Browsing: sport

SOCCER JAMIE Skelly is the new senior coach of Langwarrin. The local NPL2 club made the announcement late last week on its facebook page. Skelly replaces Scott Miller who resigned last month. Skelly is a former Langwarrin junior, reserves coach and senior assistant to both Miller and his predecessor Gus Macleod and has held senior coaching positions with Peninsula Strikers, Casey Comets and Noble Park United. His appointment came as no surprise after David Chick accepted the Bentleigh Greens role and Langy decided to honour the succession plan put in place five years earlier when Skelly became Miller’s assistant. “We…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE FRANKSTON YCW will play Dromana in the MPFNL Division One Grand Final this Sunday. To book their Grand Final spot, Frankston YCW had to withstand a challenge from Mt Eliza at Rosebud’s Olympic Park. Mt Eliza booted five goals in the opening term to get out to a 13-point lead at the first break. By half-time Frankston YCW managed to get ahead by two points. Heading into the final quarter, the Stonecats led by just four points. They held their nerve, and went on to score a hard-fought ten point win 16.9 (105) to 14.11 (95). Joshua…

SOCCER BAXTER has reached a fork in the road and its future direction could decide whether head coach Stephen Fisher remains at the State 4 club. Preliminary talks between club and coach took place last week and got off to a positive start. “If we had won promotion under the current set-up it would have been like going into a gunfight with a knife,” Fisher said. “There wouldn’t have been a happy outcome and we would have been fighting relegation throughout the State 3 season.” That’s a reference to the absence of a playing budget. Simply stated Baxter has to…

AFLW ESSENDON spoiled Hawthorn’s return to Frankston last weekend. Kinetic Stadium hosted the two sides under lights on Saturday. A huge crowd turned out to see a tightly contested game. The Hawks went into the half-time break ahead by a point. The Bombers pulled ahead in the third term, and managed to hold on to win by 19 points 4.6 (30) to 7.7 (49). Bonnie Toogood was the most influential player on the day. The Bombers star booted two goals and recorded 23 disposals. The Hawks return to Frankston on 22 September to play Melbourne. First published in the Mornington…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE DROMANA will cap off a brilliant 2023 season with a grand final appearance. The Tigers have had a brilliant year, losing just once during the home-and-away season. They finished top of the ladder, earning passage directly into the second week of finals. Dromana played Frankston YCW at Rosebud on Saturday, with the winner progressing to the big dance. The Tigers were impressive all day. They defeated Frankston YCW 17.14 (116) to 12.7 (79). Jordan Andrews, Jayden Tooth, Terry Wheeler, Ethan Johnstone, and Billy Quigley were Dromana’s best. Frankston YCW will play Mt Eliza in the preliminary final…

SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines remain hopeful of escaping relegation from State 2 South-East despite finishing second bottom after last weekend’s final league round. Goals from Tom Hawkins and Joe O’Connor weren’t enough to overcome second-placed Brandon Park and Pines had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Freeway Reserve on Saturday. The 2023 rules of competition make grim reading for Pines but all promotion and relegation is at the discretion of Football Victoria and a number of scenarios are yet to be played out. “No-one really knows what lies ahead,” Pines head coach Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor said. Rumours abound of a…

THE MPFNL will not be expanded in 2024. Earlier this year, the MPFNL sought expressions of interest from clubs who wished to join the league in 2024. The expansion proposal was rejected by the incumbent MPFNL clubs last week. Cranbourne, Frankston Dolphins, Narre Warren, Pakenham, South Mornington, and Carrum Patterson Lakes are understood to be the teams which had their bids for MPFNL acceptance rejected. Frankston Dolphins released a statement on its Facebook page last week after the decision was made. “The Committee was informed last night that Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League club presidents had voted for no further…

SOCCER SCOTT Miller won’t coach Langwarrin next season. The Lawton Park club made the announcement last week after scheduled talks between Miller, president Tanya Wallace and main sponsor Greg Kilner due to be held at the end of the season were brought forward. Miller’s last match as head coach was Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Brunswick Juventus a result that confirmed the visitors’ relegation. Goals from Brad Blumenthal and Tom Youngs sealed Juve’s fate but its cause wasn’t helped by the straight red brandished at Mathew Whatley in the opening seconds of the second half. Miller’s first match at the…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE PINES had no problems on Saturday against cellar-dwellers Bonbeach. The Pythons led at every break and kept Bonbeach to just two majors until the fourth quarter. The margin was greatest at three-quarter time when Pines were 84 points up before Bonbeach came back a little with four goals in the final quarter. The final score was 18.11 (119) to Pines’ 6.11 (47). The Pythons ending the regular season third on the ladder. Sorrento had a tough task at home against ladder leaders Dromana. The Tigers only lost one game for the season and would not be coming…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE SORRENTO picked up a good win last weekend to finish Round 17 in fifth place, but they may need to beat the premiership favourites to secure their finals spot. The Sharks travelled to play last-place Bonbeach on Saturday. Both sides were all square after the first term, but Sorrento soon showed their quality. Sorrento established a ten point lead in the second term, then put the game to bed with a five-goals-to-one third quarter. Sorrento won the battle of the Sharks 8.7 (55) to 14.14 (98). Unfortunately for Bonbeach, the loss means they cannot move off the…

SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines’ season goes on the line on Saturday night when it meets Berwick City at Monterey Reserve. It’s a do-or-die clash for both sides given the relegation scrap in which they find themselves. There’s just three games left with Pines precariously perched in second last place on the league ladder (at present the bottom two go down) a point behind Berwick and two points behind Skye United. Skye hosts Berwick the following week. Describing Pines’ season as topsy-turvy is an understatement. Losing last season’s strike force due to players switching clubs and work commitments posed a problem that’s…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE LANGWARRIN scored the upset of the season against undefeated Dromana at Lloyd Park last Saturday. Dromana has been dominant this season. The premiership favourites came into the match 15-0 for the year. Langwarrin on the other hand have struggled, and sit in ninth place with just two wins to their name. The Kangaroos were up for the fight all day long. Dromana led at the half-time and three-quarter-time breaks, but never by more than five points. Langwarrin were relentless in the final term. They managed to sneak ahead, and were rewarded for their hard work with a…