its doors By Cade Lucas Department store giant Myer leads the latest round of businesses at Pacific Werribee temporarily closing their doors due to ongoing repairs at the shopping centre. Structural issues at Pacific Werribee were first identified in 2021 in the area between Myer and Target which was built during a $370 million redevelopment in 2014. Repairs at the Target end began in January last year and forced the temporary closure of Target and other nearby stores, all of which 10 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

have since reopened. Myer’s final day of trading will be on February 14, with the retailer planning to re-open by late November. A spokesperson for Pacific Werribee said the situation at the Myer end was no different and posed no risk to the public. “We have been working with the retailers involved for a significant period of time in planning for these temporary changes,” the spokesperson said. “Our specialist engineers have confirmed the centre remains safe for occupation and

operation, and the centre will continue to trade throughout the remainder of these works.” A Myer spokesperson said the company had no other option but to close during the works. Permanent Myer employees are being redeployed where possible and will be invited to return once the Pacific Werribee store reopens. H&M, Village Cinemas, JB Hi-Fi, Grill’d and The Sporting Globe will also close due to the works. Some retailers such as Just Jeans, Jay Jays

and Sportsgirl plan to reopen by the middle of the year, while others including Mecca, Peter Jackson and Pandora will temporarily relocate to other parts of the shopping entre. Bras N Things will relocate permanently to another location within Pacific Werribee from March. Late last, year the Plaza Tavern became the first business to announce their temporary closure due to stage two of the rectification works, with its final day scheduled for January 28.

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NEWS

Confronting the past for healing By Cade Lucas Many people find it difficult to discuss traumatic episodes from their past. Truganina woman Kabinga C Mazaba isn’t one of them. “From the age of six I was sexually abused by my uncle from my dad’s side,” said the Zambian born public speaker and life coach. “It was only a one time event but because of the background and cultural taboos it was never spoken about, it was just erased like it never happened,” Ms Mazaba recalled of the way the incident was treated in her homeland. It was an approach that would soon be repeated. “Then at the age of nine the same thing happened but this time it was my neighbour and they still never spoke about it.” Not only did her family not want to speak about their daughter’s abuse, but soon some of them didn’t want to speak to her at all. “At the age of 11 I lost my father in a plane crash in Zambia and what made it worse was that my father’s family abandoned me and didn’t want anything to do with me after that.” While her mother remained by her side, she too wouldn’t address her daughter’s abuse. “The culture that I grew up in was about never talking about your emotions,” said Ms Mazaba, who for years adopted the same approach until the lead up to her 40th birthday triggered a change. “My mother died when she was 43 and my father died at 40 and I had this fear within me that I was also going to die in my 40’s,” said Ms Mazaba who by now was married with children and living in Australia. “I had to find the strength within me to

‘‘

For so many years I never wanted to talk about my abuse because of the shame it carried and that was holding me back from living my life.

’’

- Kabinga C Mazaba

change for my family’s sake. For so many years I never wanted to talk about my abuse because of the shame it carried and that was holding me back from living my life.” After initially telling her husband, Ms Mazaba found the more she spoke about her trauma, the stronger and more empowered she felt. Now she’s aiming to inspire others to do the same with her first book, a memoir and self help guide titled: CONFRONT: Reclaiming Your Life. “I decided to write a book because this was me saying that I’ve overcome trauma, I’ve found strength and my past has no power to hold me back anymore and also to provide hope and guidance for those trapped by their past,” she said. CONFRONT: Reclaiming Your Life is published by Able Press and is available on Amazon.

Truganina author Kabinga C Mazaba with her recently published first book: CONFRONT: Reclaim Your Life. ( Damjan Janevski) 382164_01

Wyndham SES boost Centre and the SES unit at Wyndham West, with plans in progress for a further unit in Tarneit. Any new SES units and facilities are only useful though if there’s enough volunteers to staff them. Mr Russell said the response he’s got in Point Cook indicates this won’t be a problem. “We have been overwhelmed with the applicants desiring to join and be part of the SES and the Point Cook community,” he said, adding that the interview process was underway now. “Soon after the interviews are completed the selected applicants will go through an extensive training program that will enable them to respond to a whole nature of calls, once the facility is completed.” - Cade Lucas.

SES volunteers (from left) Rudolph Treiguts, Tyler Smith and unit controller Laurie Russell in front of the new SES facility under construction in Point Cook. (Damjan Janevski) 383140_01

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Due to continued population growth and more frequent and volatile weather events, Wyndham is about to get a new State Emergency Service (SES) unit. Construction began on the new Point Cook SES facility on Homestead Road in late 2023 and is set to be completed sometime in the first half of this year. Longtime Wyndham SES volunteer Laurie Russell has been appointed Unit Controller at Point Cook and said the time had come for another unit in the area. “Both the government and SES have deemed it necessary to have an enhanced SES presence in the municipality. The current facility at Wyndham is handling up to 400 calls per year,” he said. The new Point Cook SES unit will add to the existing facility at the Wyndham City Civic

Wednesday, 17 January, 2024 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 11

COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication

Live Well for Life Live Well for Life is a free five-week program that provides support and information to Wyndham residents 18 and older, on a number of issues including how to make healthy behaviour changes, heart disease, diabetes and stroke, healthy eating, physical activity and sleep. The program will run at IPC Health, 117-129 Warringa Court, Hoppers Crossing in April and May. Registration is essential and participants must be able to attend all sessions. n livingwell@ipchealth.com.au or 1300 472 432

Point Cook VIEW The Point Cook Day VIEW Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Point Cook Library 1-21 Cheetham Street, Point Cook. New members welcome. n Catherine, 0407 726 852.

Watton Group A support group providing a social space for carers to get together in a safe and compassionate environment. Gives carers an opportunity to connect, share their experiences and offers emotional and practical support. The group meets at the Eco-Living Centre at 10am every fourth Tuesday of the month. n Patricia, 0434 487 360 or wattongroup131@gmail.com.

All Abilities Netball All Abilities Netball for 10 to 25-year-olds is run by Wyndham Netball Association every Saturday morning during school terms from 10.30am on outside court 14 at Eagle Stadium, Ballan Road, Werribee. Intellectual, physical and social disabilities are catered for in a fun and supported group. Come and try your first session for free, with stadium entry $2. n Phil, 0437 078 739

Walking Netball Walking Netball is a low impact, no running, no jumping version for those that love the fun, friendship and activity of a weekly game of netball. Sessions are run every Thursday during school terms from 8pm at Eagle Stadium, Ballan Road, Werribee. Come and try your first session for free, with stadium entry $2. n Phil, 0437 078 739

Wyndham Rotary Wyndham Rotary welcomes people interested in helping people in need in the community. Interested in finding out more, come to the Italian Sports Club each Wednesday at 6.30pm for a meal, to share ideas and to work for a common cause. n Julie, 0406 196 630

Friends of Presidents Park The Friends of Presidents Park meets from 10am-noon on the first Thursday of the month, to undertake Landcare activities along the Werribee River through the park and surrounding areas. Bring your own gloves and water. Morning tea provided. Meeting at the carpark near the Shaws Road Bridge, Heaths Road, near the fenced dog park. n admin@werribeeriver.org.au

Seniors House of Fun The Grange Community Centre invites seniors of Wyndham to its weekly Seniors House of Fun. This is a free program running every Friday 11am-12.30pm, at The Grange Community Centre, 260-280 Hogans Road, Hoppers Crossing. n Vanessa, 8742 8000 or enquires@ grangecommunity.org.au

This week’s photographer’s choice pic is from the F15 national championships held last week. (Jacob Pattison) 382887_01

The group is open to all people 55-plus and it runs on Wednesdays, 10am- noon. Entry: $2, includes morning tea. n 0403 041 499

Diabetes Support Group The Werribee Diabetes support provides an opportunity to hear from experts on how to manage your diabetes, to share information on diabetes and to engage with other diabetics Meetings are at the old council shire buildings at 10am every second Friday of the month. n Bob, 0409 252872.

Hoppers Crossing Ladies Probus The friendly and vibrant group meet at Hotel 520 on the second Wednesday of each month from 10am. They have a guest speaker each month as well as social lunches, outings and theatre trips. n 0408 123 669

Sunrise Social Groups GenWest Sunrise Social Groups are currently seeking new members for their Melton, Brimbank and Wyndham programs. The free groups are organised by Genwest and provide a social space for women, gender diverse and nonbinary people, who have a disability, chronic health issues and/or mental health challenges. n https://genwest.org.au/what-we-do/ health-wellbeing-programs/

U3A Werribee The group is a not-for-profit community organisation for semi-retired and retired Wyndham residents. They hold a variety of classes-activities specifically designed for seniors, including, light physical and mental wellbeing sessions, arts, games and craft, and general classes such as current affairs, history and lunch groups. Most classes-activities are held at Wyndham community centres. n Rick, 0402 299 220.

Lions Club Seniors club The Werribee Senior Citizens Club meets at 80 Lonsdale Circuit, Hoppers Crossing. 12 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

Lions Club of Werribee meets at the RSL Club, 2a Synnot Street, Werribee on the first and third Wednesday of the month at

6.30pm. n Jorge, 0433 566 575

Bingo for all The Werribee RSL hosts Bingo every Monday between 12.30-2.30pm. n 9741 5525

Western Budgerigar Club The Western Suburbs Budgerigar Club meets at 7.30pm on the third Thursday of each month at Masonic Hall, 223 Watton Street, Werribee. Meet other members who are also passionate about breeding Budgerigars. n Don, 0414 975 862

Musicians welcome Hobsons Bay City Band is seeking musicians to join their community band. Rehearsals are held under the directorship of Wayne Bowden every Monday evening from 7.30pm at the Newport Lakes Primary School, Elizabeth Street, Newport. Visitors and interested musicians any age are most welcome. n Hannah Prouse, hbcityband@gmail.com or www.hbcb.org.au

Boxing

Are you recently retired or semi-retired? Looking for fun, fellowship and to increase your social networks. The Ladies Probus Club of Wyndham meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Hotel 520, Sayers Road, Tarneit, and normally has an outing or event on the third Wednesday of each month. n Rosa Sanderson, 0410 303 046

Maribyrnong Boxing Club has reopened. New and former members of the Maribyrnong Community Youth Club are welcome to attend training sessions on Monday 6pm-8pm, Thursday 6.45-7.45pm and Sunday, 10-11am. Boxing for fitness classes, beginners, youth, adults and also competition available. The club premises are located under the Grandstand on Maribyrnong Reserve, on the corner of Hortense Street and Middle Road, Maribyrnong n nugara.david@hotmail.com or 0413495836

Wyn FM

Walking Football (soccer)

Wyn FM is Wyndham’s community radio station, broadcasting on 88.9 and online from its studios at the Victoria University campus in Werribee. It offers a wide range of programming including music, sport, news and lifestyle shows as well as broadcasts in languages other than English. New broadcasters, volunteers, members and sponsors are always welcome. n 9919 8089 wynfm.org.au

This is a social activity for fun and a bit of exercise, no experience necessary for people aged 50 and older. Any fitness level is welcome with no running allowed. This is a social activity for fun and a bit of exercise, no experience necessary.. This is a free activity each Wednesday between noon-1pm at the Sports Centre, Andrew Park Drive, Altona. n Mike 0423-291-708.

Wyndham Ladies Probus

English lessons Classic Car & Bike Show Preparations are well underway with the organisation of the 11th Annual Custom, Classic Car and Bike Show scheduled to be held on February 25 Apex Park, Altona. As well as featuring a wonderful collection of various cars and motorbikes, there will be coffee, drinks, food vans, live bands, as well as face painting and a petting zoo. n Lou Artz, 0417 531 670

Want to learn English in a fun and relaxed setting? Build your English, digital and employability skills with the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). Williamstown. Laverton Community Education Centre now offers free AMEP classes to eligible clients at Joan Kirner House in Williamstown. Classes are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am-3pm. Childcare is available for children who are under school age. n 93692726.

PUZZLES To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

easy

2 6 5 6 7 4 1 2 9 5 2 6 3

5 3

8 3 5 7 2 9 2 7 8 4 3 2 9

7 3

medium

3 6 9 8 2

7 2 4

QUICK CROSSWORD Conspiracy (5) Falls; gives way (9) Female name (7) Foozle (7) Matured (8) Specify (6) Insect (3) Form before butterfly (11) Technology devices (11) Muscle contraction (3) Fuel oil (6) Half-hearted (8) Someone who has stopped working for a living (7) Truancy (7) Learning; erudition (9) Give way; surrender (5)

25 26 27

Link (10) Citrus fruit (4) Hired killers (9) Having three dimensions (7) Polish (5) Form words (10) Principal church of a diocese (9) Endorse (9) Modern music genre (7) Neophyte (7) Male name (5) Theme (5) Honey drink (4)

4 5 6 7 8 13 15

ACROSS 1 4 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 19 20 21 24

No. 168

16 18 19 20 22 23

DOWN Fellow student (9) Capital of Northern Ireland (7) Looped rope (5)

1 2 3

DECODER

No. 168

1 6 2

7 3 9

3 5

9 6 8 7 1

3 9 4

hard

10 11 12 13

9 2 8 6 4 5 3 7 1 3 5 6 7 9 1 8 4 2 4 7 1 2 8 3 6 5 9 1 9 4 5 2 6 7 8 3 7 8 2 9 3 4 5 1 6 6 3 5 8 1 7 9 2 4 8 1 3 4 5 9 2 6 7 2 6 9 1 7 8 4 3 5 5 4 7 3 6 2 1 9 8

3 4 5 8 7 9 6 1 2 6 9 7 1 2 4 5 3 8 1 8 2 6 5 3 7 4 9 7 3 9 4 6 1 8 2 5 5 1 6 2 8 7 3 9 4 4 2 8 9 3 5 1 7 6 8 7 4 5 1 2 9 6 3 2 5 1 3 9 6 4 8 7 9 6 3 7 4 8 2 5 1

9-LETTER WORD Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

Today’s Aim: 11 words: Good 17 words: Very good

C D

cede, ceded, club, clue, clued, cube, cubed, cuddle, decibel, decide, deduce, DEDUCIBLE, deuce, deuced, dice, diced, educe, educed, educible, iced, lice, lucid, ludic

7 3 4 2 9 1 6 8 5 8 9 1 6 5 3 4 2 7 5 6 2 4 8 7 1 3 9 4 8 3 1 7 6 5 9 2 2 5 6 8 3 9 7 1 4 9 1 7 5 2 4 3 6 8 3 2 8 7 1 5 9 4 6 1 4 5 9 6 8 2 7 3 6 7 9 3 4 2 8 5 1

No. 168

/ $ 9 ( 1 ' ( 5

AVERT BOGUS CANOE CHEAT CHESS CLIFF DANCE DEATH DELIS EASEL ELDER EVADE EVENT FAUNA FOALS GEESE GENES HEART HOTEL IDLER INNER

4 LETTERS DYES EDGE FLEA GETS OPAL SEAR SETS SILO SLID YARN 5 LETTERS ABIDE ACTED ARISE ASHES

LASER LEERS LEVEL LIBEL NEEDS OLIVE OVERS PEARS PLATE RESTS RIVET ROUTE RULER SCALE SHIRE SLEWS SLING STAIR STEMS STRIP TIARA

UNCLE UTTER

INERTIA ITALICS RIPPLED STERILE

6 LETTERS BEDLAM DESERT FLOWER MASSES REBELS THIRDS

8 LETTERS IDEALISE ITEMISED LAVENDER LOVELIER

7 LETTERS DIETARY IMITATE

10 LETTERS DETERRENTS REMORSEFUL

19-01-24

No. 168 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down. NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

W E D G E P E N S

D M I T R A C E A T I N

A G L

3 LETTERS AIL ATE BYE DEW DRY EAR EEL ELM ERA ERR FED ICY IMP LIE NOR OIL ONE ORE OVA RUE SEW SPY

N N

T 20

T C

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

M R

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

23 words: Excellent

hard

5x5

medium

easy

6 4 8 7 1 9 6 5 8 9 4 7 5 8 7 1 5 4 8 7 9 4

K U R DV F A S G P Y EW

9 6

Q C X I O BMN J H Z T L

WORDFIT

QUICK QUIZ

How many stars are on the flag of the European Union?

Dolly, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell, was what kind of animal?

What is an abacus used for?

Sisters Alana, Danielle and Este are the members of which US rock band?

The Thinker is a bronze sculpture by which French artist?

Which 2022 film, starring Adam Driver (pictured), is based on a 1985 novel by Don DeLillo?

What four letters are found on the coloured buttons on an Xbox game controller?

Of the six types of coins of the Japanese yen, how many have holes in them?

Which country are Chupa Chups lollipops from?

10 Ha is the abbreviation for what metric unit of measurement?

ANSWERS: 1. 12 2. Sheep 3. Performing arithmetic calculations 4. HAIM 5. Auguste Rodin 6. White Noise 7. A, B, X, Y 8. Two 9. Spain 10. Hectare

No. 168

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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Australian batsman David Warner has announced his retirement from which form of cricket?

4. Australian rules footballer Lin Jong played 65 games for which AFL club between 2012 and 2021?

12. Matildas defender Charli Grant recently joined which Women’s Super League club?

2. New Collingwood AFLW coach Sam Wright played 136 games for which AFL club?

5. Perth and Sydney are host to the second edition of which international outdoor hard court mixed-gender team tennis tournament?

13. Which Australian defeated Novak Djokovic in the recent United Cup tournament?

3. The 2023-24 Detroit Pistons recorded the longest losing streak in a single NBA season, with how many consecutive losses?

14. The Sydney Swans will be celebrating what milestone anniversary in 2024?

6. US businessman Mark Cuban recently sold his majority stake in which NBA team?

15. Which Melbourne Renegades player and former Australian Twenty20 captain recently announced his retirement?

7. What type of venomous animal forced a break in play during a qualification match at the 2024 Brisbane International?

16. What is the nickname of the NFL team based in Buffalo, New York?

8. Mitch Kenny last played for which NRL club?

17. In which state does the 2024 Santos Tour Down Under take place?

9. Following the merger of the XFL and USFL, which American football minor league is set to debut in March 2024?

18. Which country is hosting the AFC Asian Cup tournament in 2024?

10. English 16-yearold Luke Littler made history by becoming the youngest player to reach the semifinals of which World Championship?

19. Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani will play for which Major League team in 2024? 20. What was the first sport women were allowed to compete in at the 1900 Olympic Games?

11. How many Test matches did David Warner play in his career?

Tom Daley

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23. How many Olympic medals does Tom Daley have?

30. And who did they beat?

24. Which retired wrestler is coming to Australia in February for a series of shows? 25. In what year did the Adelaide 36ers last win the NBL championship? 26. Lara Dunkley plays for which Super Netball team? 27. What are the nicknames of the two MLB teams that play out of Los Angeles?

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Peugeot releases its all EV SUV By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring Launched here in September 2023, the e-2008 is Peugeot’s first fully electric passenger. A compact SUV, it joins the e-Partner compact electric van as well as the Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) versions of the 3008 SUV and 508 sedan. Future electrified models will follow in 2024 with the launch of E-208 hatchback, E-3008 mid-sized SUV, e-Expert medium van and 408 PHEV. The petrol-powered Peugeot 2008 has been on sale here since 2020. It comes in two variants, Allure and GT each with a PureTech 130 engine that generates 96 kilowatts of power and 230 Newton metres of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The previous GT Sport model, with a more powerful (114 kW/240 Nm) engine was dropped from the range in 2022 to effectively make way for the e-2008. STYLING Peugeot 2008 is a stunning looking car from every angle. The front is large and expansive grille with a complex chequered louvered-style fill. The window lines swoop up beautifully as they pass the centre of the rear doors. The wheel arches are large and carry black lips to emphasise that it’s an SUV. Interestingly, the e-2008 bucks the current trend in EV design where the front is closed off, by retaining the grille from the petrol variants. It’s only there for cosmetic purposes with the only difference being that the fill matches the body colour. There are large scallops in the doors and a black panel all the way across the rear that carries large lights. The roof extends beyond the glass top and sides to give a sort of spoiler look. The e-2008 comes with 18-inch Evissa black diamond cut alloy wheels. INTERIOR Although it’s classed as a five-seater, like most cars of similar size the 2008 is more a four-plus-one. Those in the front seats might have to give up some legroom to make better space for tall rear travellers. The e-2008 comes with the latest version of the Peugeot i-Cockpit which combines the small sport steering wheel with a large head-up instrument panel and central infotainment touch screen, blended together and ergonomically positioned. The front seats are heated with power adjustment for the driver seat, which includes lumbar and massage. The e-2008’s boot has the same volume as the petrol models. That’s 434 litres with all seats in use, and 1467 litres with the 60:40 rear seats both folded down, although they don’t fold flat. There’s a slim out-of-sight area below the floor ideal for storing the charging cables. The petrol 2008s get a space saver spare wheel but the e-2008 only has a tyre repair kit. POWERTRAIN The e-2008 is based on Peugeot’s Common Modular Platform and combines a 50 kWh battery with a 100 kW front-mounted electric motor driving the front wheels to provide up to 260 Nm of torque with a driving range of up to 330 kilometres using the WLTP test regime. There are three driving modes Sport, Normal and Eco. The charging point is located at the rear passenger’s side and has the usual AC and DC sockets. With three-phase power and a 16A Wallbox the maximum charge rate is 11 kW for a charge time of around five hours. Using a 7.4 kW 32A Wallbox that increases to 7.5 hours and, with a 10A domestic electrical power plug, full charge will take around 24 hours. Using a commercial DC 100kW quick charge 0 to 80 percent can be achieved in about 30 minutes. SAFETY The e-2008 hasn’t been ANCAP tested but the petrol variants were tested in 2019 and received the maximum five-star rating. Safety consists of six airbags, a rear-view camera, autonomous emergency braking and 16 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

Peugeot adds electric economy to the great looks of the 2008 SUV.

advanced grip control with snow, sand and mud modes. There’s also driver attention alert, forward collision warning, blind spot warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, in-crash braking, auto hazard light activation and tyre pressure monitoring. The e-2008 adds adaptive cruise control, enhanced autonomous emergency braking, active lane following assist, and acoustic vehicle alerting system which generates an audible signal outside the vehicle for pedestrian safety. Missing is rear cross traffic alert and a 360-degree camera. Two ISOFIX child seat anchors along with three top tethers are provided. INFOTAINMENT Peugeot e-2008 gets a large 10-inch horizontal infotainment screen that is clear and reasonably easy to use. Our preference is always a vertical screen because you can see much more without the need to scroll, but the Peugeot does work better than most. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smart phone mirroring, as well as DAB+ radio

and satellite navigation. DRIVING Entry is quite easy even for larger occupants and the seats are large, supportive and comfortable. Like all other electrified vehicles, the instant torque provides exhilarating speed off the mark. The dash to 100km/h takes fairly modest 9.0 seconds, well below that of most of its competitors. The car’s regenerative braking can be accessed through a button on the centre console rather than the more convenient steering wheel paddles of most EVs. It does not have a single-pedal mode. The battery adds 324kg on to the tare weight of the e-2008 when compared with the petrol 2008. There’s a sedate feel in the cabin during normal driving that almost feels like you’re in a larger car, even a prestige car at times. The French do like their comfort and this shows up beautifully. That’s despite the slightly sporty set up in the suspension. On the open road with twisty bits, it handles

nicely and gives feedback through the steering wheel. On motorways its smooth and almost silent, bump-thump is felt through some joints in other ones it’s fine. SUMMING UP Although the e-2008’s combination of price ($60k) and range (330km) compares poorly against its Chinese rivals that are getting under the $40k mark and in excess of 400km it will still appeal to the loyal band of Peugeot fans looking at moving into an EV for the first time. As with all Peugeot vehicles, the e-2008 comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and eight-year 160,000 km battery warranty. RATINGS n Looks: 9/10 n Performance: 8/10 n Safety: 8.5/10 n Thirst: 7.5/10 n Practicality: 8/10 n Comfort: 8/10 n Tech: 8/10 n Value: 7.5/10

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Ahmed loving being back home By Harper Sercombe Hoppers Crossing’s hometown hero is back and is spinning a web around the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association. Back in August it was announced that former Victorian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed would make his long awaited return to Hogans Road but no one could have pictured it would go as well as it has. The 41-year-old has long travelled the world bamboozling batsmen, collecting more than 200 first class wickets, 172 top level T-20 wickets and even playing white ball cricket for Australia across his 19 year professional career. Now, back to his roots in suburban cricket Ahmed said he feels right at home playing in the navy blue and white. “I always wanted to finish at Hoppers Crossing, I had some great memories there, that’s where I started,” he said. “Those couple of years after moving to Australia the club was an absolute powerhouse and a stepping stone for me to get into cricket. “I don’t forget my roots, I know where I came from and I can proudly say that it’s my home club. I always wanted to come back, honestly, I got better offers money wise, but I wanted to play for Hoppers. “Even though I didn’t know anyone in the team, they are young people from different generations. Fourteen years ago when I was there, most of them would have been in primary school… It makes me feel good as well, still running around with youngsters and trying to keep myself fit and up and running to try to perform well, so it’s helping me a lot.” The people Ahmed remembers at the Cats are still there and although they may not be necessarily in their whites, they are still instrumental to the club’s operations and inviting him back home. “It’s amazing to see some familiar faces, and they were keen [for me to come back] as well, so it’s ended up nicely,” he said. Cricket was more than just a career for Ahmed and now it is more than just a pastime for the veteran. He said he uses the sport as a place to grow, a place to learn, to teach what he has learnt and a way to keep fit by doing something he loves. Not only is it all of these things for Ahmed, but also a welcome distraction and escape for devastation in his personal life. “I had a tragedy at home and the last 10 months have been difficult,” he said. “It isn’t about being a professional cricketer or what you have achieved, it’s about the game we play, it’s about going out and playing, whoever you play for, whoever you play with and just enjoy the moment and be grateful. “There are going to be a lot of people who are wanting to play who may be younger or older, they might be injured, they might have family problems, job issues. “But I’m lucky, I’m still healthy and I’m still playing cricket at this age.” Ahmed is not just taking part for Hoppers Crossing but he has been a dominant force for the side, leading the association’s wicket tally with 31 wickets, eight more than the next best, at a staggering average of 6.68. While he said he enjoys playing the best cricket he can, that’s not what it’s about, for him, team wins and delivering success to his home club is what truly matters. “You don’t take things for granted, I’ve had games where I’ve gone wicketless, I’ve had games that I’ve taken only one wicket, so it’s still not easy,” he said. “Wickets depend on luck, an umpire might make a bad decision, you bowl a good ball and it just keeps missing, you get a knick and the catch gets dropped. “The wickets mostly come from the bad balls, sometimes you bowl a half-tracker or a full bunger and you take a wicket. “I still enjoy my cricket, I want to give it 100 per cent and to help the young kids. But on a personal side I want to play well as well, I don’t want to come and whinge about the standards or whatever it is. For me it’s completely differ-

Fawad Ahmed. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

(AAP Image/David Crosling)

ent, I really want to enjoy it, I want to play well, I want to take wickets, not for a personal milestone, but if I’m helping us win.” Ahmed said a premiership with the Cats would be an amazing outcome. “Winning the competition would be amazing for us, I think this is the third year for Hoppers in the Subbies (VSDCA) and it would be great for the club because it’s so multicultural,” he said. “We’ve got a couple of English guys, a couple of Aussies, a few Indians, Pakistanis, so it’s very multicultural and a true reflection of Australia. “It would be great to help my club, that’s what I’m there for. But everyone has to play their part, it’s not just on me, it’s cricket, it’s a team game. Yet, it’s so individual, you win as a team and you have to perform as a team, but it’s individual in the sense that you get an opportunity to bowl and to bat and you have to perform. “But that’s cricket, and we love it and it just makes me happy to go there and train and to play on Saturdays. I think Saturdays without cricket are going to be really hard.

Fawad Ahmed. (Ljubica Vrankovic) “I don’t remember all the wickets or all the runs but what I do remember is the grand finals, when we were winning, I’ve got all the photos and the medals I still have at home. In 20 years time you don’t remember how you bowled, but you do remember the flags.” As Ahmed prepares himself for life beyond playing the sport he loves so much, he said he is excited to share the learnings from his 20 year career with the young spinners of today, not just at Hoppers Crossing but throughout the state and country. “It is most likely my last season, I might play here and there but I’m going to get more into coaching… I’ve just done my high performance coaching course with Cricket Australia,” he said. “There’s a lot of franchise cricket around, but also maybe trying to help the young cricketers here in Melbourne and maybe run my own little academy… I don’t think there are any leg spinners in the world playing test cricket, so it would be an absolute pleasure to work with young spinners to really convince them and help them to play red ball cricket

rather than just focusing on T20 cricket. “I work a lot with Peter Hatzoglou and Doug Warren… which is an absolute pleasure… I’ve spent a lot of time with Tanveer Sangha, he’s played for Australia and performed really well, he’s a breath of fresh air for Australia, he’s very young but very mature and very talented. “I spend a lot of time with those three spinners and they’ve been doing really well in professional cricket. So if I can help a few more young cricketers here in Melbourne and in the future they can play grade cricket or for their state or in the Big Bash would be amazing. “It’s good to give back to cricket itself and give back to the game. Plus going back to the club as well, there are two or three young kids that are really, really good, they want to play at the next level. Hopefully they can play grade cricket in a year or two, and I can share my experience, hopefully they can learn a little bit. But it’s up to each individual, if they work hard and what they want to achieve in the future.” Ahmed was again a standout for Hoppers Crossing over the weekend taking 3-11 as Yarraville broke the Cats’ five game win streak. Wednesday, 17 January, 2024 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 17

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Tigers move into third position with crushing win Werribee has bounced back in a big way in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association north-west, crushing Kew on Saturday afternoon. After being made to field, the Tigers were dominant in wet conditions, steamrolling Kew’s top order, putting them at 6-11. The Tigers took another couple of wickets before Kew could make its half century, however its eighth and ninth wicket partnerships batting with skipper David Wildsmith got Kew to 97 from 37 overs. “After a disappointing week last week it was good to bounce back against a quality side like Kew,” Tigers’ captain Tim O’Brien said. “It was probably a good toss to lose, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. “To get some really early wickets to put them on the back foot was good and they ended up getting a score that can end up being a tricky chase sometimes but the boys batted well to get the job done. “Matthew Grose bowled superbly and got four early wickets and then Jonathan Burton chipped in with two in a row, in two balls, so

Shaun Dean (Ljubica Vrankovic)

we got them on the back foot. “Their captain batted really well to get 50 and batted through the innings, but we were able to apply some pressure in drizzly conditions. “They were tough bowling conditions

because of the rain it was quite slippery so to get the job done was really pleasing.” In the chase the Tigers made batting look easy, getting to 81 before a wicket fell, and chasing the runs in just 25 overs. The Tigers finished 2-100 with Alifraco top

scoring with 41. “Our two openers did a fantastic job, we were none down and only needed about 20 runs, unfortunately those two boys got out towards the end but they had done the damage and we were able to pass them in 25 overs which was great,” O’Brien said. With the VSDCA being as tight as it is at the moment, each win is worth its weight in gold, with yesterdays’ performance jumping the Tigers three places up the ladder. “We were sixth last week and we won this week and were able to jump up to third, so if you drop a game you can be outside the six,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got a really important game next weekend against St Bernard’s who are a really good side too, it’s probably going to sort itself out with sides playing each other so we have got to just keep playing better cricket towards the back end of the year. “It’s a double points game [against St Bernard’s] … It’s an important game next week but we know they are a quality side, but it’s a good challenge for us.”

Briefs VFL Werribee has announced the signing of Stefan Radovanovic for the upcoming Victorian Football League season. Radovanovic, who played 27 games for Carlton’s VFL team before missing last season. The club said Radovanovic’s arrival would be a big boost for the club’s backline. Jamie Quick also joins the club, having played with North Ballarat in the Ballarat Football League the last two seasons. He was their leading goal kicker.

A-League Western United’s round 13 game in the A-League Men’s competition has been postponed. Western United has worked with Australian Professional Leagues to seek a venue for the men’s fixture against Adelaide United on January 20 for a number of weeks. After several venues were turned down due to lack of availability, including AAMI Park, GMHBA Stadium, Mars Stadium, Morshead Park and Ikon Park, United was granted permission to postpone the fixture until a later date. The postponement will allow this fixture to be held at the club’s new venue upon its completion.

Darcy Harmer. 309727_05

Point Cook bowl to win By Harper Sercombe Things are beginning to ‘click’ for Point Cook in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association as it will bowl to collect its third win in a row on the weekend. The Warriors decision to bowl first on Saturday against Glenroy to kick off the Roy Picone Shield round eight two-day clash paid dividends. Wickets continually fell throughout the Glenroy innings in good bowling conditions, with just four batsmen making it to double digit runs as Glenroy was bowled out for 137. Varinder Pal Singh and Krishan Kumar were the standouts of the Warriors’ bowlers taking 3-25 and 4-13 respectively. Point Cook coach Carmine Conte said he was pleased with his teams’ bowling performance as his side began to grow confidence after an inconsistent start to the season. “We’re very happy,” he said. “It was really, really pleasing. The boys performed pretty well, that’s a couple of games in a row of good performances. So it’s starting to click for us. “They (Singh and Kumar) have been pretty 18 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY Wednesday, 17 January, 2024

good all year, and they’re starting to reap the rewards so we’re really happy.” Dismissing Glenroy in just 68 overs meant time was left in the day for the Warriors to have a bat for nine overs. It seemed like it could be a dangerous period for the club with opener David Hicks losing his wicket after just three deliveries of his innings. However, Jashan Malhotra and Vishay Ramchander were able to keep their wickets and will resume next week at 1-9. “The wicket started playing games with the new ball, but we survived the nine overs and it’s a new week next week,” Conte said. “We’ll have to start again, but we’re quietly confident that we can get the runs, we’ve certainly got the batting depth so it should be alright.” After playing through tricky batting conditions on the weekend, Saturday is forecast for a clear day, perfect for batting, which Conte said he is looking forward to. “There were just persistent little spots of rain and as the day went on the sun came out and it was a good day,” Conte said. “We’re definitely, definitely, definitely

[excited to be batting in good weather].” In other VTCA results, Werribee Centrals have already lost their two-day clash against Caroline Springs, after being bowled out for just 70. Caroline Springs then piled the runs on, scoring at more than seven runs an over, getting them to 3-338 at stumps. The innings included two massive centuries from Chathura Rathanaweera Patabedige (124) and Damith Priyadarshana who will resume at 121 on Saturday. In the Russell Pullock Shield, Wyndhamvale looks to be in a winning position against Melton Centrals when play resumes on Saturday. After winning the toss and batting Wyndhamvale only managed to score 105 from 53 overs, with Jay Dolliver and Nathan Griffiths top scoring with 24. However, with the ball in hand, Wyndhamvale put itself back into a winning position taking 5-25 before stumps were called. Dolliver was the pick of the bowlers taking 3-9 in his 11 overs. Centrals will need 81 runs for victory on Saturday.

VTCA It was a winning return to the pitch for Werribee in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association women’s division. Facing Point Cook in a local derby, the Tigers were able to hit the winning runs with four overs remaining. Point Cook made 6-73 from its overs, before the Tigers finished 3-74 in reply. After nine rounds, Werribee sits in fifth spot and Point Cook is bottom.

WRFL Tarneit has announced some key re-signings for this year’s Western Region Football League division 2 season. Skippers Joshua Stone and Zach Thornton are back on board, as are Benjamin Arabit and Michael Scolaro. Before Christmas the club also announced the new signings of Liam Meyrich and Luke Mann, who both most recently played for Bell Post. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Wyndham Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

SPORT Suns ready for division 2 challenge After tasting the sweet premiership success that the Suns were craving, it and coach Dean Cachia are ready to take the challenge up to the revamped Western Region Football League division 2 competition. The Suns delivered on their premiership aspirations in 2023, narrowly defeating a rampaging Albanvale in the division 3 grand final. Cachia said last year it was all about delivering a flag, however his sights have been readjusted for the upcoming season. “I’m excited for what next year brings for us, we’re not setting our aspirations for where they were last year,” he said. “Had you asked me this time last year, I would have said it’s a premiership or it’s a failed season for us.” “That’s the mindset that we had last year which added a lot of pressure on us and took away some of the enjoyment of actually just

playing football. “We enjoyed the premiership which was great but once we came back to training we just got down to the hard work because we know we have to take another big step back up to be competitive with the best sides from division 2. “We’re setting our target on being able to compete week on week and hopefully have enough wins in the bank to play finals and then anything can happen from there. “We just really need to take that next step up, and keep trying to build respect for our club, which is what we’re trying to do, it’s what I’m trying to do, it’s what I’m trying to instil in our players.” Cachia said that while the numbers on the track aren’t at their best, the output is still there, giving him encouraging signs. “Before Christmas we were probably getting

less numbers than we were getting the same time the year before,” he said. “But the ones that did come trained very hard and the standard of training was very much improved, which is good and that’s what we need to do because we’re stepping up to that next level.” The glaring hole in the Suns line-up is that of the 2023 league best and fairest winner and kicker of 113 goals, Daniel Hovey. While he has departed the club it isn’t ringing alarm bells for Cachia, who himself has kicked more than 200 goals in the previous two seasons. “We’ll just go back to playing the way we played the season before, which is at times more unpredictable,” he said. “But of course if you told me I can have him on my side I would definitely love to have him.” Harper Sercombe

The Suns celebrate a goal (Jacob Pattison) 360910_05

United denied victory by a late goal

Point Cook Centrals (Jacob Pattison) 330728_01

Sharks are ready to go By Harper Sercombe Following a strong first year in the Western Region Football League’s top flight Point Cook Centrals are keen to back it up. While the Sharks only mustered up three wins for the 2023 season, nine of their losses were by just 12 points or under and one of the wins came against eventual premiers Werribee Districts in round 15. With relegation off the cards for this season, coach Dean Chambers said the Sharks are ready to establish themselves as a bonafide division 1 side, with a suite of fresh faces arriving at the club to make this dream a reality. “We’ve worked pretty hard straight after last year and we understood that we had to top up our playing list to get a bit more competitive,” he said. “We had a super year [in 2023], so we just had to bottom up and strengthen our depth and now including the under-18 kids coming through there’s about 25 new players going into senior footy next year. “So we’re really buoyant about where we can take the club next year and it’s all in front of us now, so it’s up to us and the boys

are really keen. “There’s always a lot of apprehension about going into the first year of division 1 but having had a taste of it and seeing how competitive we were, we’re pretty excited to see where we can take the group.” Williamstown Victorian Football League-listed on baller Zac Banch headlines the off season recruits for the Sharks. With the midfielder being described by former Werribee coach John Lamont as one of the best on ballers he has seen in the Goulburn Valley Football League. “He’s had a couple of runs with us and he’s excited about the opportunity,” Chambers said. “We don’t want to see much of him during the year, we want to see him at the highest level but when he comes back to us I’m sure he’ll add to our already strengthened midfield.” Another of the Sharks’ recruiting targets they were able to deliver on was to welcome back its homegrown talent, with a strong group of former Sharks re-joining the club. Cassius White has returned after featuring on Sandringham’s VFL list for the past three seasons and Melton South in the Ballarat Football League. Ethan Stankic also returns

to the club after playing with Altona in recent times. Matty Davis will also be a welcome return to the club after spending time at both Altona and Deer Park. Domenic De Lia also returns after plying his trade at Werribee Districts. It isn’t just a return of former players that Chambers is relying on to bolster his team up the ladder with the Sharks also bringing in a host of recruits from rival clubs. Three-time Deer Park premiership player Mark Galea has arrived at the club, alongside fellow former WRFL inter-league player James McVey. Former Werribee VFL player Pele Manivong has also come to the club as has former Keilor player Mark Polycarpou. With a fresh crop of players to work with, the plan is simple for Chambers and his team. “We just want to stay engaged in games a lot longer and really capitalise on our good starts,” he said. “We’ve just got to play four-quarter footy and fitness has been a real focus of ours during the pre-season. “The players have already come back a lot fitter than what they did heading into 2023, so that should hold us in good stead.”

Western United remain on the bottom of the A-League Men’s table after a last minute goal denied the club victory against Macarthur on Friday night. Ben Garuccio got United off to a perfect start with a goal inside the opening couple of minutes but the Bull’s Ulises Davila struck either side of half-time to put Macarthur in the lead The green and black continued to dominate and finally broke through to equalise through Daniel Penha, and the Brazilian went on to score a stunning second goal to put United back in front. That goal seemed like it might have been the winner but Macarthur stayed in it and Davila completed his hat-trick in the 90th minute to ensure both sides left with a point. United coach John Aloisi said while the sides split the points, it felt like a loss. “Not because we had the lead because we dominated, and we had the majority of the opportunities,” he said. “We lost our way a little bit in the first half for about 20 minutes, then we gained control again towards the end of the first half, then we had control of the game in the second, they caught us with a bad mistake from us for their second goal. “But what’s pleasing is that even though the position we were in the boys didn’t drop their heads, they kept going, they kept fighting. Especially in these conditions because we’re not used to these conditions down in Melbourne and they kept on going and deserved to be in front. “Then we copped a late goal which was unfortunate because it was first of all a handball earlier, that they couldn’t bring back because the play had gone on, but it was a very clear handball from their player and then it hits Davila head and then hits Jacob Tratt’s head and it goes in the top corner. “At the moment that’s what we’re having to deal with, we just have to keep focussing, keep pushing to the next game now, get the next result and then try to get a win.”

Wednesday, 17 January, 2024 WYNDHAM STAR WEEKLY 19

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