SEPTEMBER 10, 2019 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
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Performance is inspiring A performance inspired by the spirit of the Whittlesea community during bushfires has secured The Lakes South Morang College a spot in the finals of the Wakakirri Secondary Schools Challenge. The cast of 25 students will take to the stage at The Palais Theatre on Wednesday for the finals after picking up 10 awards, including best inspiration story, during their recent heat. The Lakes South Morang College Wakakirri co-ordinator Aimee Freind said the dance and drama performance was based on the continuing effects of bushfires and the spirit of the community. “We decided to take away the focus on the destruction itself and hone in on the power of community during times of need,” she said. “We read various articles and real-life stories to develop more of an emotional understanding.” Ms Freind said the students were overjoyed to have made the finals. “As this was our first Wakakirri performance, we had no idea what to expect. We just wanted to ensure that we did our best in telling an important story,” she said. “When we found out that we had received the most inspirational story award we were in class and the screams and tears of joy were telling in how much this meant to us all.” Sarah, Adrian, Rosalina and Louise, with fellow pupils, know first-hand the power of community spirit after the Whittlesea bushfires. (Marco De Luca)
Laura Michell
Roo cull call killed off By Laura Michell A petition calling for a cull of kangaroos in the Laurimar estate has been rejected by Whittlesea council. The council received the petition, signed by 24 residents, during its Living with Kangaroos Forum on May 7. The petition stated residents were concerned by the health and safety risk posed by kangaroos on council-managed sports fields in Laurimar, including the Laurimar Recreation Reserve. Whittlesea councillors voted to reject the petition at last Tuesday’s council meeting, after council officers advised that a cull was
“neither an effective nor necessary approach” to kangaroo management in Laurimar. “The Laurimar estate is surrounded by privately owned farmland outside the urban growth boundary. Any action to remove kangaroos would not be effective in the long-term as the main population will continue to seek refuge on the irrigated sports grounds and gardens in dry seasons,” a council report stated. “A cull of kangaroos in an urban environment is not practical and is likely to be distressing for some residents.” Councils are not responsible for the management of wildlife but can apply to the Department of Environment, Water, Land
and Planning for a cull in situations where kangaroos are damaging buildings, pasture or crops, posing a risk to human health and safety or damaging the environment. Council officers said reports about injured kangaroos surged over summer and early autumn, with the animals moving into residential areas in search of green grass. Officers said calls to council peaked in March, with 74 reports of dead kangaroos reported, up from 56 reports in March 2018 and 34 in March 2017. Wildlife Rescuers secretary Andrew Cameron said there was an increase in kangaroos in Doreen and surrounds earlier in
the year, but numbers had dropped over winter. He urged people living in Doreen, Mernda and South Morang to ensure they slow down in known kangaroo hot spots, such as Yan Yean, Bridge Inn and Doctors Gully roads to reduce the chances of hitting a kangaroo. “There were a lot of kangaroos in estates in the areas and some were being hit on roads they normally wouldn’t be hit on. ‘We also had a lot of phalaris poisoning cases happening in the estates so kangaroos were showing up in places they wouldn’t normally,” Mr Cameron said. Whittlesea council is considering installing signs at known hot spots to raise awareness.
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Pet care for violence victims By Laura Michell Cats and dogs owned by people experiencing family violence will be given temporary accommodation at the Epping Animal Welfare Facility as part of a partnership between Whittlesea, Moreland and Darebin councils. The RSPCA-managed facility will provide up to three weeks’ accommodation for cats and dogs, which will be funded by specialist family violence services. In cases where funding is not possible, the costs will be covered by the three councils.
‘‘
Threatening to harm or kill pets is a known method - Council report
’’
The cats and dogs will be cared for by the facility and foster carers during the three weeks. Care will not be offered to restricted breeds or dangerous dogs, while other animals and extended timeframes will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A report to Whittlesea council last Tuesday
stated the temporary accommodation was necessary as pets could often not be taken into crisis accommodation or family violence refuges. “Research reveals one in three women who had experienced violence from a partner had delayed leaving their partner because of fear for a pet’s safety,” the report stated. “Threatening to harm or kill pets is a known method used by some perpetrators of family violence as a means to exert control over their partners.” The temporary accommodation policy was developed by the three councils in
partnership with the RSPCA, specialist family violence support agencies including Safe Steps and Merri Community Health, and police. Crime Statistics Agency data shows 3292 family violence incidents were reported to Whittlesea police between April 2018 and March 2019, up 8.3 per cent from 3041 reports in the previous 12 months. In Moreland, 2107 reports were made in the same period, up 17.6 per cent from 1792 in April 2017-March 2018. In Darebin, police recorded 1804 incidents between April 2018March 2019, up 7.8 per cent.
BYO container plan on the table
Lalor East Primary School pupil Kevin. (Supplied)
Building a foundation for the future A project helping to build self-esteem and confidence in children is one of 17 recipients of Whittlesea council’s community development grants. Future Foundations has been working with Lalor East Primary School pupils as part of a 16-week creative art and personal mentoring program to increase resilience, communication techniques and better understanding of the emotions in children. The program
includes excursions, artistic skills workshops, photography lessons and a group art exhibition. Whittlesea mayor Lawrie Cox said the biannual community grants program aimed to provide financial support to local initiatives positively impacting on residents. “Round one of this year’s community development grants program saw over $74,000 distributed to 17 well-deserving community groups and organisations,” he said.
“The funding will go towards some exciting projects that will benefit our community. “I look forward to seeing these projects come to life and seeing the positive ripple effects across our communities.” Applications for round two of the grants program are now open. Groups can apply for up to $5000. Details: whittlesea.vic.gov.au/communitygrants Laura Michell
Whittlesea residents could soon be given the option of bringing their own containers to takeaway food stores. Whittlesea council is conducting a feasibility study into a voluntary BYO container scheme, similar to one in use by Yarra council. As part of the study, the council will consult with stakeholders, including local businesses, to discuss the merits and challenges of allowing people to supply their own containers. As part of the program, the council would promote businesses who pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastics. The council hopes to be able to roll-out the scheme in November, subject to the study findings. Cr Emilia Lisa Sterjova, who raised the idea with council, said the program was another way to address the current recycling crisis. She said that allowing people to bring their own containers to takeaway food stores would help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. “Local businesses would pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastics by asking people to bring their own Tupperware,” Cr Sterjova said. “Customers will be more inclined to go [to participating stores] because they are environmentally-friendly. “Thirty-two councils have been sending their recyclable materials to landfill so I’m taking my own initiative to get creative with our waste management.” Laura Michell
3 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ SEPTEMBER 10, 2019
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Shots fired
Police are appealing for information after shots were fired at a parked car in Lalor. Police were called to Clifton Grove about 2am on September 5 after residents found a number of bullet holes in their car which was parked in the driveway. Police said three residents were home at the time and heard loud bangs about midnight but did not investigate. Investigators believe the offenders fired the shots from a vehicle.
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Work on the $25 million revamp of Mill Park Leisure Centre is in full swing. Internal concrete slabs and steel frames for the gym expansion are complete, as is the new warm water pool and concrete works for the 25-metre pool. The learn-to-swim and leisure pools have been excavated and are ready for concreting. The centre is expected to re-open next year.
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Gambling forum
Mia, MP Danielle Green and Chloe with a bilingual dictionary. (Joe Mastroianni)
Lessons in language Children at Mernda’s Jindi Kindergarten are learning to speak Punjabi. Punjabi language teacher Aman Virk runs the language sessions every Tuesday and Thursday and every second Wednesday. The kinder is attended by 99 children daily, some of whom speak Punjabi at home. Yan Yean MP Danielle Green said the language sessions ran for up to three hours. “It’s great to see the Punjabi language program being provided to Jindi Kindergarten,
bringing the education state vision to life in Mernda,” she said. Jindi is one of 150 kindergartens across the state offering language classes as part of the state government’s $17.9 million early childhood language program. A further 10 kindergartens are bilingual with half the curriculum taught in a language other than English. Laura Michell
Whittlesea council is calling on the state government to host a community forum on the effects of poker machines in a bid to reduce gambling harm. The council voted to lobby for the forum after Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation data revealed $110.9 million was lost at gaming venues in Whittlesea in 2018-19. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Northern Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
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Kaufland’s northern expansion By Laura Michell
Spectacular dance student South Morang teen Rosaliana can’t wait to step onto the stage at Melbourne Arena this Saturday for the Victorian State Schools Spectacular. The 14-year-old is taking part in the performing arts showcase for the fifth year, but will be performing as a principal dancer for the first time. For the past four years, Rosaliana has been an ensemble dancer. The Lakes South Morang College student said taking part in the Victorian State Schools Spectacular was a lot of fun. She first auditioned for the show after her mum saw it on TV. “My mum thought it looked like a lot of fun so I auditioned the next year and got in,” Rosaliana said. “I enjoy meeting new people and getting to express myself through dance. “I get to perform in a lot of items this year. It is a lot of fun because you do a lot of different styles of dance.”
(Joe Mastroianni)
German supermarket chain Kaufland has been given the green light to build a store in Coolaroo. The store, which will be built on the former Masters site on Pascoe Vale Road, is the second Kaufland supermarket planned for the northern suburbs. The company also has approval to build a store on the former Bunnings site on High Street, Epping. A third northern suburbs store on vacant land at 525-535 McDonalds Road, South Morang is in the pipeline, with the state government referring the proposal – alongside those for eight other stores – to an independent advisory panel for consideration. All approvals will be exhibited for public comment and be subject to public hearings which will help inform the advisory panel’s report to Planning Minister Richard Wynne. Kaufland is also in the process of building its headquarters’ distribution centre at the Merrifield Business Park in Mickleham. Construction of the $255 million project began in June. Kaufland Australia managing director Julia Kern said the company was looking to open at least 14 stores in Victoria, creating up to 2400 jobs. “With five approved stores, as well as the additional nine sites under review, we are committed to our long term, sustainable growth across Victoria,” she said. “Australia is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, and we are excited to grow with it.” Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said Kaufland was engaging with Victorian suppliers to source local products where possible. “Another major player in the market will provide more choice for Victorians,” he said.
Laura Michell
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Council pauses live streaming
Tagreed Khouri, right, with speech pathologist Elissa Thomson. (Damjan Janevski)
Volunteer a voice of hope By Laura Michell Northern Health volunteer Tagreed Khouri is helping to motivate and inspire stroke patients at Broadmeadows Hospital. Ms Khouri suffered a stroke four years ago following an operation on a brain aneurysm. The stroke affected the former auctioneer’s speech, requiring her to undergo speech therapy as part of her rehabilitation program. “It was when I was in rehab I started to realise that something was really different. I couldn’t talk like I used to … I couldn’t understand like I used to,” Ms Khouri said.
“This made me really upset. Before my stroke I was very fluent in English and Arabic. I was an auctioneer – I used to speak all day for my work.” Ms Khouri did speech therapy as an outpatient at Northern Health. She said the speech therapists helped her immensely. “The speech therapists are amazing – that’s all I can say. They’re very patient and understanding and knew exactly how to help me … not just with speech but life – my new life,” she said. Speaking ahead of Speech Pathology Week, Ms Khouri said she enjoyed volunteering on the rehab ward and helping other stroke patients.
She hopes her presence on the ward encourages them to be positive. “A lot of [the patients] had no idea that I’d had a stroke. I encouraged them to be positive,” she said. “They can see after a stroke that it’s OK, giving them hope. For me it was rewarding.” Northern Health speech pathologist Stephanie Bennetts said Ms Khouri encouraged patients to keep trying. “Communication is a basic human right. We as speech pathologists have a big role in helping people like Tagreed to continue to communicate, even though it might be difficult,” she said.
Live streaming of Whittlesea council meetings has been ruled out until December, 2020, at the earliest. Whittlesea council began investigating the possibility of streaming council meetings in June, 2017, with Channel 31 invited to record two meetings in mid-2018 so councillors could review the footage. But in the past year, councillors have backed away from the idea, with the council recently voting to defer considering the issue again until a new council is elected next November. The new council’s first meeting – and its first opportunity to consider live streaming – will be in December 2020. Cr Tom Joseph said live streaming was a waste of council resources. “The evidence is, this is a dud. No one watches councillors debating motions. We are not here to waste money on things that are fashionable,” he said. Cr Emilia Lisa Sterjova, who first raised the idea of live streaming with council, said she had backed away from the idea amid concerns about the behaviour of some of her colleagues during council meetings. “There is a lot that needs to change about our culture. I hope the new council will support live streaming,” she said. The decision comes despite repeated attempts by Cr Caz Monteleone to have live streaming adopted by the council. Laura Michell
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NEWS
Architects appointed for school By Laura Michell The long-awaited Greenvale Secondary College is a step closer, with the state government appointing an architect to design the school. The Greenvale community has been lobbying for a local secondary school since the 1990s. Land on the corner of Barrymore Road and Glencairn Drive was set aside for the school more than 10 years ago. Students currently travel to Roxburgh Park, Broadmeadows and Gladstone Park to attend high school.
‘‘
Greenvale families have waited a long time for a local … school - Ros Spence
’’
Labor finally pledged to build the school ahead of last year’s state election. The school is expected to open in 2022. An architect has also been appointed for Kalkallo Common Primary School, which will also open in 2022. Land has yet to be acquired for this school.
Education Minister James Merlino said the architects had been asked to design state-of-the-art schools that will cater for the diverse needs of students. Yuroke MP Ros Spence welcomed the appointment of the architect for Greenvale Secondary College. “Greenvale families have waited a long time for a local secondary school. This big step forward will certainly be greatly welcomed,” she said. The schools are two of five set to open in Hume over the next two years, with Merrifield
West and Greenvale North West primary schools to open in 2021. Craigieburn’s new secondary school, which the government recently announced will be called Elevation Secondary College, will open in 2020. Ms Spence said the name was chosen following community consultation. “This is an exciting step for the Craigieburn community and marks a milestone in establishing an identity for their new school,” she said. “The new Elevation Secondary College will ensure that local families continue to have access to a great local school, close to home.”
North’s new bus services New and extended bus services have been announced for Whittlesea and Hume. Bus company Dysons has won the tender for route 525 which will service Mickleham, Kalkallo and Craigieburn from December. The service will connect people living in the Merrifield, Cloverton and Trillium estate and Kalkallo with Craigieburn and Donnybrook train stations. It will also stop at Mount Ridley College and Newbury Primary School. A route map and timetable will be released in November. Yuroke MP Ros Spence said the bus service will provide much-needed access to public transport for people living in Hume’s newer suburbs. Route 357, which runs through Wollert, will be extended from January, stopping closer to Edgars Creek Secondary College. A special school bus service has also begun,
providing Edgars Creek students with a direct bus to school for the first time. The closest bus route before stopped more than 900 metres from the school gate. The school service will start from the intersection of Pine Park Drive and Saltlake Boulevard in Wollert. Thomastown MP Bronwyn Halfpenny said the school bus and route 357 extension would make it easier for people to get around Wollert. “This is the first step in delivering a long-term solution for these students, giving them and their families more options to get to school,” she said. Laura Michell
A new and extended bus service has been welcomed by school students. (Supplied)
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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 communitycalendar@starweekly.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is noon Tuesday.
Bring your bills day
sessions. At 57-61 Laurel Street. 3028
Bring your bills to the Broadmeadows Community Hub, 182 Widford Street, on Thursday, September 19, from 11am to get advice on changing providers and making sure you’re getting all the concessions and discounts you are entitled to. ■ 9205 2473
■ 9716
Probus club
The Probus Club of Craigieburn meets on the second Monday of each month at Craigieburn Sporting Club, Craigieburn Road. The group offers fellowship and friendship for active retirees. ■ 8339 7340
Thomastown networking
A networking session for business owners in the Thomastown industrial precinct will be held on Thursday, September 12, 4-6pm at The Catering Buffet Co, 5 Charnfield Court, Thomastown. The event is a chance for businesses to hear from NBN Co and the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business about options available to businesses in the area. ■ 9217 2492
Family night
Lalor library is hosting a night of family LEGO fun on Thursday, September 19, 6-8pm. At 2a May Road. ■ 9465 2353
Ignite breakfast
Hear from entrepreneur Karen Finch from Legally Yours at the Ignite Breakfast with an Entrepreneur event on September 18, to be held at Two Beans and a Farm cafe at Carome Homestead, 8.30-11am. The event is a chance for participants to hear from local start-ups and network.
Enrol in a retail skills course, join a small business workshop, take part in sewing sessions or make boomerang bags at Thomastown Neighbourhood House, 52 Main Street, during semester two. ■ 8376 6937
Community fitness sessions
Join in free fitness classes at Cloverton in Kalkallo, Monday to Saturday during the school term. Classes in cross-training, yoga and boxing at the Stockland Cloverton sales and information centre, corner Dwyer Street and Design Way. ■ livelifegetactive.com
(iStock)
Mooncake Festival
Experience the vibrancy of the Whittlesea Chinese Association’s Mooncake Festival on Saturday, September 14, at Epping Memorial Hall, 827 High Street, 7-9.30pm. The festival is a celebration of thanksgiving, prosperity and family reunion. ■ 0432 267 557
Community courses
Have your say ■ 9217
Morang, 9am-1pm. ■ 9217 2346
2278
Farmers market
Support local farmers, artisans and businesses at the South Morang Farmers and Makers Market on Saturday, September 21, at the Whittlesea civic centre, 25 Ferres Boulevards, South
Girl’s night in
Enjoy a girl’s night in at Whittlesea library on Thursday, September 12, 7-9pm. The event will include a tea-making ceremony, henna, tarot cards and Chinese calligraphy
Learn more about Hume council’s draft housing diversity strategy at Roxburgh Park shopping centre on Thursday, September 12, 2-4.30pm; the Hume Global Learning Centre at Craigieburn on Monday, September 16, 6-8pm; or Craigieburn Central on Tuesday, October 1, 9.30am-noon. ■ hume.vic.gov.au
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Jordana, Ashley, Joshua, Kevan and Jye. (Supplied)
Junior wonderland Ivanhoe Grammar School pupils will be going on a journey down the rabbit hole this Thursday in their performance of Alice in Wonderland Jr Jr. Pupils from the school’s Plenty campus have been preparing for the show since last October. Campus head of primary, Darren Gibson, said all pupils have a role in the performance. “This helps them to grow in confidence and courage as they perform in front of an audience,” he said. “Our main cast members are from years 4-6. All other children make up the chorus. “Each class performs songs on stage along with the main characters, creating wonderful cross-age learning and performing opportunities.”
Mr Gibson said the school community had helped pupils prepare for the production, with parents and grandparents helping to design and create costumes, sets and props. “There have been countless meetings, working bees and individual efforts that will continue right up to the performance date,” he said. “These events really bring our community together.” Alice in Wonderland Jr is at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre, Ferres Boulevard, South Morang on Thursday. Tickets: pracc.com.au Laura Michell
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Lee Jeka during this year’s grand final series. (Shawn Smits)
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Hume City Broncos sharpshooter Lee Jeka has announced his retirement from basketball. Jeka, who was part of the Broncos’ Big V men’s state championship grand final team, told his teammates of his decision at their end of season awards night. The 36-year-old said it was the right time to hang up the sneakers. “I’ve been playing for far too long,” he said. “For me it feels a good time to have retired. It’s a weight off my shoulders, I’ve been playing professional for nearly 19 years. “In Europe you train twice a day and sometimes three times a day. “Big V is only two times a week … mentally I’m ready to retire.” Long before Jeka came to the Broncos in 2015, he started his basketball career with the Werribee Devils. It was there he came to the attention of others. It led to an opportunity with two NBL clubs. “I was with the Melbourne Tigers as a squad member, but I wasn’t listed. “It was the golden era with [Mark] Bradtke, [Lanard] Copeland and [Andrew] Gaze. As a 17-year-old coming from Hoppers Crossing, rubbing shoulders with my idols was pretty awesome. “I had a contract with the Brisbane Bullets [and that] was a good experience.” With a British passport, Jeka made the decision to travel to Europe to ply his trade. He would play there for 10 years in three different countries and six clubs. Jeka captained two teams into first division, while he claimed the 2011 German Pro League’s A most valuable player award while playing for s.Oliver Wurzburg.
He is just the second person from that team to win the award. The other was NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki. “Our careers have been nowhere near comparable,” Jeka said. “I find it a funny situation and I joke about it. “It feels good, but not something I tell everybody about.” When Jeka decided to return from Europe has wasn’t going to continue playing basketball. Then came a phone call from Copeland, who was then the Hume City Broncos’ coach. “I got back from Europe and I decided I didn’t want to play again,” Jeka said. “Five months later Lanard called me and got me down to train. “I signed up and played for another five years. “I’ve had some good times and it was good to finish on the same team for a number of years.” Jeka has been a mainstay of the Broncos program since and he led the league scoring in 2016, earning him All-Star 5 selection. He said this year would probably be his highlight. He said being so close to where he grew up, it meant that his family could watch him play basketball again regularly. “We made playoffs in my first season and in my last season. There were a lot of highs and lows. “This season was a highlight getting into the finals series. Having the support from the club and the support from the supporters watching us at those games was amazing.” Jeka said he was unlikely to continue to play basketball at even a domestic level, but was interested in coaching. “Coaching is something I will look at and there’s a few options out there. “I’ll have a couple of months to think about everything and make a decision.”
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SPORT Season ends in pain for inconsistent Tullamarine
Caleb Harward was one of Tullamarine’s best on Saturday. (Shawn Smits)
Tullamarine was left to rue a sub-par performance which ended its Essendon District Football League division 1 season. Hoping to make the grand final for a second successive year, the Demons were left shattered on Saturday afternoon after their loss to East Keilor in the preliminary final. The Demons struggled early but were able to work themselves into the game in the second half. Nothing separated the two teams, with the Cougars sealing the win with two minutes to go, winning 10.14 (74) - 9.10 (64). Demons coach David Connell said it was a disappointing way to finish the season. “We had a poor first half and we weren’t able to get it on our terms,” he said. “The first quarter was OK but we didn’t take full advantage of our opportunities. “They seemed to be able to get it on their terms. The boys were gutsy in the second
half without playing well and got back into a position to win it.” The Cougars led by one point at the last break and it was anyone’s game in the final quarter. Connell said for much of the quarter, it felt like the next goal would win. Ultimately, that’s how it played out. “We couldn’t get that next goal to go in front,” he said. “The whole last seven minutes there was a kick in it … They kicked one with two minutes to go to seal it.” Anthony Prestia and Brad Allen kicked two goals each for the Demons. Jonathan Hardman was solid all day, while 19-year-old backman Tim Matson showed why he is a talent to watch in the future. Caleb Harward and Cameron Hare were the others to put in strong performances. Adding insult to injury, Tim Barressi has a suspected broken ankle which occurred in the last two minutes of the game.
The Demons performance on Saturday summed up their season – inconsistent. After making a grand final last season, Connell said looking back now, this season was a failure. “We obviously struggled with consistency, not only week-in week-out, but inside games. “About round 11 or 12 we were a game clear on top and in a good position. “The last eight weeks we haven’t played our best football.” Connell, though, gave credit to the other sides in the finals, saying there were four really good teams in the top four. He said the top three were really close all year and someone was always going to miss out. East Keilor now face Craigieburn in the grand final on Saturday at Windy Hill. The Demons’ under-19s also lost their preliminary final. Tara Murray
Lalor hangs in to take the league title
South Morang’s Aaron Lazaric is tackled by Panton Hill’s Daniel Freeman. Below: South Morang ponders what might have been. (Pictures: Luke Hemer)
Lions fall at final hurdle By Tara Murray A slow start proved costly for South Morang as its hopes of a Northern Football League division 3 premiership ended. The Lions, who have been the surprise packet of the finals series, knew they needed to have everything go their way in the grand final against Panton Hill at Whittlesea Showgrounds on Saturday. Panton Hill jumped out of the blocks and led by 37 points at quarter-time. The Lions would get within three goals early in the third quarter, but that’s the closest they would come. Panton Hill kicked a couple of quick goals to steady, winning, 11.13 (79)-5.9 (39). Lions coach Gary Hall said things didn’t quite go to plan. “It was pretty heavy conditions up there,” he said. “It was pretty much a carbon copy of last year in the preliminary final when they kicked the first five or six goals. “We just couldn’t make up the ground.” 14 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ SEPTEMBER 10, 2019
He said the closest the side got was early in the third quarter when Nathan Bell kicked a ripper. Panton Hill quickly responded. The Lions were dealt a blow mid-week with Tye Hall being ruled out of the game. In another setback, James Hewson pulled out before the game. Hall said missing those two really hurt the side. “That hurt us to go in without them against a side that have had the year that they’ve had.
“We didn’t need setbacks like that. We needed everything to go our way. “They [Panton Hill] deserved it and were the best team all season.” Bell and Mitchell Kalpakis kicked two goals each for the Lions. Hall said the pair, who are both young players, were among the best and showed good signs standing up under pressure. Luke Shelton was the other standout. Despite falling short in the grand final, Hall said they would view this season as a success. It’s the second time in three years the Lions have made the grand final. While the senior side’s season is over, the under-19s are in their grand final next week, with a lot of young talent coming through the club. “You have to keep knocking the door down,” Hall said. “Hopefully it will open soon. “We played 49 players in seniors this year, which is a lot of players and a lot of experience. “The finals experience is good for them.” Hall said he would look to continue coaching for another season.
Lalor United claimed a second straight title in FFV state league. Having already secured promotion several weeks ago, Lalor was keen to add the state league 3 north-west title to the state league north 4 title it won last year. Playing Strathmore, the only other team still in the finals fight, a win or draw would be enough for Lalor to finish first. A one-goal loss would still be enough, but a loss by two or more goals would give Strathmore the championship. Strathmore claimed the win 2-1, but it wasn’t enough – the two teams finished equal on points, with Lalor one goal ahead. Lalor coach Tony Sterjovski said there were a few celebrations on Saturday night. “We knew going into the game, if we were to lose by two goals or more, Strathmore would be champions. “We knew that our fate was in our own hands. The commitment and determination has been first-class all year.” Sterjovski said there was a few nervous moments at half-time with the side trailing 2-0. Lalor settled in the second half and come out on top, despite missing four of its best players. “We had a player sent off early in the second half and we were down to 10 men,” Sterjovski said. “We kicked a cracker from a free kick 30 metres out. It was a physical game but we were able to continue on.” Sterjovski said they would have never imagined at the start of last season that they would be in state league 2 next season. He said they would celebrate the next few weeks before starting to look ahead. Sterjovski said he would like to continue on coaching, but that will be discussed in the coming weeks. Lalor still has one more game, facing the state league 3 south-east champion to decide the number one state league team. In state league 2 north-west, Epping City just missed out on promotion. Tara Murray
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Whittlesea Eagles earn their chance at redemption
Xavier Dimasi was one of the standouts on Saturday. (Mark Wilson)
Whittlesea will have a shot at going straight back up to the Northern Football League division 1 competition. On Saturday, the Eagles defeated Eltham to win through to this Saturday’s division 2 grand final against Banyule. Having been relegated to division 2 last season, the Eagles are again on the winners’ list and having some fun on the field. Eagles coach Blair Harvey said it was an exciting feeling at the club. “Last year it was playing for survival every week and they couldn’t play their brand of footy,” said the first year coach. “Last year there was one or two wins, this year we’ve lost four games. “The mindset is a lot different. We’re playing free-flowing, natural footy and enjoying the game and we’re now into a grand final.” On Saturday, the Eagles led throughout but were never able to break the game open. In the end, they won 13.6 (84)-8.8 (56). Harvey said Eltham kept it close all day. “It was close and at a couple of stages they come back at us,” he said. “The guys were mature enough to regroup
‘‘
We now think we have some momentum and we’re looking forward
’’
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on the ground and get it done. We thought we would try and put a few guys in cotton wool for next week. “They kept coming and the boys had to fight it out. About the 20-minute mark we knew we had it.” Harvey said luck was on their side, as they got through unscathed, while Eltham had a couple of injuries. Jaron Murphy kicked four goals for the Eagles, while Chris McCabe kicked three and Matthew Atta and Clancy Bland kicked two goals apiece, Harvey said Murphy was outstanding again, despite being heavily tagged. Like Murphy, Xavier Dimasi and Nathan Stefanile were named in the best for a second straight final.
Matthew Coen and Luke Deards were also good, holding the backline together. The win sets up another clash with Banyule, who won the semi-final between the two teams by seven points. Harvey said they had been keen to have another shot at the Bears. “It’s very exciting,” he said. “Banyule are expected to win. We weren’t playing great against them last time, but we now think we have some momentum and we’re looking forward to it.” Harvey said at this stage he didn’t think there would be any changes to the side. Despite having a young side, he said they would take plenty of experience into the grand final which is being playing at Epping Recreation Reserve. “We’ve got quite a few premiership players and a lot who we have recruited have played in junior grand finals and premierships. “We’d be happy to have the chance to go back up next year. “There’s a good platform to build on.” Tara Murray
Ranges slip to third tier By Tara Murray Whittlesea Ranges’ fight to stay in the National Premier League 2 west next season fell just short. With the NPL 2 competition splitting as part of a restructure, and the introduction of a new NPL 3 competition, teams were looking for a top six finish to secure a place. But after a horrible start to the season, which saw them planted on the bottom of the ladder after 10 rounds, the Ranges needed a win in the final round and hope results went their way to clinch sixth spot. Moreland Zebras had other ideas though, defeating Ranges 4-0 on Saturday. It was a tough day all round for the Ranges, with coach George Karkaletsis missing the game due to a death in the family, He said reports from his assistant coach said that the boys didn’t have their normal spark. “We had been really confident going into the game,” Karkaletsis said. “We were a little bit down and some good players were down on their normal standard.” While disappointed not to stay up in NPL 2, Karkaletsis knows the side has come a long way from when he took over in round 10. He said the first aim for the side was to get off the bottom of the ladder. It then turned its attention to aiming for a top six finish. “It took until the final game of the season to decide our future,” he said. “We didn’t give up hope and we were still hoping to get there [NPL2] next year. “We lost to Melbourne City and Box Hill and there was at least three points there we should have got. There was a draw against Brunswick and if we got points from there, we would have stayed up. “It’s something that we were still playing for something in round 28.” In the end, the Ranges finished eighth, with a 10-6-11 record, having not won a match in the first nine rounds. The Ranges will be facing the unknown in the NPL 3 competition next season, having been in NPL 2 since it was introduced. The new competition will include teams from NPL 2 and state league 1. Karkaletsis said while he isn’t contracted for next year, early talks were encouraging that he would be back. “They told me to start preparing for next year whether we’re in NPL2 or 3. “We’ll sit down in the near future. “The first thing is to maintain the playing group, at least the core of it. “I think the club would like to go straight back up into NPL 2.” St Albans claimed the NPL 2 west title.
Calder Cannons’ Nathan Stewart runs away from the pack. (Shawn Smits)
Cannons fail to fire It’s season over for the Calder Cannons after losing a low-scoring semi-final against Sandringham Dragons in the NAB League on Saturday. If they had any chance of making it through to the preliminary final, the Cannons had to turn the tables on the Dragons, who smashed them back in round one. But the Cannons inability to hit the scoreboard would prove costly – they managed just one goal for the game. Despite having just two more scoring shots, the Dragons were in control of the game early and went on to win, 8.7 (55)-1.12 (18). The Dragons kicked four goals to nil in the first quarter to open up a solid lead. The Cannons missed some opportunities in the second quarter and were still goalless at the main break, trailing by 36 points. The Cannons finally got on the scoreboard through Jackson Cardillo in a low-scoring third quarter. The Dragons increased the lead further and the game was all but over at the last break. The Cannons peppered the goals in the final quarter as they looked to finish the season on a high. They got five points for their efforts. Sam Ramsay was busy for the Cannons with 32 possessions, while Daniel Mott had 23 possessions. Ben Overman, Giacomo Thomas and Lachlan Gollant were the Cannons best. The Dragons will now face the Oakleigh Chargers in a preliminary final. Gippsland Power will face the Eastern Ranges in the other preliminary final. Whittlesea Ranges captain Jose Ramires. (Shawn Smits)
Tara Murray 15 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ SEPTEMBER 10, 2019