SUNBURY today enters a Ballarat Football League finals series that it's likely to finish without knowing where it's going to play next season.

According to a report by club committee members, Sunbury has a problem in that its senior club plays in the Ballarat league while the junior club plays in the Riddell District league. The report recommends that both strands should play in the same competition.

The other problem is geography. Sunbury is on Melbourne's north-western fringe, more than an hour's drive from Ballarat. Many at the club feel closer links with the metropolitan area and would rather play in a city competition.

The Lions have had talks with the Essendon District and the Riddell District leagues. The committee's preference is believed to be joining the Essendon District league, but all possibilities will be put to the members at a meeting on September 13.

During the 1990s, five clubs — Sunbury, Melton, Melton South, Darley and Gisborne — became too strong for the Riddell District league. In 1997, the first four went into the Ballarat league. In 1999, Gisborne joined the Bendigo league.

Sunbury has played in seven grand finals in its 10 years in the Ballarat league for four premierships. The other three former Riddell clubs have also had success. The problem is they're considered city clubs and have never quite been accepted by the traditional Ballarat league clubs.

Sunbury last week lost top spot on the ladder when third-placed Ballarat steamrolled it in the final round. The Lions today play minor premier East Point in the qualifying final at Ballarat's Eastern Oval.

The club is hoping to welcome back playing coach Matt Power and boom forward Damien Houlihan in the next fortnight.

 

Finley's youth policy of recent years will pay off tomorrow when it plays Echuca United in the Murray league elimination final at Cobram.

 

The Cats won three premierships in the 1980s, but have been towards the bottom of the ladder since then.

This year's rise will culminate tomorrow in their first finals appearance since 1992. The club this year made a special effort to ensure that former Murray Bushrangers Nick Braybon and Sam Nevins, who both play in key positions, returned from Melbourne each weekend to play for their hometown club.

The Cats have also benefited from the inclusion of players from the under-17 team that won last year's premiership.

For all the youth, the main reason for the team's rise is the leadership of playing coach Damian Sexton. The 38-year-old, who played four games for St Kilda in 1990, this week won his second successive Finley best-and-fairest award.

 

Nathan Henry will today attempt to become the second player in the Golden Rivers league to kick a century of goals when he lines up for Murrabit in the second semi-final against Wandella at Wakool. Henry has 97 goals.

 

Brent Harvey's brother, Shane, the former Essendon and Kangaroos player, last week kicked seven goals for Wakool in the Hawks' first semi-final loss to Nullawil. Harvey finished the season with 107 goals.

Article first appeared: The Age September 1, 2007