Hello everyone and welcome to round 7.
It is hard to believe that a third of the season is now behind us and it will not be long before the talk in town will be all about finals. However, we cannot get too far in front of ourselves as we must endure what winter has to throw at us first and, in that regard, hopefully, the weather gods will be somewhat kind to us all.
My travels last week were very limited in comparison to a few weeks prior as I unexpectedly found myself headed to the Glengarry Rec reserve to umpire a Senior game of football. I am sure this may have raised a few eyebrows from a few punters in the crowd, but the job got done and I was lucky to be part of a great game of football played in good spirit which the Roo’s ran out eventual winners.
Over on the Glengarry Netball courts, the ladies were not only playing competitive games and keeping the crowd entertained but the lady Magpies were fundraising for Breast Cancer. Congrats to everyone who pitched in to help and nor should we forget to acknowledge those various sponsors who supported the day which culminated in approx $2500 being raised to this worthy cause.
As I left the venue later in the day, I thought to myself what a great job our clubs do when it comes to supporting these types of initiatives. There is not one club in our league that does rise to the occasion when asked and nor is there any club that does not dig deep when required regardless of how tough things might be in the day to day landscape. I can think of many things I love about the NGFNL but examples like this simple fund-raising effort make me proud of those involved and the NGFNL. Everyone at every club should take a moment to pat yourselves on the back for the work they do in these instances. Well done everyone.
During the week I received a phone from a great mate in our Football/Netball community to ask me how I was going and check in on me. He was apologetic he had not contacted me sooner or more regularly and I was just humbled he had made the effort.
Of course, this was totally unexpected but reminded me how simple things can have such a dramatic impact. Mental Health is such a tricky subject but none of us should underestimate the significance of a simple and genuine phone call. I encourage you all to find 10 minutes and ring someone this week who you have not spoken to in a while and check in on them. If nothing else, say hello and ask how they are doing. Don’t think about it or make excuses just do it and know that you have had an impact for the better to someone else within your circle of friends.
The relationship between the SUA and NGFNL has been long, enduring, and fruitful over many years and as I have spoken about many times, we are one of only a handful of leagues in Victoria who have all positions filled on game day by third party officials. But the SUA needs help in recruiting a few resources and I am convinced there are few football loving individuals who perhaps see umpiring as a viable activity in supporting community sport. So, if you are one of those individuals who has ever thought about having a crack at umpiring (Goal, Field or boundary) then I encourage you to get in touch with the SUA and have a go to see if this is something that may fill a void in your Saturday.
In my opinion, past players make great candidates as umpires as they have played the game and appreciate what is required when having a whistle in hand. Again, you may not have thought about umpiring but why don’t you go and then you can tick that box and see what it is like on the others side of the fence. Joining the SUA does not mean anything other than helping them fill positions in the most important aspect of our game. SUA contacts details are in the tagger or give me a call and I point you in the right direction or give you a helping hand.
Whilst on the subject of Umpires the same can probably be said for Netball Umpires. If you have any interest or desire then I implore you to get in touch with your club’s Netball coordinator. There is mentoring available from very experienced League mentors and there are various courses your club and league can offer you to make you better and elevate you through the learnings and grades of Netball Umpiring. Again, if you are interested then put your hand up and have a crack.
In Senior football last week we saw some close games played. As mentioned I was at Glengarry vs Heyfield where the Pies led for the majority of the day but the Roo’s found some inspiration and momentum late on the game to come away victorious and record their first win for the season. The Demons at home had too many options up forward which the Blues could not contain and proved again they are hard to beat on home turf. Churchill set tongues wagging with a solid win over the much talked about YYNFNC Jets and perhaps shows our league is very competitive at the top end. The Saints put up a solid effort, but the Woodside Cats had too much firepower all over the ground. The Tigers were close to recording a second win but could not overcome a gritty Bulldog outfit who snuck over the line for a 5 point victory.
In this week’s round we have some very interesting matches scheduled which I hope will attract good crowds at our respective venues. Sale City host Cowwarr and I get the feeling the Saints are not far away from a win in 2022. However, the Bulldogs always play well on home soil and will be difficult to beat and I have a 50 cent bet either way subject to injuries and COVID related issues.
The Cats host the Cougars, and this should be a cracking game based on current form. Both clubs will be looking to flex their muscles and send a message to everyone on the NGFNL, Hard to pick a winner but I suspect the Cats hold a small home ground advantage in this game.
The Jets will host the TTU bombers who will be fresh from a week’s brake and buoyed with confidence from a good win in round 5 over the Cougars in a night game. However, the Jets will be disappointed with a loss last week and be looking for some redemption at the expense of TTU. The Jets have talent all over the park and the Bombers will need to be at their very best if they are to leave Jets country with another 4 points in the bank.
The Roo’s host the Tigers and again this might be a much closer game than many may think. The Roo’s recorded win number one last week and I was impressed by the young talent this club is again fostering and developing. However, the Tigers were solid last week and will see this game as a genuine opportunity to taste success again. That being said, the Roo’s will not want this game to slip from their grasp and at home I think have some advantages and can continue the positive momentum they have created over the last few weeks.
In the final game, the Blues host the Pies and I think this will be another great game of footy. The Blues have plenty of talent but appear to be playing patchy football and will be a significantly better outfit when they can consistently put 4 quarters together. The Pies, on the other hand, know that when they take the game on and play an aggressive play on at all costs style of football they are a much better team than their performances to date reflect. The trouble is I just don’t know which Magpie team is going to turn up. The Blues may have pencilled in 4 points, but they should not take this game for granted or the Pies will depart with the points and record their second win for the season.
Well, that’s enough from me, let the sirens sound and good luck to everyone today.
Play hard but play fair.
Speak soon David “dirty” Kyle President
