Scotch College

Roller Coaster Football Season

Old Scotch Football Club has experienced a classic roller coaster football season with the outcome for the senior side's season wide open as the finals approached. After a promising six weeks at the top of the A Section ladder a combination of injuries, player unavailability and perhaps a little complacency saw the team slide to seventh place and in a classic Amateur football predicament. 'On the one hand we still had legitimate finals aspirations yet we couldn't afford to lose a game because relegation can suddenly loom as a threat', club secretary Ian McMurtrie commented.

However a thrilling one point win over St Bernard's in Round 16 on the back of generally improved August form breathed life into the club's campaign.

A loss to Old Trinity in the final round meant that the team finished middle of the ladder with nine wins for the season.

In many other respects the club has enjoyed an excellent season. The Reserves and Under 19s have claimed finals berths while the new style Club XVIII has been the vehicle through which promising younger players such as Daniel Brooke ('98),

Tim Downing ('98) and Josh Crane ('98) have graduated to the senior team. And this year the club has launched a most successful Under 17 team to help build a bridge between the club and school-age players. James Ross ('98) has been a great help to the team coach Matt Gnatt. The team won through to its Grand Final. The club is very aware of the need to recruit young players in a competitive sporting environment.

Key forward Luke Hawkins ('96) along with Brad Robinson and Josh Kitchen were selected in the VAFA side which defeated Vic Country in a representative match. Luke has been called up by Essendon Reserves for a number of games.

Off-field the club's Social Committee led by Sofia Ross has organised several excellent functions. Pre-match luncheons featuring David Parkin, Dr John Tickell and Kevin Sheedy as special guests have been very well attended.

The club's Trophy Presentation Night will be held at Stillwell BMW on Friday 14 September.

Mr Bruce Brown

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Peter Tingate leads Aussie Rules in America

In October, the Baltimore Eagles in Maryland will host the 2001 Australian Rules Football National Championships, an annual tournament held to decide the premier team in the United States.

The two day event will be held in conjunction with a festival celebrating the 'Spirit and Diversity of Australia.'

As many as twenty teams are expected to compete including the San Diego Lions who defeated the Denver Bulldogs in last years Grand Final match in Santa Fe Springs, California.

With strong performances against highly ranked Boston and New York during the regular season, the Philadelphia Crows captained by Peter Tingate ('85) is one of this year's favorites to take out the title.

The National Championships are sanctioned by the USAFL which is the governing body responsible for promoting and developing the Australian code within the United States.

In an important initiative, the league recently adopted a rule which limits the number of expatriate Australian players able to take to the field. The new ruling stipulates that American players must make up at least 50% of the team.

A move that is expected to make clubs more focused on junior development and the long term growth of the game.

'Footy' was first played on US soil in 1996 and has shown dramatic growth ever since. The National tournament kicks off with a function for club delegates at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC on October, 12.

For more information about Aussie Rules in America visit the USAFL online at www.usfooty.com

Bill Tingate