By Paul Daffey

FORMER St Kilda and Kangaroos player Joe McLaren will captain the Victorian Country Football League team in its biennial clash against the Victorian Amateur Football Association at Ballarat's Eastern Oval tomorrow.

McLaren, an assistant coach at Hampden league club Koroit, last year enabled Victoria to win the Australian Country Football Championships on the Gold Coast when he kicked a mighty torpedo from just forward of the centre circle in the last few seconds of the final against ACT.

His goal tied the scores, then he kicked two of Victoria's three goals in extra time to seal victory. His deputies in tomorrow's 11th clash against the amateur team will be Dean Talbot (Bell Park) and Paul Scanlon (Seymour).

The country team's coach will be former Richmond and Collingwood half-back Kevin Morris, and his assistants will be former league players Dean Rice, Paul Broderick and Nathan Bower.

The amateur team will be coached by former Hawthorn and St Kilda wingman Dean Anderson. Its players will include former Sydney wingman Simon Arnott, who plays at Collegians, and St Bernard's midfielder Josh Madden, the son of former Essendon champion Simon Madden, who now coaches St Bernard's.

The country team has won six of the 10 matches held since 1984, including the most recent, at the VAFA's Elsternwick Park in 2005.

 

Goulburn Valley league club Shepparton Swans have delayed a decision on whether to take an appeal to the courts until they see what shape their season takes.

 

The Swans were penalised the points for wins in rounds two and three after playing key defender Tim Looby. VFL club Port Melbourne claimed Looby, a former Power rookie, was its player.

Swans officials are seething at what they believe is mistreatment from VCFL officials. They have been advised they have a good case if they were to take the matter to court.

The Swans are on top of the Goulburn Valley ladder, a game clear of Shepparton United and a further game clear of Seymour and Euroa. They host sixth-placed Echuca today at Shepparton's Princes Park.

The Swans will be boosted by ruckman and captain Jarrod Sutherland, returning after being suspended for eight matches following an investigation into a behind-the-play incident against Echuca early in the season.

 

King Valley full-forward Michael Newton hopes to return to form in today's Ovens and King league match at Tarrawingee. Newton, a brother of former Demons ruckman Leigh Newton, kicked 35 goals in three games before kicking only two goals last week against Moyhu.

 

Newton began the season at centre half-back. When full-forward Gabe O'Brien was injured a few rounds into the season, Newton moved into the goal square. O'Brien has since returned to the team and is starring at centre half-back.

King Valley is fifth after last week's heavy loss to Moyhu. It needs to win today to stay in touch with Tarrawingee (third) and Moyhu (fourth).

The Roos will be boosted by the return of Luke Caldwell, a tough utility who lives on Phillip Island. Caldwell played against Tarrawingee in the opening round and today will play his second match of the season.

 

Geelong and District league club Bell Post Hill will be hoping its season remains on track when it takes on the top team at Bannockburn today.

 

Bell Post Hill's season was looking rocky when it lost to lower-ranked Corio by nine points a fortnight ago. Playing-coach Nathan Lewis locked all officials and supporters out of the rooms while he addressed the players after the match.

A disagreement at the top of the club hierarchy was believed to be at the heart of the team's poor performance. President Andrew Barrett yesterday was tight-lipped about the allegations.

The Panthers returned to form with victory over Winchelsea last week. Lewis today returns from a suspension for striking, and ruckman Wade Bowyer, a Geelong league premiership player with North Shore, returns from a series of injuries.

 

VCFL final squad — Ballarat FL: D Jordan (East Point). Bendigo FL: B Herdman (Eaglehawk). Geelong FL: D Talbot (Bell Park), J Humm (Newtown-Chilwell), M Corrigan, S Thompson (South Barwon), J Cail (St Mary's). Goulburn Valley FL: P Scanlon, S Saad (Seymour), M Barlow (Shepparton United), T Little (Tatura). Hampden FL: S Sinnott (Camperdown), S O'Keefe, J McLaren (Koroit), K Niklaus (Warrnambool). Mornington Peninsula Nepean FL: A Hunter (Dromana), W Gayfer (Keysborough), R Clark (Narre Warren). Murray FL: M Chisholm (Rumbalara). North Central FL: R Funcke (Donald). Ovens and Murray FL: L Schmidt (Corowa-Rutherglen), X Leslie, M McMillan, S Oswald (Yarrawonga). West Gippsland Latrobe FL: R Davey (Warragul).

VAFA final squad — A-section: J Arnold, T Fleming S Johnston (Old Xaverians); B Corrin (De La Salle); D Beardsley, A Cultrera (Old Trinity); J Madden (St Bernard's); J Dixon (Collegians); D Clark, L Hendra (Old Brighton); J Hope, H Heta, B Thompson, S Fragiacomo, S Curatolo (Old Ivanhoe); J Gerstman (Old Scotch); A Solly, M Paterson (University Blues). B-section: A Smith (University Blacks), S Anstey, B Phibbs (St Bede's-Mentone); B Sinclair (Caulfield Grammarians).

Article first appeared: The Age July 14 2007