■ Congratulations to Williamstown on winning the VFL grand final against an AFL-stacked Box Hill Hawks on Sunday. Three years ago, with the Bulldogs alignment coming to an end, the Seagulls set about building a stand-alone team that would not only be competitive with AFL reserves teams but would make finals. The club has also won the Development League flag, so the Seagulls seem set for long-term success.
■ Wayde Skipper capped off a fine year in the WRFL by winning the Barry Priest Medal last week. Skipper, 32, has had an interesting football career since being drafted by the Bulldogs in 2000. He played 45 games in 10 years at Whitten Oval and more than 50 games with Werribee before joining Hawthorn for a season (15 games) and then Port Melbourne, where he was part of the 2011 premiership side. Hoppers coach Steve Kretiuk, a former teammate, was instrumental in getting Skipper to Hogans Road where he has starred for the past two seasons. The Alan Smith Medal for best second division player went to Wyndhamvale’s Devan Ellis, and the third division Ron and Thelma Angwin Medal was won by Parkside’s Ben Ashman. Altona’s Brett Miller won the award for best division one reserves player for the fourth year in a row. Local footy will look a bit different next year with the introduction of the points system and the changing of the ages from under-16 and under-18 to under-17 and under-19.
■ Sad to see Port Melbourne Colts moving from the WRFL to the Southern Football League in 2016, although it makes sense. Colts have struggled to build a junior program of any substance over the past few years, and why would parents want to drive their child from Port Melbourne to, say, Manor Lakes when all SFL games are probably within a 10-kilometre radius? Without juniors, clubs have to recruit from outside and in a players’ market that means big dollars. Colts have recently provided the league with some of its best players: Brett Jacobs, Jason Clarke, Brad Julier, Blake Twomey, Stacey Massis … the list goes on.
■ Hoppers Crossing Football Club is trying a new fundraiser – a Hot Rod and Classic Car Show this Sunday at Werribee Racecourse from 8am-4pm. Funds raised on the day will go to the football club and the E.J. Whitten Foundation. Entry is by gold coin donation and if you want to show your car or bike, you can for a nominal fee. Contact John Culhane 0488 9891 705 or johnculhane29@gmail.com.
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