PENINSULA LEAGUE SEAFORD won its second game on the trot in MPNFL Peninsula Division, holding on to beat Bonbeach. The Tigers led by 28 points at the last change after leading by just two points at the long interval, however, the Sharks stormed home in the last to fall short by 11 points, 13.13 (91) to 11.14 (80). Seaford coach Ben Murphy told the RPP Footy Show on Saturday morning that he was confident that his young charges would continue to improve throughout the season. “The guys clearly lacked leadership when I arrived and as far as I was concerned,…
Author: Toe Punt
NEPEAN LEAGUE FRANKSTON Bombers were brought back to earth with a thud after being thrashed by Somerville in Nepean Division on Saturday. With wins against Pearcedale and Tyabb in the opening rounds of the season, the Bombers were confident about their chances against last year’s grand finalists. However, the Bombers were never threatening throughout the match, were behind at every change and were blown away in the final quarter to go down by almost 10 goals, 18.9 (117) to 8.15 (63). The scoreboard would suggest that the Bombers were always in the contest, until the final quarter, however, the reality…
PENINSULA LEAGUE CHELSEA celebrated a win against Pines on Saturday at the final siren. The goal umpires said it was a draw. The two time keepers had the Seagulls booting 7.4 in the last quarter. The goal umpires had them booting 7.3. Pines coach Pat Swayne watched the replay of the final quarter on Saturday night after the match and thought that Chelsea had booted four behinds in the last term. Swayne shared that information with Chelsea coach Brett Dunne. Dunne was quick to watch the replay and made his own determination. Chelsea FC Football Manager Mason Stewart confirmed on…
NEPEAN LEAGUE AS the old adage goes, a week is a long time in football. Two weeks is like an eternity. On Good Friday a fortnight ago, traditional rivals Rosebud and Rye played in a game where many would have been asking for their money back at the end of the two hours. Wind the clock forward 15 days and both clubs have their season well and truly back on track. Some of us can be absolute suckers for writing off teams too early. Frankston Bombers coach Beau Muston said on the RPP Footy Show on Saturday morning that players…
PENINSULA LEAGUE NEW Mt Eliza coach Troy Shannon had no idea what to expect from his team in the opening round of the season against Pines in Peninsula Division on Saturday. The Edithvale–Aspendale premiership and 2015 Vic Country coach had taken over a club that, from the outside looking in, was in some strife. There was a big clean out throughout the off–season and Shannon was going into the first game without key forwards Scott Lockwood (Sorrento) and Justin Van Unen. He was also going into the match without between four and six of what he believes could be in…
PENINSULA LEAGUE MANY believe there will be daylight between Frankston YCW and the rest of the competition in MPNFL Peninsula Division this season. Such talk would obviously upset opposition players and clubs, however, it really could be justified if you opted to mount an argument. YCW are a team that had 33 to 11 scoring shots in the 2015 Grand Final against the second best team and won the flag by 13-points shy of 100. This is a club that won 15 of 18 games in 2015, scored an average of 125 points per game and conceded just 48 points.…
NEPEAN LEAGUE THE 2016 MPNFL Nepean Division season gets into full swing this Saturday and already there are a couple of teams under pressure. One of them is Rye. The Demons were nothing short of ordinary in their Good Friday clash with Rosebud, a match played out in a draw. This Saturday, Rye tackles the side many believe will go one better in season 2016, Somerville. The Eagles were potent against Tyabb on Easter Saturday with Tommy Shaw booting nine and Luke Rowe seven, while a further nine players hit the scoreboard. Rye’s defensive pressure hasn’t been good for a…
NEPEAN LEAGUE THERE was an emergence of another major player in the MPNFL 2016 Nepean Division on Easter Saturday. Dromana may have gone through a lean period in the past couple of seasons following their premiership success, however, they announced their return on Saturday against Sorrento at Pier St Oval. The Tigers’ announcement was more than the 16.6 (102) to 11.11 (77) win – it was the way they went about winning. You hear coaches say all the time now that it’s “all about systems and processes” and the “results will take care of themselves”. While some of the Tigers’…
WHILE the AFL continues to debate whether to play Good Friday football or not, local football is thriving after the huge success over the Easter weekend. On Good Friday and Easter Saturday the local Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League community celebrated the launch of the 2016 season. And what a celebration it was. It kicked off with the much anticipated Brendan Fevola show at Frankston Park, the home of the MPNFL finals. While the contest may have been a disappointment between the Frankston Bombers and Pearcedale, the ‘event’ was one to remember. Fevola, carrying a leg injury, booted six goals…
PENINSULA LEAGUE PINES made a big statement on Easter Saturday that it is ready to take another step in Peninsula Division after dishing out an old fashioned hiding to old foe Seaford. The Pines bookends were extremely impressive, booting six goals to one in the opening quarter and six goals to two in the last to run out 69 point winners, 18.15 (123) to 7.12 (54). Aaron Edwards was the star of the competition last season and he started 2016 in even better fashion than where he left off. Edwards booted five goals in a blistering opening term before finishing…
FOOTBALL THE Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League season kicks-off this Easter weekend with five matches being played across two divisions. The match with the biggest hype will be played at the home of peninsula football, Frankston Park, when Frankston Bombers tackle Pearcedale on Good Friday. Fresh from winning ‘Celebrity get me out of here”, former Carlton and Brisbane Lion full forward Brendan Fevola will be lining up for the Bombers. Frankston Bombers have invested enormously into the Fevola appearance and drawing a big crowd. For the Bombers’ sake, let’s hope a big crowd get down to Frankston Park on Good…
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League will be fielding only one team in the Vic Championships next season, shunning the traditional arrangement of both Nepean and Peninsula teams. AFL South East’s hand has been forced as AFL Victoria changed its Community Championships format to include both metropolitan and country leagues. In light of this decision, the AFL South East Commission decided that it would be in the best interest of the MPNFL to return to one representative side, ensuring they can compete strongly against the metropolitan leagues that have three or more divisions of players to select from. The MPNFL…
FOOTY NEWS SORRENTO has landed multiple Peninsula Team of the Year centre half forward Scott Lockwood. Lockwood was said to be on the move to an amateur club closer to the city but after a few chats with new coach Nick Jewell, decided to go to Sorrento. Mt Eliza team mate and hard running defender Jack Egan will join Lockwood at the Sharks. Whilst it’s big news for the Sharks, Jewell played it down. “Look, we are just replacing at the moment. We get Lockwood for Leigh Poholke and Egan for Troy Schwarze. If you like, Nick Corp, who we…
NEPEAN LEAGUE THE 2015 Nepean League season was another tightly contested one and the final five went down to the very last quarter of the final round. After years of domination from Sorrento, the baton was handed over to Rosebud, the 2015 premiers. Rosebud was the most consistent side all season, while its grand final opponent, Somerville, was undoubtedly the most exciting side of season 2015. It was a fitting grand final. However, despite the fact it’s been just two weeks since the cup was held aloft, attention has quickly turned to the 2016 season. Right now, coaches’ phones are…
PENINSULA LEAGUE FRANKSTON YCW made it five Peninsula League premierships in six years last Sunday. The big question coming from the mouths of spectators and opposition clubs as they were walking out of Kars St Oval was “how do we compete”? It’s a very good question. Mt Eliza may have finished as minor premier but Frankston YCW was clearly the best side in the competition in 2015. Going into the finals, we were all hopeful of a challenge but deep down, we all knew the final result would be 10-goals plus. It was 87 points. Clubs now get to work…
PENINSULA LEAGUE FRANKSTON YCW capped off a wonderful season by winning the Peninsula League premiership by a whopping 87 points over Mornington on Sunday. The Stonecats have been by far the best side in the competition this season, having had a 77-point average winning margin this season. On Sunday at the Kars St Oval, the Stonecats dominated to win 18.15 (123) to 5.6 (36). Frankston YCW’s previous two encounters against Mornington saw them win by 10 goals and almost 15 goals. On Sunday, it was much of the same. The Stonecats were prepared, disciplined, clinical and professional, a trademark that…
FOOTY NEWS KARINGAL Football Club has landed the biggest blow in off-season recruiting, landing three-time Sorrento premiership forward Leigh Poholke. Yours truly broke the exclusive story on the RPP Footy Show and Toe Punt Facebook Page on Saturday morning. The 2014 Nepean League MVP and Team of the Year player has gone to the Bulls to “personally challenge” himself. Poholke said he had been fortunate in his career to be at a “great club” and one that has enjoyed a lot of success. However, Poholke said it was time for a change. “I want to challenge myself. I think that…
NEPEAN LEAGUE ROSEBUD came from 14 points down early in the last quarter to win the 2015 Nepean League premiership by 20 points on Saturday. After the Eagles scooted away to their biggest lead of the afternoon, care of a Justin Allsop snap in the opening five minutes of the last quarter, Rosebud then dominated the next 30 minutes of the match to run out 13.14 (92) to 10.12 (72) winners. In a see-sawing battle that saw momentum swing many times during the afternoon, Rosebud refused to be beaten in the final term and its leaders stood up. While the…
The worst kept secret in local footy can be revealed – Nick Jewell will coach Sorrento next season. The 2015 premiership coach resigned his post at Rosebud after round six when he was offered the job at Sorrento. For more than half of the 2015 season, Nick Jewell has been the coach of Sorrento for 2016. Ideally, according to Jewell, he would have liked to have continued to build on the success that he and the Rosebud Football Club had built over the past three years during his time at the club. However, the Buds would not give him the…
PENINSULA LEAGUE MORNINGTON will play Frankston YCW in the 2015 Peninsula Division grand final for the second year in a row after smashing old foes Mt Eliza by 48 points on Sunday. The Doggies were simply too committed for the Redlegs, who looked as though they would have preferred to be somewhere else other than Kars St in a Preliminary Final. Mt Eliza were pathetic and gave up without a whimper. If it had not been for Sam Gill, Darren Booth, Karl Lombardozzi, Matt Little, Jimmy Clayton and James Anwyl, they would have been belted by far more than eight…
NEPEAN LEAGUE SOMERVILLE will play Rosebud in the Nepean League grand final this Saturday at Frankston Park after bouncing back and beating Sorrento in the Preliminary Final. The Eagles led all afternoon and finished strongly, booting 3.6 to 1.1 in the last quarter to record an 18-point victory, 11.22 (88) to 10.10 (70). It was the end of an era for Sorrento. The most powerful team of the past decade failed in its attempt to play in its eighth grand final in a row. Sorrento also said goodbye to coach Troy Schwarze, who retired at the end of the game…
PENINSULA LEAGUE FRANKSTON YCW advanced straight through to the Peninsula League Grand Final in a fortnight after holding off a fast finishing Mt Eliza on Saturday at Frankston Park. The Stonecats were outscored six goals to seven after quarter time, however, still ran out comfortable 22-point winners, 11.13 (79) to 8.9 (57). As is often the case at the Kars St oval, the wind was storming off Port Phillip Bay and charging towards the Kars St end – the end Frankston YCW kicked to in the opening quarter. The Stonecats took advantage of the conditions, booting five goals to one…
PENINSULA LEAGUE THE Frankston YCW freight train continued to steamroll anything in its path on Saturday at Frankston Park, belting Mornington by 89 points in the Peninsula Division qualifying final. After resting up to eight players last week in the final home and away game of the season, the Stonecats came out firing from the first bounce on Saturday and eventually humiliated the team that almost snatched a premiership from them at the same venue last year. I have been saying it for months and have been accused of being disrespectful to the other teams in the competition, however I…
THE Peninsula and Nepean Teams of the Year will be announced at MPNFL presentation dinners over the next couple of weeks. Coaches were asked to provide ‘their’ team of the year, based on the matches they had seen in season 2015. Media commentators Brent Clinnick and yours truly, Toe Punt, also put together a team based on the enormous amount of footy we have seen this season. In Peninsula, there were a total of 66 players nominated in the squad. In Nepean, there were 60 players nominated. It was then my responsibility to put the teams together. This was done…
NEPEAN LEAGUE ROSEBUD is now raging hot favourite to win the Nepean Division premiership after beating Somerville for the third time this season. The Buds led for all but two minutes of the second quarter of Saturday’s second semi final at Rye’s RJ Rowley Reserve, eventually winning 10.17 (77) to 9.7 (61). While the Buds advanced straight to the grand final, Somerville will play Sorrento in this Saturday’s preliminary final at Tyabb. Rosebud was always in control of the match against Somerville and never looked as though they were going to lose it. Coming off a bye and two 100…
PENINSULA LEAGUE LANGWARRIN denied Karingal its one and only win for the season on Saturday after coming from six goals down early in the match. In coach Gavin Artico’s last game at the helm, the Kangaroos trailed by as much as 36 points early in the match after the Bulls came out desperate to win their first game of the season. However, the Kangas slowly worked their way back into the contest and got to within 15 points at the halfway mark of the match. It wasn’t until late in the game that the home side hit the front, eventually…
NEPEAN LEAGUE SOMERVILLE will play Rosebud in the second semi-final next Saturday at Rye’s RJ Rowley Reserve after holding off a late charge from Sorrento in the Nepean Division qualifying final. Leading by four points at the final change, Somerville kicked three goals in the opening eight minutes of the final quarter to open up what appeared to be a match winning and game-high 27-point lead. However, as it so often has done this season, the Eagles took the foot off the pedal and allowed Sorrento back into the contest. The Sharks responded with three quick goals of their own…
PENINSULA LEAGUE MT Eliza full forward Justin Van Unen booted the five goals he needed against Pines on Saturday to notch his second century in the MPNFL. ‘JV’ first kicked 100 goals when he was playing for Rye in an Elimination Final and while he was still wearing the red and blue on Saturday, this time it was for the Redlegs. Van Unen had the tough job of playing on the returning Beau Hendry on Saturday, making the feat even that much more impressive. In 16 games, Van Unen has averaged almost six goals a game and he holds the…
DROMANA Football Club will announce its Team of the Century and Teams of the Decade over the past 70 years at a special gala function next season. All members of Teams of the Decade (TOTD) will be notified of their selection in the next six weeks to give them plenty of time to plan to attend. Almost all of these players will have met the criteria to be a member of the main team. Each of the TOTD will have a coach, captain and vice-captain, as well as an interchange of six. The Team of the Century will only feature…
NEPEAN LEAGUE RED Hill will take enormous momentum into its Elimination final against Hastings this weekend after belting Dromana to the tune of 86 points on Saturday. The Hillmen have won four matches in a row by an average margin of 59 points and have regained that confidence that eluded them in the middle part of the season. The Hillmen’s last two wins against Dromana and Frankston Bombers have been by 86 and 113 points respectively. Red Hill beat Hastings at the start of the month (three rounds ago) in a hard fought, tough contest by 27 points. Red Hill…