HORSE RACING CLIFF Brown is looking forward to heading into the $15million The Everest (1200m) as the “unknown” factor. The now Mornington-based trainer secured one of the 12 highly sort after slots in Australia’s richest race with his up-and-coming sprinter The Inferno last Saturday morning. After finishing second in the Group One Moir Stakes (1000m) on the Friday night, Brown’s headline horse was picked up by slot-holder James Harron Bloodstock to compete in the rich sprint. “He’s probably the x-factor horse and the least exposed heading into the race,” Cliff Brown said. The former Singapore star came to Australia with…
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HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols is adamant there’s another good race in his star galloper Streets Of Avalon. The ever-consistent gelding finished just off the placegetters in the Group Two Feehan Stakes last start when out to the mile but returns to his favourite track and trip this Saturday at Caulfield. The seven-year-old, who has claimed both of his Group One wins over 1400m at the track, will line up in the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) for the third time. Nichols said the gelding is going super and just needs to draw a good barrier to be in…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers told Football Victoria last week that they would not compete in the elite junior boys’ NPL competition next year. This leaves the local area with just two junior NPL licence holders, Langwarrin and Mornington. Strikers have contemplated this move for some time as senior vice-president and NPL coordinator Steve Schreck explained. “Probably when our under-16 team left and we had to withdraw from that age group,” he said. “We had the minimum squad number but six players decided they wanted to play elsewhere and that left us with 10 players and you can’t run a team with…
AFL THE 2021 MPNFL and SEWF seasons have been called off. After weeks of inactivity on the field because of COVID-19 restrictions, AFL South East finally made the decision to pull the pin on the season last week. A statement from AFL South East read “following on from [the] announcement to extend the lockdown for Greater Melbourne, it is with much sadness that AFLSE has determined that the remaining games fixtured for season 2021, including all finals, for all AFLSE administered leagues will be cancelled.” “This is an extremely difficult decision and we had continued to hold hope that we…
HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainer Cliff Brown is back training winners in Australia. The 15-time Group 1 winning trainer in Singapore returned to Victoria in May and broke through for his first winner back with Veterok at Pakenham on Friday 27 August. Just a week later and Brown has claimed the Group 2 McEwen Stakes with his Group 1 winning Singapore sprinter, The Inferno (formerly known as Inferno). After racing keenly and trapped wide first-up at Caulfield to finish midfield, The Inferno quickly shot back into form in the 1000m sprint at The Valley to win by a comfortable one-length margin…
SOCCER THE strong bond among Seaford United players has underpinned the club’s promotion push this year. That’s the view of club captain Jeremy Schwellinger. “We’ve got good tactics, we’ve got a good coach but I think what really helps us is the camaraderie amongst the playing group,” he said. “Everyone is friends with everyone so we’re going to play for each other. “There’s no bad blood in this team.” Seaford is very much a Schwellinger family affair with dad Peter head coach and younger brother Mathias joining Jeremy in the senior squad. Although the season is in limbo Seaford United’s…
SOCCER HE’S played football in more countries than perhaps any other player on the peninsula and he has a close connection with the Smashing Pumpkins. His career has seen him parade his skills on pitches in England, Scotland, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia and he’s spent much of 2021 showing what he’s capable off with a team that calls Lawton Park home. Life for Sammy Orritt started in Doncaster in Yorkshire 28 years ago. Life for Orritt the footballer started in California at the age of three and the Smashing Pumpkins introduced him to the game and provided…
HORSE RACING DAVID and Coral Feek continued their successful run of late with their handy mare Belsielle claiming another city win on Saturday 21 August. The Feek partnership utilised a freshen up for the speedy ‘pocket rocket’ to find her best at The Valley and bring up the stables third winner from their last six runners. Coming off a four-week break, Belsielle sat at the hind-quarters of the leader and race-favourite Malicorne before taking over on the bend. She dug deep in the last 100m to hold off the swoopers Love Sensation and Don’ttelltheboss to win by half-of-a-length. Mornington-based co-trainer…
OLYMPIC sailors Sam and Will Phillips, and Tess Lloyd and Jaime Ryan, have returned to Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club after competing in the 49er and 49erFX class races at the Tokyo Olympics. Their races were held on Sagami Bay, about 90 minutes’ drive south west of Tokyo, at Enoshima. “On the water on a clear day you can see Mt Fuji in the distance,” Sam said. “It’s often a welcome reprieve to get out there after the heat of the concrete boat park, although it’s still hot wearing only our Lycra sailing gear.” Sam said the races were typical…
SOCCER MORNINGTON and Frankston Pines are on the verge of securing promotion. In the worst case scenario that Football Victoria calls off the remainder of the 2021 season due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions then both local clubs will be playing in a higher league next season. Last week FV announced an NPL competitions restructure for 2022 increasing NPL2 from 12 to 14 teams which will see Langwarrin contesting a 26-game season. A strong rumour is that A-League clubs will be placed in NPL2 along with promoted clubs from NPL3. It’s unclear what impact this will have throughout lower leagues especially…
HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols could have another promising mare to target the Group Two Stocks Stakes with this Spring. The progressive four-year-old So You Assume handled another rise in grade at Caulfield on Saturday 14 August to land an all-the-way victory in a benchmark 84 contest. The daughter of So You Think has come a long way in a short space of time having begun her preparation in a three-year-old benchmark 64 at the end of May. Now with three city wins from her last four starts, Mornington-based trainer Shane Nichols is contemplating raising the bar to Group class. “We’ve…
BELEURA Junior Football Club is celebrating its first AFLW signing. Under-18 Ash Richards was snapped up by St Kilda with pick 12 in the recent AFLW draft. The Saints had noted her versatility in the midfield and up forward, as well as her athleticism and ability to find the goals. Growing up as an avid Geelong supporter, Richards began at Beleura as a 13-year-old. Her football skills developed further each season, resulting in her being selected in inter-league, V/Line Cup, Dandenong Stingrays and Vic Country squads. This season she co-captained Dandenong Stingrays and, at the end of the girls’ NAB…
SOCCER ETHAN Sanderson has come a long way in the last six years. The distance between Morpeth in England’s northeast and Mount Martha is almost 16,895 kilometres. In 2015 he made that journey as the Sanderson family settled in the Mornington Peninsula and it didn’t take long for the youngster to start playing the sport he’d grown up with. “Before we came here I played for my local club back home mainly as a defensive midfielder,” Sanderson said. “Initially I trained with Mornington then we met someone here on the Mount Martha committee who knew friends of ours back home…
MPNFL – DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL is back after another COVID-19 shutdown. The senior MPNFL season restarted without crowds on Saturday afternoon. Division One leaders Frankston YCW struggled in their return to the field, falling to defeat against Rosebud. Rosebud took the game to the Stonecats right from the first bounce at Olympic Oval. They led by five goals at half time. After an even third term, Rosebud sealed the win with an impressive final quarter. They ended up defeating the ladder leaders by 39 points 17.13 (115) to 11.10 (76). The loss saw Frankston YCW drop down to second. Keegan…
MPNFL – DIVISION TWO LANGWARRIN look unstoppable heading into the end of the 2021 season. The Kangaroos took on Mornington in a clash between first and second on Saturday. What could have been an even matchup between two premiership contenders turned into thrashing, as Langwarrin ran away with an 85 point win. Langwarrin led by four points at quarter time, but really put their foot down in the second quarter. A nine goals to one second term saw Langwarrin move out to an unassailable 54 point lead at the main break. Langwarrin continued to score freely in the second half.…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines has been involved in a major squad overhaul as it zeroes in on its first championship success in seven years. Simon Webster and twin brother Scott are believed to have accepted offers from State 3 rival Rowville Eagles while first-choice keeper Aeseli Batikasa expects to be sidelined for the remainder of the season. The knee injury the big Fijian keeper suffered against Brighton has not responded to treatment and he will have an MRI this week. But the news is not all bad for the State 3 leader as head coach Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor has brought in…
SOCCER ALEX Whyte is confident that Peninsula Strikers can finish the season in style. The 22-year-old is back at the club where his career kicked off and can’t wait for a season reboot. “I think we’ve been unlucky in the majority of our games this year,” Whyte said. “We’re just missing that one element that could turn our losses and draws into wins but I’m confident it’ll be coming soon. “We’ve got a lot of quality players and if we ever get back out there we can really finish the season strongly.” The fuse that could ignite the side and…
HORSE RACING STREETS of Avalon is right on track for his Spring targets after running a gallant second in the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The tough six-year-old gelding sat outside the leader in the day’s feature sprint and was one of the first horses to come off the bridle turning for home. Showing plenty of determination, Streets of Avalon didn’t give in under the pressure and fought off several challenges in the straight. But, a late dive from the Phillip Stokes-trained Sansom proved costly as the four-year-old gelding got his head down right on the…
SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria is holding its nerve and continues to look positively towards the completion of the 2021 season. FV CEO Kimon Taliadoros this week expressed confidence in the stewardship of the state government and Sport and Recreation Victoria despite the sport facing its second shutdown this season. “I’m comfortable that we’re in good hands,” Taliadoros said. “I feel that the state government and in particular sport and rec are now so well drilled that we can get the most out of this season that we possibly can. “After working so closely with government and the local councils last year…
HORSE RACING DAVID Brideoake will be looking to land back-to-back Group Three successes with his newly acquired sprinter Red Can Man on Saturday. The former Western Australian sprinter has had two runs under the Mornington-based trainers care, with his most recent resulting in a gusty long-neck victory in the Group Three Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield. He’ll be looking to continue his successful run at the track on Saturday when he lines up in the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m). Looking to take substantial improvement from his first-up run when finishing beyond midfield at Flemington, Brideoake believes the…
MPNFL – DIVISION ONE LAST place Edithvale-Aspendale almost pulled off a shock upset against ladder leader Frankston YCW on Saturday. Edi-Asp raced out of the blocks and took control in the first half. At half-time they were up by 16 points, and looked poised to claim a shocking win. A four goals to zero third term put Frankston YCW back in front. After a tense last quarter, YCW claimed a narrow win 9.14 (68) to 9.5 (59). The Stonecats survived the scare thanks to three goals from Roan Steele. Michael Bussey was Edithvale-Aspendale’s best with four goals. At David Macfarlane…
MPNFL – DIVISION TWO Picture: Alan DillonPicture: Alan DillonPictures: Alan Dillon MORNINGTON have kept touch with the top of the ladder by beating Karingal at Ballam Park Reserve. The Bulldogs struggled early, and couldn’t kick a goal in the first quarter. They came alive after the first break and took a lead into half time. Going into the last quarter the Bulldogs led by four points. Both sides traded goals in an entertaining final quarter, but the Bulldogs held on to win. The final scoreboard read Karingal 9.8 (62) to Mornington 10.10 (70). Jackson Calder added another three goals to…
SEWF PREMIERS A 100 POINT win has cemented Seaford’s place on top of the SEWF ladder. The Tigerettes were dominant from the outset against Mornington. They managed to hold their opponents goalless for the game while scoring 16 of their own. The final score read Mornington 0.2 (2) to Seaford 16.11 (107). Tahlia Fellows was dominant in front of goal, kicking six. Courtney Clarkson kicked four, taking her tally for the season to 16. A goalless opening half cost Tyabb any chance of winning against Coburg Lions. The Yabbies were able to close the lead to one goal at three-quarter-time,…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines midfielder Jordan “Caka” Avraham has been outed for seven matches as the result of a social media exchange involving a rival club supporter. The exchange took place on facebook after Pines lost 2-1 to Hampton East Brighton in their round 7 clash at Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve in May. FV emailed the club asking for a “please explain” from the player and both Pines and Avraham responded with an explanation of the circumstances of the exchange. Pines claimed that Avraham and other Pines’ players were abused during the match but on 29 June FV emailed the club…
HORSE RACING AFTER four seasons in the Victorian training ranks, the Mornington-based partnership of David and Coral Feek have broken through to win their first Saturday metropolitan race in Melbourne. Taking the leap from Moe to Caulfield, their three-year-old filly Belsielle dug deep to reel in the race-favourite Sugartown and win by a long-neck margin over the Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Zesty Belle. The Feek partnership have had remarkable success in recent times of travelling horses to Sydney and winning at their Saturday metropolitan meetings (three wins from three runners) but were thrilled to finally land one “on home…
By Barry Irving THE highlight of a lunch at the Rye Football Netball Clubrooms last week was the presentation of Mornington Peninsula Netball Football League life membership to Michael O’Rourke. Regional manager AFL South East Will Dakis presented the award before 95 sponsors and guests at the event, Saturday 3 July. Mr O’Rourke has had a 57-year association with the MPNFL and the Rye Football and Netball Club. He started as a player in the Rye under-17s in 1964 and has been a constant at the club ever since. This includes 16 years as vice-president (1980-1995) and the past 20…
DIVISION ONE FRANKSTON Bombers scored their best win for the season on Saturday by defeating top of the ladder Frankston YCW. The Stonecats have been the standout side in Division One this season, but were put on the back foot early. The Bombers rushed out to an early lead and held the Stonecats goalless in the first term. Frankston YCW hit the scoreboard in the second term, but the Bombers hit back. They didn’t let the Stonecats get too close to them all afternoon, and ended up winning 14.10 (94) to 8.11 (59). Alex Harnett, Harrison Prior, and Sam Drake…
MPNFL – DIVISION TWO TYABB are finally on the board in season 2021. The Yabbies took on Pearcedale at Pearcedale Recreation Reserve. They went into the game 0-10 for the year. Both sides looked evenly matched in the first half. Pearcedale went into half time up by a point. Tyabb were excellent in the second half. They managed to hold Pearcedale goalless, and scored six of their own to wrap up a well deserved win. Tyabb ended up victorious by 32 points 4.10 (34) to 10.6 (66). Luke Stanton kicked three goals for the Yabbies. Lachlan Cox also impressed. After…
SEWF PREMIERS MORNINGTON won their second match for the season on Saturday in a hard fought encounter against Mt Eliza. Both sides have struggled this season. The game was a good opportunity for each team to grab a win. The Bulldogs got on the front foot early with a two goals to zero opening term. Although they didn’t add another goal to the scoreboard for the rest of the day, they defended well and held on to win. The final score read 1.3 (9) to 2.5 (17). Skye Nisbet scored both of Mornington’s goals. Tyabb took on St Kilda Sharks…
SOCCER MORNINGTON stayed in the hunt for a berth in next season’s prestigious NPL competition after Saturday’s 2-0 away win over Casey Comets. The Seagulls proved too strong with a goal in each half. A Milos Lujic header in the 34th minute put the visitors ahead and the second goal came from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after Kane Bentley was fouled. Josh Hine had no problem converting. Many pundits believe that Mornington hasn’t played to its potential this year despite continuing its title tilt. After the match head coach Adam Jamieson acknowledged that the ladder leader had…
