Hello everyone and welcome to round 5 in the NGFNL.
Can you believe a quarter of the home and away games have now been completed as the 2021 season continues to roll on with relentless momentum and unpredictable results!!!
Last weekend was another full day for the President which started at the home of the Magpies who were hosting the Yallourn Yallourn North for the first time. It was great to hear about the welcoming conversations which had occurred between both clubs prior to this game to ensure all matters were addressed prior to the day. Sometimes it is the simple things that provide the greatest benefit as President Whitty ensured the Yallourn club were briefed of change rooms facilities, warm up area’s, parking and catering supplies increased to ensure all would be fed and watered. In addition, the usual invitation was extended to the executive and key personal of Yallourn to attend the half time afternoon tea function and meet their counterparts. Well done to all at Magpie land.
Around midday I headed to the home of the mighty Saints who were hosting the Cougars and as usual I was warmly welcomed by all. There was plenty of banter and the sun was shining. I had my umpiring kit bag in hand to don the green uniform in the 2.15 game. I must admit I was thinking a sunny day with excellent ground conditions would produce a fast paced and highly skillful game. I would need to draw on some experience and work smart with my fellow umpire Robbo to keep up with that anticipated pace. At the end of the day the Cougars pulled away in the second half for a comfortable win despite the grit and determination I have come to expect of the Cowwarr boys.
In other games the exciting nature of this league continued with our second draw of the season between TTU and Yarram being delivered. This must have been a cracker of a match and when the final siren sounded, I suspect some unusual emotions emanate from neither winning nor losing. My guess is that in any tight tussle there is always missed opportunity but no amount of time after the final siren will change the end result. Notwithstanding this, 2 points in the bank may prove to be a blessing or a curse and redemption will just have to wait.
In another exciting game the Doggies had a victory over the Cats by the smallest of margins and no doubt everyone in attendance were equally on the edge of their seats. You are never doing much wrong to lose a game of football by a small margin but there is no doubt being on the right side of the ledger when the final siren sounds will make you feel a whole heap better. The Cats have not done a lot wrong this season so they will no doubt reload and look forward to today’s game. The Yallourn boys played a solid game and proved too strong against the Pies. At home the Tigers were hopeful of better showing however the Roo’s finished the day with a score board result to impress.
Finally, on Saturday night I had the pleasure of attending the 130 year celebration at the Churchill Football Netball Club which included the release of the book titled Roo’s Woods and Cougars on the history of the club written by author Gavin Wigginton and the unveiling of a club portrait which included 60 personalities from the past 60 years and painted by local artist and past player himself David Shields.
These projects were both significant in nature and undertaken by the Past Players Committee where hundreds of hours were invested to see these projects become reality. The end result has in my eyes been the creation of two historic items that will forever be treasured by the club.
It should also be noted that the significant contribution of women within this club has equally been captured and recognized which endorses the values and culture of the CFNC.
In regard to the painting, it will be located in the social bar area of the club rooms and I encourage every visiting NGFNL member to take a moment and admired this amazing piece of creativity and maybe some of your will identify a few faces. Well done to the past players and current committee’s of the Churchill Football Netball Club.
On a less pleasurable note, the news of Scott Andersons health issues has become more publicly known to us all within the NGFNL. Scott and his family have had an endearing and significant history within the Heyfield FNC and the NGFNL. Regretfully Scott has endured some bleeding on the brain after a game a few weeks ago and has undergone multiple surgeries in attempt to address and fix this significant and complicated health issue.
I don’t know of anyone within the NGFNL who would not speak highly of Scott and his family and can only imagine how difficult it has been for the Anderson Clan and anyone who knows Scott. What I can assure the Anderson family is that our collective thoughts are with them all and that we trust Scott is in good hands and on the recovery path.
The Heyfield FNC have typically rallied their support and are starting some fund raising projects to assist the family with associated medical costs and recovery strategies. Should anyone with the NGFNL Brand have any ideas of how they could assist then I suspect the Heyfield FNC would welcome any level of support. I know the HFNC are about to put together a major raffle and any ticket purchases or donations would be greatly appreciated and hopefully our Brand and member clubs will again show the broader sporting community why we are different and that we can equally rally when required. # be north gippy
So if you get asked to buy a ticket then I trust you will dig deep if you can as I know every cent of profit will end up making a huge difference.
In this week’s matches we have another batch of tantalizing games for us all to enjoy. Churchill host TTU and they will desperate to hold their recent form over the TTU Bombers. On the other hand, the boys from Tyers need to find a way to bank 4 points before they start losing touch of the top 5 teams. Yallourn will host the Saints but based on current form look to be too strong at home.
Heyfield vs Rosedale is a ripping match up. The Roo’s are on top of the ladder and will be full of confidence, but the Blues will mark this game as a must win game if they are to be taken seriously.
Down at the Cattery they will be looking to bounce back at the expense of the Tigers but the men from Gormandale are improving every week and I think this game will closer than some punters are forecasting. If at three quarter time things are tight on the scoreboard then anything is possible!!
Finally, down in Demon land, Yarram will host the Sale City Doggies who in recent weeks have found a way to hang tough against quality opposition. The Dogs will need to be at their best, but they have the talent and potential to cause an upset. On the other hand, the Dee’s are incredibly hard to beat at home and I am sure Coach Staley would not like to sustain two home town losses in the first 5 games of the season. That being said, a win to the Doggies would set tongues and tails wagging should they get over the line in this one. For what it is worth my 0.50c is on the Dees
Well, that’s enough from me for one week.
Keep well and keep safe. Play hard but play fair.
David “dirty” Kyle
President NGFNL
