GVFL starts this week

[Wayde Petersen]

Well since that my previous thread about the GVFL has gone AWOL, i'll post the perdinent facts about what I discussed before.

The Goulburn Valley Football League starts this saturday, with some good games for round one in what should be a good season for the GVFL fan.

My tips for this saturday's games are
(Home team listed first, side tipped to win in CAPITALS)
Tongala v SHEPPARTON UNITED
Mansfield v KYABRAM
Seymour v EUROA
TATURA v Benalla
ECHUCA v Mooroopna
SHEPPARTON v Rochester
Shepparton Swans have the bye

Will Tongala's, Shepparton Swans, and Shepparton United's brisk pre-season recruiting result in a climb up the ladder ?, will Kyabram recover from a nightmarish pre-season ?, will Echuca be able to cover the loss of 10 players from last years premiership team ?, and will Shepparton and Tatura be able to be the force that both these clubs were in the 90's ?, only time will tell.

[Mobbenfuhrer]

Seymour'll wipe the floor with 'em all ... especially UGLY TAT! :p

[Wayde Petersen]

I hate to break this to you Kev, but Seymour look like having another lean year (they haven't been in the finals since 1993), they've lost thier best two players (including Lance Whitnall's younger brother, Shane) to the Bendigo Diggers, and around 13 players to Nagambie, and no-one from the Shepp. News has picked them to finish even close to the finals (they've collectively picked the Lions to finish 11th, in a close tussle between Mansfield and Kyabram to avoid the 'spoon).

But, they have some good young players, and picked up some good district league and Melbourne footballers as well, and they still wear the old Fitzroy syle jumper.

[play on]

This is one league that I have not followed before, and I think it is just about time I started to do so. Do we have a Magpies side in this league? Are they any good?

[Wayde Petersen]

Euora (GVFL affiliate) are called the Magpies, and they made the preliminary fianls last season (they knocked out the top side, Shepparton), but they've had a exodus of quality players and might struggle to make the finals this year.

[Mobbenfuhrer]

Originally posted by Wayde Petersen
I hate to break this to you Kev, but Seymour look like having another lean year (they haven't been in the finals since 1993), they've lost thier best two players (including Lance Whitnall's younger brother, Shane) to the Bendigo Diggers, and around 13 players to Nagambie, and no-one from the Shepp. News has picked them to finish even close to the finals (they've collectively picked the Lions to finish 11th, in a close tussle between Mansfield and Kyabram to avoid the 'spoon).

But, they have some good young players, and picked up some good district league and Melbourne footballers as well, and they still wear the old Fitzroy syle jumper.

Yeah but they'll still wipe the floor with UGLY TAT! :D

[Wayde Petersen]

Whatever Kev, but apart from the last 15 minutes fo that first quarter, Tatura did an excellent job, and with our younger players showing promise, this year should be a good one and unlike the Lions, we will finish in the finals.

But, back to the football and my tipping abilities seemed to habe failed me, because I was successful with Shepparton United, Echuca and Euroa, but sadly Kyabram (they were leading all day and got beaten by 3 points aginst Mansfield), Shepparton and Tatura recieved the Wayde Petersen kiss fo death.

For my Tatura vs Benalla match report and for all the results from all Goulburn Valley League games, head down to //groups.yahoo.com/group/timelordsfootyclub and marvel at my twisted football logic.

also you can look at www.gvfl.com.au and www.realfooty.com.au/cityandcountry for local footy news.

[Harry Potter]

How will Benalla go this year Wayde? I'm originally a Benalla boy, born and bred and most of my family still live in the area, especially Seymour and Tatura.

However I actually follow the Seymour Lions in the GVFL, mainly because they wear the Fitzroy jumper and are called the Lions. My brother was on the Seymour Lions board for a couple of years as well. Seymour have had a few lean years, so they evoke quite a few memories of the Royboys.

[Wayde Petersen]

Well, Benalla were pretty stiff not to get into the finals last year (they were knocked out by TATURA), but they've recruited well, have many options up forward, have some good young talent coming up through thier juniors, and they're sound financially (they were going broke in the Ovens and Murray FL).

And from what I saw last saturday, (the Saints played by beloved Tatura bulldogs at Tatura), I think they'll finish in the finals for the first time in the GVFL (which will no doubt compensate for thier lack of success in the O&M since the 70's).

As far as Seymour goes, I don't fully understand why they struggle so much, the town has around 3,600 people ( population wise, Seymour's bigger than Rochester, Tongala, Tatura, Euroa and Mansfield), is only an hours drive from Melbourne (which makes the lions a more attractive club for Melbourne recruits), has strong district clubs in thier area like, Avenel, Broadford and Nagambie, is sound financially, and has a strong junior setup, it's one of those thing I guess.

But, I think they might do better this year, their previous season was interupted by internal divisions and the suspension of thier captain/coach John Macnamara (who's now with the Bendigo Diggers), they blooded new players last season, and have recruited well from Melbourne and from local clubs, but they won't play finals football this year (thier netballers on the other hand, will feature in the finals)