GUE ANNOUNCEMENT

has only two flags from almost 60 years in the Western Border with the most recent comingin1990.

Meanwhile, the other league will have 14 clubs.

It will comprise the other four Western Border clubs (Millicent, South Gambier, West Gambier and North Gambier) and all tenKowreeNaracoorteTatiaraclubs(Keith, Bordertown, Kingston, Naracoorte, Lucindale, Penola, Border Districts, Mundulla,KybyboliteandPadthaway).

Mr Ford said that after reviewing several structure alternatives, the Working Group agreed that a two-competition model would achieve the best possible balance in competition size, evenness, proximity for participants, junior participation and pathways. Country Football Shawn orking Group and its subad been focused on ermining the best structure for football t, unanimously agreeing erenceforthefollowing: arty comprises Tony Irvine Ben Mules, Adam Merrett, eter Allen, Stephen Day, Tony Elletson and Bob titionsintheregion,with of the Western Border FootballLeague.

Four Clubs moving to the current Kowree NaracoorteTatiaraFootballLeague(KNTFL) tocreateastrong14-teamcompetition.

Two Clubs (Casterton and East Gambier) to move to the current Mid South Eastern FootballLeague

Establishment of a separate junior football structure for the youngest age groups (under 8s – under 11s) to help increase juniorparticipation.

Team selecon will occur over the coming weeks with games to be played vs KNTFL & MID SE teams on Saturday June 10th at the Bordertown Football Club.

Coach Ben Hardy will conduct 3 further Training Sessions prior to Gameday as below

Selecon – Wednesday 24th of May 5.30pm at East Gambier Football Club

Selecon - Wednesday 31st of May 5.30pm at East Gambier Football Club

Final squad - (Time & Locaon to be Confirmed)

He said an important aspect in developing the new structure would be to find ways to introduce a more flexible junior structure which prioritises participation, creates inclusive environments, establishes stronger pathways through to senior club level and importantly ensures future sustainabilityintheregion.

“Ultimately, there was a need to provide a structure which would ensure stability and sustainability for clubs in the longer-term, as well as to complement an overall regionalfootystrategy,”MrFordsaid.

Fromthearchives

Greatwbflfinals

DEMONS’FANSHOLDTHEIRBREATH

ThrillerputsSouthintofirstfinalin19years(1970)

SOUTH Gambier supporters held their breath as Coleraine big man John Vickery took his kick about 30 metres from goal with less than a minute left on theclock.

Vickery had already kicked three goals and had just climbedhighoverthebackofDemons’fullbackJohn Broadbent to pull in the mark of the match. It was a screamer and the local football world virtually stoppedasVickerywalkedbacktotakehiskick.

As the time clock ticked down, it was well into timeon,lessthanaminuteremainedinthe1970Western Border Football League preliminary final with South leadingbyfourpointsasVickery madehisapproach. A goal would put Coleraine into the grand final for a re-match with Hamilton. His kick looked true off the boot and it was heading towards the big sticks. As it did the jaws of every South supporter dropped, knowingtheirseasonwasheadingforacruelend.

But, as it neared its target the ball started to veer slightly and slammed into the goal post for a behind. South’shopeswerestillalive.

South coach Garry Sims took the kick-in and sent a huge torpedo punt straight down the ground where his brother Darryl gathered the ball off the pack in the centre of the ground and on the run kicked a behindtopushtheleadbacktofourpoints.

CleverlyGarrySimsmovedhimselfdowntheground and marked the Coleraine long kick-in as the siren sounded to send South into its first grand final in 19 years.

Their last was in 1951 when they won a premiership intheSouthEastandBorderFootballLeague. The match was one of the best for the season between two teams who played fast, run-on football.

Coleraine had come off a defeat by Hamilton in the second semifinalwhileSouth had won the first semi final.

It was a more determined

Coleraine outfit which reemerged after half time and slowly they started to pullbackthe21-pointlead.

Up forward Graham Harriott was giving the South defence a difficult time while Vickery’s high marking resultedinacoupleofgoals.

InthethirdtermGarrySimsneededtobeathisbest, turning back Coleraine time and again with some telling marks at centre half back and Deckert did some telling things around the ground to match Vickeryintheruck.

South swapped Norman and Arthur to get more run at centre half forward which worked well but at the other end of the ground Graham Harriott was causing concern with his sound marking and ground play

AtthreequartertimeSouth’sleadwas21points. AtthefinalbreakSouth11.11ledColeraine8.8.

As the final terms got under way rover Vern Spencer was now in control around the packs he kicked his fourth goal for the game while Harriott and Vickery eachnotchedtheirthirdasColerainestormedhome.

Coleraine coach Col Saddington played an inspirational game as ruck rover and his bulk in the packs helped Spencer and the Coleraine little men gettheballaway around the ground ear-marked him as a future championandthatisthewayitturnedout.

In defence, Garry Sims showed great leadership in that final term and pulled in some telling marks just when it appeared Coleraine were about to steal the lead.

In the centre Darryl Sims had a great tussle with Laurie Kaine and while they played wide of each other Kaine’s long kicking into attack kept Coleraine in the game in the first half while Darryl Sims accuratepassinghelpedArthurandNormantothree goalseach.

Kaine was particularly damaging in the final term whereheoftenkickeddeepintoattack.

South’s Max Deckert did some damage when resting in attack and also picked up three goals from strong marks.

Cunneen would go on to play more than 300 league games with Coleraine and Portland and was a top inter-leagueplayer

Rover Vern Spencer was again Coleraine’s best and his work with Saddington was very effective while LaurieKaineandVickeryamongotherswhokeptthe Maroonsinthegame.

In the opening term Darryl Sims in the centre, rovers Peter Whitehead and Barry Smith had worked well with ruckman Max Deckert to put South four points upatquartertime.

At full forward Brian Norman’s fast leading and sure marking was giving Coleraine’s Barry Kaine a hard timewhileJeffArthurwasontopofRonJenkinsonat centrehalfforward.

South’s second quarter proved to be its best for the game and with winners in most key positions the Demonspiledon5.3totakeagoodleadathalftime.

Gordon Walker had been in great touch across half back and with Sims controlling aerial duels and having the better of Geoff Shrive, South looked impressivewhentheywentintothelongbreak.

HewasSouth’sbestruckmanandthefastestbigman on the field and used that to good effect when restinginattack.

On one occasion he grabbed the ball from a centre bounce, weaved around two opponents and then sprinted downfield with team-mates shepherding him as he bounced the ball twice before slamming it throughthemiddleforavitalgoal.

Spencertoppedoffagreateffortwithfourgoalsand wasColeraine’smostdamagingplayerwhileHarriott andVickeryhelpedthemselvestothreeeach. Had Vickery not hit the post in time-on Coleraine wouldhavewontheirwayintothegrandfinal.

South dominated the first half but survived a late charge and were almost over-run by a fast finishing Maroons. However,Southhungontowin13.14(92),Coleraine 13.10(88).

One name that would stand out for some years was teenage ruckman John Cunneen who was in his debutyear

He gave Vickery great support and his marking

Dale Hillyer was South’s best defender closely followedbyJohnBroadbent.

Sims took eight marks and had 23 kicks for the day while Barry Smith picked up 20 kicks and Peter Whitehead17.

South coach Garry Sims was the difference, particularly in the second half when the Demons were under enormous pressure, while rovers Peter Whitehead and Barry Smith were damaging around theground. What was interesting was that Coleraine’s ruckmen John Vickery and young John Cunneen had more than matched Hamilton’s star Geoff Cayzer the previous week in the second semi final and they appeared to have the artillery to match Hamilton’s bigmenhadtheymadethefinal.

Nowthequestionbeingaskedmostwaswhetherthe South ruckmen – David Walker, Steve Rothall and Max Deckert and ruck rover Russel Matthews would be able to dampen Cayzer’s influence in the grand finalthefollowingweek.

It would be the battle which would decide the premiership.

Inthemeantimethe“mightyweeDemon”songrang out loud and long after South’s amazing and thrilling preliminaryfinalvictory

A GRADE

North Gambier 54 (M. Renko, B. Walters) d East Gambier 31 (E. Cole, A. Beveridge)

Millicent 94 (T. Sanderson, L. Duldig) d Casterton Sandford 20 (M Cleary, M, Paon)

West Gambier 69 (T. Bryant, L. McGregor) d South Gambier 43 (G. Dalton, E. Bouchier)

A RESERVE

North Gambier 67 (A. Pitson, A. O’Shaughnessy) d East Gambier 30 (B. Hicks, L. Murray)

Millicent 65 (N. Facey) d Casterton Sandford 54 (P. Murrell, S. Fidler)

West Gambier 60 (G. Petersen, C. Ransom) d South Gambier 45 (J. O’Neil, C. Muller)

B GRADE

East Gambier 41 (S. James, N. Smith) d North Gambier 37 (B. Lush, K. Dyson)

Casterton Sandford 50 (T. Cleary, K. Harvey) d Millicent 34 (J. Lovino, M. Fleming)

South Gambier 51 (K. McIntyre-Clark, M. Glynn) d West Gambier 41 (E. Gillies, M. Dalton)

C GRADE

East Gambier 54 (B. Jean, G. Ferguson) d North Gambier 32 (H. Fox, T. Flemming)

Millicent 51 (L. Goodfellow, E. Bonde) d Casterton Sandford 14 (E. Mutch, M. Mutch)

South Gambier 56 (J. Jennings, B. Winterfield) d West Gambier 35 (A. Koch, E. Sutherland)

North Gambier 55 (L. Roulstone, S. Mobbs) d East Gambier 26 (I. Dwyer, A. Beveridge)

Millicent 50 (K. Lindner, L. Van Eeden) d Casterton Sandford 42 (C. Hulm, M. Paon)

West Gambier 56 (L. Simpson, M. Pearson) d South Gambier 31 (S. Wight, M. Walmsley)

15 & UNDER A

North Gambier 72 (M. Human, R. Mitchell) d East Gambier 8 (J. O’Dea, S. Clark)

17 & UNDER Millicent 79 (P. Paul, K. Dunn) d Casterton Sandford 7 (O. Nolte, A. Luers)

West Gambier 45 (L. Pearson, M. Pearson) d South Gambier 30 (G. Dalton, S. Grassi)

15 & UNDER B

Millicent 18 (T. Grosser, J. Hibberd) d Casterton Sandford 3 (C. Gorman, N. Cornish)

West Gambier 58 (A. Reid, L. Buck) d South Gambier 8 (L. Sneath, K. Awill)

13 & UNDER A

North Gambier 45 (G. Collins, J. Baron) d East Gambier 16 (I. Mee, M. Lile)

Millicent 42 (A. Thomson, L. Crowe) d Casterton Sandford 13 (M. Robbins, A. Murphy)

West Gambier 27 (E. McKenny, C. Hunter) d South Gambier 18 (T. Sims, E. Merchant)

13 & UNDER B

East Gambier 30 (I. Nelson, T. Olsen) d North Gambier 16 (P. Lucas, A. Schloithe)

Casterton Sandford 22 (Y. Grigg, R. Gorman) d Millicent 17 (P. Johnson, B. Madden)

West Gambier 19 (H. Jackson, M. Thomas) d South Gambier 13 (E. McCracken, L. Dening)

11 & UNDER

East Gambier 22 (A. Perry, S. Creek) d North Gambier 11 (F. Wakefield, S. Yeates)

Millicent 18 d Casterton Sandford 6

South Gambier 18 (L. Howard, W. Bowering) d West Gambier 12 (E. Parham, A. Stubbings)

Castertonsandfordvmillicent

helping bring the ball through the mid court.

stunnin

Westgambiervsouthgambier

Aer a ght opening quarter where South Gambier was able to match it with the reigning premiers, the Roos started to take control, forcing the young Demons into enough errors to work their way to a 26 goalvictory

The Cats hosted the Saints at the weekend and started with another new look – partly to try some new combinaons and partly tocoverinjuryandplayerunavailability It was a new look defensive combinaon with Meg Smith taking on the unenviable task of trying to limit the influence of Tabatha Sanderson, with Madalene Cleary out the front to take on playmaker Demi Verbena. Missing star shooter Sarah Rier, who rolled her ankle during the week at training, West called on Tahlia Earl and she didnotdisappointwithherstrengthonthe holdandaccuratefinishing.

It turned out to be a tough oung for the experience had working duo as Millicent put on a clinic in every area of the court ensuring they had a lion’s share of possession and were able to carve their way through the court to score a stunning 94goals.

Young Saints defenders Pora McRae and Lauren Van Eeden were able to make life tough for the new look shoong combinaon of coach Dani Russell and Chelsey Galpin, with Chloe Foster moving to the aacking wing and Madeline Paon takingthecentrebib.

The pressure applied by Lisa Duldig and Lillie Paul on the Cats feeders was relentless and helped McRae and Van Eeden create the turnover ball and then with ball in hand, Millicent moved the ball with speed and precision through Paul and DaisyTunkintofindtheirshootersinspace.

The Millicent shooters need those 95 goalsfrom114opportunies.

The Cats just had no answers to the polished Saints and in the first three quarters were only able to generate 22 scoring opportunies although the last quarter with Ivy Lane and Galpin in the shoong circle, they need a perfect 10 from 10 as a combinaon, doubling the outputfromthepreviousthreequarters. Paon was also a shining light with her hard running in centre and willingness to keep presenng as an opon for her under pressure team mates, while Cleary also baled hard to stem the flow, while also

HavingplayedmanyseasonsalongsideLisa McGregor, the makeshi combinaon didn’t miss a beat, despite some good pressure from Demons defenders Mykaela Thiele and Ellie Bouchier, with McGregor upping her output on the scoreboard as wellinabestoncourtperformance. The bale through the middle between Tara Bryant and Sophie Wight was one for the ages as both used their speed and athlecism to great effect and both were keyfeederfortheirrespecvesides.

In the end it was a game of supply with West generang 94 scoring opportunies to South’s 63, and while the shoong combinaon of Gracie Dalton and Alyssa Duncan connued to show promise, there is sll some work to do in terms of connecon with the mid court and ensuring they can generate more and easierscoringchances.

Of course when the likes of Zoe Malseed, Amy Cram and Jade Rier are applying the relentless pressure for which the Roos are known, it was always going to be a tough ask.

Eastgambiervnorthgambier

It started as an arm wrestle when East Gambier hosted North Gambier at the weekend and for the most part it was an even contest, with the excepon of a

Tigers won the quarter 15-4 to set up what turnedouttobea23goalvictory.

Leading by only two at the first break, the Tigers clearly regrouped at the quarter me huddle, to just sharpen up some of their errors with ball in hand and inaccuracyintheshoongcircle.

ThefirstquarterwasthefirstinAGradefor young Bulldogs goaler Ambah Beveridge andsheshowedgreatcomposuretonetsix from eight, making the most of the opportunity an ankle injury to Casey Horriganthepreviousweekhadprovided.

The connecon between Brianna Walters, Mel Renko and the North shoong combinaon of Grace Pos and Macey Griffith was on song in the second and the Tigers goalers rewarded their team, converng 15 from 16 to set up that impressive13goalhalfmebuffer.

Aerstrugglingtoscoreinthesecond,East added Sarah Allen to the mix in the shoong circle, to play alongside Beveridge, and while she did not miss an aempt, the issue for the Bulldogs was supply so while they stayed in touch with the Tigers in the second half, North was abletoslightlyextenditslead.

Beveridgefinishedthegameasshestarted – with confidence – neng nine from 11, as she showed she can make her mark in the top grade, while new recruit Eliza Cole was solid on the defensive wing, geng some important touches as well as providing good drive through the mid court.

Renko and Walters were best for the Tigers, while Pos was again a strong target and Griffith connues to up her outputasascoringopon.