Author: Brodie Cowburn

MPNFL DIVISION ONE MPNFL top division football returned with a bang last weekend, with fans treated to an entertaining round. It was the battle of the Sharks on Saturday when Sorrento hosted Bonbeach. Both teams came into the game inside the top six. Bonbeach looked the better side throughout the game. They led at each break of play, with the lead standing at 27 at three-quarter-time. Bonbeach had to withstand a fierce final quarter fight from Sorrento. The home side booted four goals in the last quarter and kept Bonbeach scoreless, but it wasn’t quite enough to get over the…

MPNFL DIVISION TWO LANGWARRIN has survived its biggest scare of the season. The Kangaroos hosted Somerville at Lloyd Park on Saturday. Langwarrin came into the game with a 12-0 record for the season. After a scrappy and low scoring first half, the margin stood at just two points at half time. The Kangaroos had their noses narrowly ahead. Langy were wasteful in the third term, booting 1.7. Somerville capitalised on their scoreboard woes and kicked four goals. A major upset looked on the cards, with Somerville up by nine at three-quarter-time. Despite some more wayward goalkicking, Langwarrin managed to wrestle…

THE reduced speed limit on the Nepean Highway in Frankston has drawn fury from motorists. Multiple residents have contacted The News after receiving fines for speeding through the intersection of Nepean Highway and Davey Street in Frankston. They complained that the new 40kmph speed limit is poorly signed. The speed limit on the Nepean Highway between Fletcher Road and Plowman Place was reduced to 40kmph in October 2021. Some of the new speed limit signs were replaced just one month later to make them more visible. A speed camera on Davey Street has been enforcing the new limit since April…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE NOTHING could separate finals contenders Pines and Dromana last weekend. Pines hosted the Tigers at Eric Bell Reserve. The away side were the better team in the first half, going into the main break with a ten point lead. Pines managed to chip the lead back to four points heading into the final quarter. The game was poised to go down to the wire. Both sides ended up locked at 70 each with five minutes to play. Pines thought they went ahead when Dromana defender Josh Holloway appeared to fumble the ball over the goalline before completing…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE FRANKSTON YCW continued their domination in MPNFL Division One with a convincing win over Dromana. The Tigers didn’t fire all day, and after trailing by 17 points at the first break, continued to fall behind. The Stonecats ended up 51-point winners. Joshua Patullo kicked four goals for Frankston YCW, while Jordon Andrews kicked two of the three majors for the day for Dromana. Bonbeach and Mt Eliza battle out a nail-biter, with Bonbeach getting over the line by a point. Mt Eliza’s kicking in front of goal cost them the game with 11 minors in their 41…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE FRANKSTON YCW secured a thumping win over Pines last weekend. The ladder leading Stonecats have only been defeated once all year. They were at their best on Saturday, and put Pines to the sword. Pines struggled to hit the scoreboard all afternoon. The Stonecats took advantage of the Pythons’s goalkicking woes, putting 18 goals on the board for the day. Josh Patullo was excellent for YCW. He kicked five goals. Brenton Lambert kicked three. Frankston YCW ended up winning by 74 points – 18.9 (117) to 5.12 (42). Brenton Credlin, Lachlan Wallace, and Bailey Angwin were also…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE SORRENTO took on Rosebud in a Queen’s Birthday weekend clash on Saturday. The Sharks hosted the matchup at David Macfarlane Reserve, Rosebud were looking for their first win of the season. Unfortunately for Rosebud, it was another tough day for them. A six goals to one first term proved too much to overcome. After a stronger second quarter showing, Rosebud were outplayed in the second half. The Sharks ended up winning comfortably 14.9 (93) to 5.9 (39). Curtis Bywater and Shannon Gladman were both among Sorrento’s best, They kicked nine goals between them. Charlie Stokes also impressed.…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE MT ELIZA suffered their third defeat for the season at the hands of Pines last Saturday. The second-placed Redlegs hosted Pines at Emil Madsen Reserve. After a tight first half just two points separated the sides at the main break. Pines extended their two point lead in the third term, going up by 20 at the final break of play. The Pythons held off Mt Eliza, claiming the win 7.8 (50) to 11.10 (76). Guy Hendry was the best player on the day. Russell Gabriel and Shane Savage also impressed. The victory takes Pines to 5-4 for…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE FRANKSTON YCW and Mt Eliza have been the two strongest teams in the MPNFL this season. The two sides faced off on Saturday, with the top of the ladder spot on the line. John Coburn Oval hosted the clash. Stonecats star Byron Barry received a huge ovation before the match as he celebrated his 200th game. The Stonecats got off to a great start, and never let Mt Eliza get into the game. A ten goals to two first half sealed the Redlegs’ fate. The Stonecats ended up running out 52 point winners 19.8 (122) to 10.10…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE EDITHVALE-ASPENDALE notched up their first win for 2022 last weekend. Edi-Asp took on Rosebud on Saturday. Rosebud have also failed to win a game all year. After leading all day, Edithvale-Aspendale were eventually crowned 39 point winners 11.17 (83) to 6.8 (44). Rhys Carter booted four goals for the winning side. Kyle Yorke and Kurt Lopo also impressed. Traditional MPNFL powerhouses Frankston YCW and Sorrento also played each other on Saturday. Sorrento hosted the clash between the two heavyweights. After a competitive first term the Stonecats ran away with it, going on to claim a 53 point…

PETA Murphy has won a second term as the member for Dunkley. As of 22 May, a day after polls closed, the incumbent Labor MP is comfortably ahead. With 66.5% of the vote counted Murphy is about 10,000 votes ahead of Liberal Sharn Coombes on the two-party preferred vote. Labor enjoyed a swing of 4.2%, with the margin between the two major parties now at 7%. Murphy will now represent the electorate while in government, after serving out her first term in opposition. Before Saturday’s election Murphy told The News “there is no doubt that the rising costs of living,…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE TWO points separated Rosebud and Pines at the end of a thrilling clash on Saturday. Rosebud have had a miserable year, and went into their clash with Pines looking for their first win of the season. The Pythons have also struggled at times. Rosebud raced out of the gates, taking a 22 point lead into the first break. Pines put just one behind on the scoreboard in the first quarter. Pines chipped away at the lead in the second term. They trailed by just five at half time. Momentum continued to swing Pines’ way in the third…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE EDITHVALE-Aspendale were denied their first win for the 2022 season by a resilient Red Hill on Saturday. Edi-Asp got off to a strong start at Regents Park. They booted six goals in the first term, taking a 25 point lead into the first break. After a difficult first quarter, Red Hill put their foot on the gas. Their defence tightened up from quarter time, restricting Edithvale-Aspendale to just two more goals for the rest of the game. The Hillmen had to work for it, but eventually came away with a seven point win 8.11 (59) to 10.6…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE BONBEACH scored a good win at home on Saturday against Sorrento. Sorrento has had a good start to 2022, but faced stiff competition in Bonbeach. Former St Kilda player Trent Dennis-Lane starred for Bonbeach. He booted six goals to help get his side a 40 point win. David Armitage, another former St Kilda player now plying his trade for Bonbeach, contributed two goals to the scoreboard. Leigh Poholke added another two goals to his tally for the season. Bonbeach ended up securing the win 15.13 (103) to 9.9 (63). Frankston YCW’s strong start to the season continued…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE SORRENTO kicked 26 goals to secure a dominant win over Edithvale-Aspendale last weekend. Sorrento were brilliant on their home deck. Goals flowed freely throughout the afternoon, with the Edi-Asp defence struggling to deal with Sorrento’s forward firepower. Leigh Poholke was awesome for the Sharks. He booted eight goals. Nick Corp also kicked a bag, finishing the match with five majors to his name. Sorrento ended up winning by 104 points – 26.16 (172) to 10.8 (68). Things were much closer at Baxter Park when Frankston Bombers took on Frankston YCW. The Stonecats had 13 more scoring shots…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE NOTHING could separate Red Hill and Dromana at the end of their Good Friday match last weekend. Red Hill Recreation Reserve hosted the two sides. Both sides found it difficult to hit the scoreboard all day. The game went right down to the wire, and when the final siren sounded they were all square. The game finished as a draw – 7.7 (49) to 7.7 (49). Billy Guerts was Dromana’s best. He kicked four of their seven goals for the day. Harry Sullivan kicked two for Red Hill. Bonbeach and Edithvale-Aspendale also faced each other on Good…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE PINES have fired a warning shot to the rest of the competition with a thumping win over Edithvale-Aspendale. Pines kicked 22 goals for the day on Edithvale-Aspendale’s home turf. Their excellent showing in front of goal secured them a 10.11 (71) to 22.17 (149) win. Sorrento also showed good goalkicking form on Saturday, scoring 20 majors to put away Frankston Bombers. The Bombers did their best to stay within reach of the Sharks, but they were just too good. Sorrento won in front of their home crowd 20.13 (133) to 13.11 (89). Things were much closer at…

FRANKSTON Private Hospital is being converted into a public surgery centre. The state government announced the move last week. The hospital is expected to be operating as a public surgery centre sometime next year. The state government hopes that by the time it is fully operational, the hospital will have the capacity to support up to 9000 public patients a year. Deputy Premier James Merlino said that the move would help clear up the backlog of surgeries building up in Victoria because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic has been really tough on everyone, but nothing matters more than the…

MPNFL DIVISION ONE IT was a day of celebration for Frankston YCW on Saturday, as they started their season with a gritty come-from-behind win over Bonbeach. The two sides got the 2022 season underway with an entertaining clash at Bonbeach Reserve. The Stonecats proved to be the stronger side on the day after a slow start. They ended up taking the game by 14 points – 11.9 (75) to 14.5 (89). The day will also be remembered for the return of Frankston YCW’s Dylan Roberton to the football field. The former St Kilda defender made a welcome return after retiring…

FOLLOWING the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal’s decision to grant pay rises to councillors, deputy mayors and mayors across Victoria, Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Anthony Marsh has released a statement to “set the record straight”. The mayor stated “the deputy mayor’s allowance has been increased from $34,588 to $59,659. However, this new allowance is not an increase but a correction”. Cr Marsh said the “correction” was in recognition of how the role of deputy mayor had evolved significantly over recent years. The article that sparked the response (“Councillors collect healthy pay rise” The News 23 March 2022) stated the base rate…

MORNINGTON Peninsula’s councillors will enjoy a substantial pay rise this year. The Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal made the decision earlier this month. Councillors statewide are set to enjoy a pay increase, with deputy mayors the biggest beneficiaries. Mornington Peninsula council is designated a category three council. Under the new pay rate, category three councillors will receive an allowance of $35,972, up from the previous amount of up to $31,444. The mayor’s pay has risen from up to $100,434 to $119,316. Deputy mayors will now be paid $59,659. The new allowance comes into retrospectively from 18 December last year. The Victorian…

CRICKET PROVINCIAL OLD Peninsula are the premiers of the MPCA Provincial division. Saturday’s Grand Final saw Old Peninsula take on Sorrento at Peninsula Grammar School. Old Peninsula batted first on the day. They put together a strong innings, finishing up at 7/217. Thomas La Brooy’s unbeaten score of 79 was his side’s best. Sorrento were competitive, but ended up falling short of their target. They were bowled out for 180. William Crowder was one of the difference makers. His five wicket haul (5/26) helped restrict Sorrento’s total. Old Peninsula emerged triumphant by 37 runs, securing them the premiership. PENINSULA A…

CRICKET PROVINCIAL SORRENTO upset Baden Powell to book a spot in the Provincial division Grand Final last weekend. The two sides faced off in the semi-final after Baden Powell finished the season in first place with ten wins, and Sorrento finished fourth with seven wins. Overport Park hosted the clash. Baden Powell were sent in to bat first, and set Sorrento a huge target to chase down. Rhys Elmi was Baden Powell’s best. He scored 75 runs before he was run out. Baden Powell finished their innings at 5/224, giving Sorrento a huge mountain to climb. Sorrento’s batters proved up…

CRICKET MPCA WOMENS LANGWARRIN have been crowned the first ever MPCA Women’s division premiers. Langwarrin took on Balnarring at Lloyd Park on Sunday. The two sides have played each other twice this season, with a tie the result in round one and a 12 run win to Langwarrin the result in round six. Balnarring chose to bat first on Grand Final day. They set Langy a target of 90 to score to win. Some good bowling from Kiah Laughlin-Glen frustrated Balnarring. She posted figures of 3/21, her best bowling of the season. Langwarrin’s run chase was led by first drop…

CRICKET MPCA WOMENS IT was semi-finals round in MPCA womens. Balnarring cruised to victory after Pines posted a lacklustre score in their innings. Pines never got into gear, with only two batters reaching double figures before being bowled out for 70. Balnarring reached the required runs with the loss of just one wicket and in under nine overs. Grace Barnes top scored for Balnarring with 20. In the other semi-final, Langwarrin managed 88 in their innings for the loss of just a single wicket. It was within reach of Tootgarook, but they fell just three runs short, running out of…

A DOG has survived an all night ordeal stuck in the pipes under a Frankston sports ground. 14-year-old Jack Russell Terrier Tuppence was walking at Ballam Park with her owner when she ran off into some pipes. She became stuck inside, and spent the next 11 hours there. Tuppence’s owner Laura Sorraghan said she was overwhelmed with emotion when her dog was finally freed. “I was beside myself laughing and crying,” she said. “She went in just before 8pm and then they got her out at around 7am. She was fine, she was a bit stiff the next day but…

CRICKET MPCA WOMENS A BRILLIANT century from Kylie Walters helped Langwarrin seal a big win on Sunday. Walters has been excellent for Langwarrin this season, with a knock of 104 against Rye last weekend her best. She had scored half centuries in her previous two innings, and now has a century to her name as reward for her efforts. Walters’ 104, paired with an excellent knock of 74 from opener Kiah Laughlin-Glen, contributed to Langwarrin’s big total of 247 from 30 overs. Rye finished their 30 overs at 7/128, more than 100 runs short of what was needed to win.…

CRICKET MPCA WOMENS SPECTATORS were treated to two of the best individual performances of the MPCA Women’s season at Eric Bell Reserve last weekend. Pines and Rye did battle in a high scoring battle. Pines were sent in to bat first, and were formidable. Opener Tania Misa was incredible, scoring 103 not out. She hit nineteen boundaries, ten of them sixes. Samantha Ryan had another excellent game for Pines. She contributed 80 runs to the scoreboard. Pines scored a seemingly insurmountable total of 236 runs. Despite the big task ahead of them, Rye worked hard to stay in the contest.…

CRICKET MPCA WOMENS NOTHING separated Pines and Tootgarook at the end of a thrilling match on Sunday. Pines took to the crease first at Truemans Road Reserve. Their innings was elevated by Samantha Ryan, who led the charge with 65 runs. Pines set Tootgarook a total of 115 runs to chase down. Opener Ella Hilton put her best foot forward early on. Tootgarook’s run chase was helped by her knock of 51. Tootgarook’s batters struggled to make much scoreboard impact, but errant bowling from Pines kept them in the contest. The game went down to the final over. When stumps…

CRICKET WOMENS AN impressive win on Sunday kept Langwarrin clear at the top of the MPCA Women’s division ladder. Langwarrin took on Pines at Eric Bell Reserve. Pines batted first but struggled, only managing to score 36 runs from nine overs at the crease. Kylie Walters did most of the damage for the visitors. She posted career best bowling figures of 5/11 from four overs. Langwarrin chased down their target quickly, losing just one wicket along the way. The other match for the round saw Balnarring take on Tootgarook. Tootagrook’s batters had a hard time getting started. They were all…