JUSTIN: Alright, welcome back boys from an absolutely monstrous weekend of sports, but first things first; Dave is super proud to announce some amazing news.
DAVE: Yeah mate, we did have a bit of luck, the Gazette Footy Liftout won Outstanding Publication for Written Media (Print and Online) at the 2024 AFL Victoria Community Football Media Awards last week. I feel a bit like the players and coaches we interview; who always say ‘you don’t play for these awards, but it’s nice to be recognised for your work’. Jonty Ralphsmith, Marcus Uhe and I got all the ‘By Lines’ in the paper, but there are so many people that contribute to the Liftout each year. Our photographers, Stewart Chambers, Rob Carew, Gary Sissons and Ljubica Vrankovic did a great job of capturing the action, and then you’ve got fantastic volunteers at club-land like Kylie Pipicelli (Nar Nar Goon), Rob Gardiner (Cora Lynn) and Euan Poulton (Pakenham) that are so generous in allowing us to use their wonderful images when we need them. Those three immediately spring to mind, but there are so many people that help make the Footy Liftout what it is. To all the leagues – some more helpful than others – clubs, coaches, players and supporters of local footy and netball; thanks for putting on the action each week and providing us with so many stories to tell. We can’t be everywhere and don’t know everything that is going on; so, we really rely on the support of the sporting community to help fill the paper each week. And finally, to the Managing Director of Star News Group Paul Thomas; thanks for allowing us so many pages each week to tell our stories. I think one week I requested a monster 32-page Footy Liftout…and the answer is always yes. That’s enough of the backslapping boys…but the pressure’s on you two; you’re joining an award-winning team (boys laugh)!
BEST ACTION
JUSTIN: We’re up for the challenge! Well we’ll switch from some brilliant reporting to some brilliant views, what was your best action this week Dave?
DAVE: The second day of the Turf 3 grand final got washed out like everything else on the weekend, but there was a battle between two blokes who tied for the McDonald Medal, James Wright from Keysborough and Harkanwal Singh from Silverton. Keysborough bowled on Saturday and Wright set the scene by taking two wickets in two balls and was on a hat-trick. It wasn’t necessarily best action, but for a bloke to come out and have a big impact and have the opposition two for bugger all early in a grand final just goes to prove why he won the medal this year. Keysborough is chasing 206, so it’s definitely game on; and I’d say 190 is a competitive score in a final just with the added pressure.
JUSTIN: I went down to Officer for the start of the day but I was constantly refreshing PlayCricket while I was there because Cranbourne Meadows were getting rolled at Pakky Upper. I quickly dashed over to Harry Blackman Oval and by the time I got there, the Yabbies were already into bat. Syed Shah came out, he’s had a fantastic season, and he plays every game like a T20. He absolutely smacked Mandhiraj Singh for a boundary to – here we go again Dave – deep backward point.
DAVE” I’m impressed.
JUSTIN: It took once bounce and went over the fence, then over the road. The Cranny Meadows fielder had to wait for the traffic to go past to retrieve the ball. Blair, what impressed you this weekend?
BLAIR: Ammar Bajwa has only taken about a wicket per game this season for the Parkmore Pirates, but in the Turf 2 grand final against HSD he started early and took a quick wicket. HSD responded and set it up at about 2/132, but then Bajwa just rolled through them and took 6/44 in 26.4 overs. He had 10 maidens in there as well, so he had a huge day and put the Pirates in a really good spot for next week, chasing 170.
DAVE: Can I have a reverse best action from this week?
JUSTIN: Sure!
DAVE: Josh Lownds from Tooradin knew the Seagulls finished second on the table and were facing the league’s best pace attack in Kooweerup. All Tooradin had to do was tie the game because the weather was coming Sunday, so they’d be through due to ladder position. Lowndsy faced 183 balls and scored off 20 of them, that’s 163 dot balls. He had runs of 29 and 26 dot balls in a row without scoring. He’s a great fella Lowndsy, but he gets my reverse best action – because it was boring – and I think that’s the first time I’ve ever done that. It was a great knock…but not best action worthy!
BLAIR’S CLAIM TO FAME
JUSTIN: Alright Blair, we’ll go back to you and ask you a question that everyone must be asked when they join the sports team: what’s your sporting claim to fame? I was told that Dave used to give bowling attacks on the Mornington Peninsula nightmares, Jonty’s is notorious, his claim is while captain, he instructed his team to have a second gully and a catch went there the next ball. Mine was in domestic basketball, my team was so dominant the league brought in a rule to restrict the amount of representative players you could have on a team because we went a calendar year without losing in juniors. We’re keen to learn more about you, so over to you mate!
BLAIR: It’s with the ball a couple of seasons ago with the Balwyn Saints Cricket Club. After a weekend in Apollo Bay with some mates we drove back on the Saturday a little bit hungover. I got the ball first change and took 6/8 off six overs. I had five maidens, the runs were consecutive fours.
DAVE: Wow! So what kind of bowler are you?
BLAIR: I try and bowl as quick as I can, but they’re probably just mediums. I sometimes open myself but usually I like to bowl at first change.
DAVE: And how did the innings go, were you ripping stumps out or were they caught?
BLAIR: Well the opposition was 0/30 off the first 10-12 overs but the first couple of wickets to get the top order were nice, I got the top of off and some snicks to the keeper. I was pretty happy, prior to that I’d only really taken 3-fas.
DAVE: You’re officially in mate…you’ve passed the test!
TIGERS AND UNDERDOGS
JUSTIN: Blair was lucky enough to be at the game to see Richmond get an unbelievable upset against Carlton in one of the most shocking results we’ve ever seen. We haven’t seen an underdog win like that in a long time in the AFL, and how good was it? Two Tigers supporters on the sports desk now, you’re outnumbered here Dave! But the win inspired me to pose the question to you fellas, what’s an underdog story you love?
DAVE: The most famous would be before you boys were born, the Miracle on Ice! It was at the 1980 Winter Olympics and the Russians were just a powerhouse and a heavy favourite for the gold medal. The Americans came out when ice hockey wasn’t as big and knocked the off the Russians and there’s even a movie made about it. That was probably the most famous one, but I’m a horse racing fan and I remember going to Flemington for the Australian Cup one year and there were two champion horses, Bonecrusher and Vo Rogue competing for the win. A horse called Dandy Andy comes flying down the outside that was paying $150 and knocked them both off. It was looming as one of the greatest battles between two great horses then down the outside comes Dandy Andy.
JUSTIN: What about your pick Blair?
BLAIR: I was pretty young at the time, but the Miracle on Grass gets my pick. It was a 52-point deficit late in the third quarter between Brisbane and Geelong, and of all people to kick the winner; it was Ash McGrath in his 200th game after the siren. I don’t think anyone ever saw that dramatic change coming; to come back from 52 points is crazy, especially with the margin late in the third.
JUSTIN: That’s good stuff! I’ve gone for a local one because I saw a result that I thought was quite miraculous this weekend. That was the A Grade semi-final between Pakenham and Cardinia. Cardinia are absolutely stacked, they have one of the best bowling attacks in all of CCCA, they have four wicket takers of 20+ and their spinner has claimed 45 poles. They were 12-1 on the season, finishing top and they were batting on day one. It was a commanding position, all the Bulls had to do was see the day out, but Pakky rolled them for 119 and turned around and made 4/120 to cap it off. They got through on a one-day result, the only lower seeded team in the entire CCCA to be playing off in a grand final this week. Not only did they have to knock off the top team that’s only lost one game all year, but they needed a result in one day and they managed to do both. True fairytale stuff.
BIGGEST SURPRISE WINNERS
JUSTIN: First of all, congratulations to all of our CCCA award winners last week, there were some very deserving winners across all grades and it was good to see some amazing seasons recognised. However, we ran a story last week that featured Ryan Little and Ray Perkins who are the only bowlers in the entire Association to take 40 or more wickets this campaign. Perkins has had an especially outstanding year in E Grade, he took the 40 wickets, nearly 20 clear of second place, he was also sixth in total runs for the season with an average of 45 and his team finished top of the ladder with just one loss. With all that in mind, he somehow came third in the league best-and-fairest. Krishmin Roshen, the winner, congratulations to him of course, but he only had 30 more runs than Ray, had 20 less wickets and his team finished sixth. We don’t get to see the votes round by round in E Grade, but the Melbourne Sixers had one game abandoned and one forfeited but Roshen still polled four more votes than Ray. I’m sure Ray doesn’t care as he’s through to a grand final and has a real shot at the flag, but I wanted to ask you boys, who are some surprising award winners you’ve seen over your time as a sports fan?
DAVE: I’ve got to put my hand up this year. I’m very appreciative that the CCCA ask me to put together the Team of the Year each year. This year, coming into the final round, no wicketkeeper had put their hand up to be a keeper-batter, so I went for the best gloveman which was Robert Elston from Pakenham. The CCCA wanted the Team of the Year with one Saturday to play so they could get the awards minted and everything ready for the Sunday presentation. So, I went with Elston and sure enough, out comes Bradey Welsh who makes 63 in a match-winning innings for Cardinia in the last week which would’ve tipped the balance his way. Rob still had a fine season, but Welsh definitely should’ve been a Team of the Year member. Apologies to Bradey, if circumstances were different you’d be in.
BLAIR: I’ve looked towards the Brownlow over the years, and Matt Priddis back in 2014 sticks out. He didn’t make All-Australian, he was paying $41 and he’s come from nowhere. He had a fine year, averaging close to 30 disposals, but I don’t think anyone saw that coming. Also, even just for the number, Patrick Cripps polling 45 votes was a surprise. The fact that Nick Daicos polled 38 votes for second which would’ve won Chas any other year is just ridiculous.
DAVE: There’s been some amazing winners of the Brownlow, some other names that come to mind are Tony Liberatore, Shane Woewodin and Dipper back in the 80s. Dipper was the dirtiest player in the league and he won the best-and-fairest (boys laugh). We haven’t had an upset for a while; I think Priddis is the last real shocker.
JUSTIN: Lachie Neale is obviously an all-time great, but in his 2023 Brownlow-winning season he also didn’t make the All-Australian team, which is an interesting thought. Those were some great choices and ripper chat boys; we’ll be back next week!
