Phil Doyle
21st March 2003, 18:13
Well,
Now that my much loved (well in Lithgow anyway) TV Guide has fallen through the floor I'll have a bit more time to devote to serious sensible earth shattering events, like footy.
The Central West AFL is gearing up for season 2003 and the new kids on the block are the Katoomba-Lithgow Mountain Lions Australian Football Club.
26 players were available for our first hit-out against Charles Sturt University last Saturday. The venue had been shifted several times due to ground unavailability, and then Charles Sturt complained because there was a cricket pitch in the middle of the Browntown Oval at Mount Victoria (at 1089m the highest venue for Australian football known to man, well in Australia anyway). Despite this Soft! effort by CSU the Mountain Lions fullback, Dozer lived up to his nickname by nipping around to his place and returning with a couple of wheelbarrows and some shovels, whereupon a few diligent souls got to work carting soil to cover the cricket pitch. (This led to some rather heated telephone exchanges between the Mountain Lions and the Blackheath Cricket Club later in the week - at this point in time the Mountain Lions are awaiting a ground force assault by members of the Blackheath CC Presidential Guard and may be forced to buy them a slab or some such gesture of goodwill).
The Lions looked resplendent in our Western Suburbs (Sydney) Jumpers as they ran out onto Browntown Oval under under threatening clouds. Despite struggling early on we were more than competitive in the second and third terms before lightening forced the umpire to call a halt to proceedings, whereupon everyone adjourned to the Lithgow Hotel for a few cleansing alees, speeches and raffle draws, etc.
Under 17's coach and all round legend, Matt Hill kicked the first ever goal for the Mountain Lions, who remain undefeated throughout their history, making us THE most succesful club in the history of Australian Football. Ever.
BOG for the Mountain Lions was coach and coal miner Charlie Body who proved to be of great assistance to the ump throughout by advising him of when we should be receiving free kicks, etc. Recent Rugby League converts Sean Muir and "cuts" Cutler rounded off the 3-2-1 for the Mountain Lions best and fairest award, the "Digger" Riddell trophy (Named after the Lithgow Bombers stalwart). Ben Howard won every single ruck contest and was ably assisted in the midfield by the mad Irishmen Dav Stritch and Gar Whatsisname.
CSU's man about town, Tom Balchin put in a shining performance at full forward and Sideshow Bob gave them plenty of run out of the midfield.
The Mountain Lions now face Mudgee at Katoomba Falls Reserve on March 29 at 1pm.
Katoomba Lithgow Mountain Lions v Charles Sturt University Buylldogs. Match abandoned in the third quarter due to lightening.
Katoomba-Lithgow 3.2 Goals: Hill 2 Howard Best: Body, Muir, Cutler, Howard, Martin, Hill, Stritch
"Digger Riddell Trophy"
3 - Body (3)
2 - Muir (2)
1 - Cutler (1)
Now that my much loved (well in Lithgow anyway) TV Guide has fallen through the floor I'll have a bit more time to devote to serious sensible earth shattering events, like footy.
The Central West AFL is gearing up for season 2003 and the new kids on the block are the Katoomba-Lithgow Mountain Lions Australian Football Club.
26 players were available for our first hit-out against Charles Sturt University last Saturday. The venue had been shifted several times due to ground unavailability, and then Charles Sturt complained because there was a cricket pitch in the middle of the Browntown Oval at Mount Victoria (at 1089m the highest venue for Australian football known to man, well in Australia anyway). Despite this Soft! effort by CSU the Mountain Lions fullback, Dozer lived up to his nickname by nipping around to his place and returning with a couple of wheelbarrows and some shovels, whereupon a few diligent souls got to work carting soil to cover the cricket pitch. (This led to some rather heated telephone exchanges between the Mountain Lions and the Blackheath Cricket Club later in the week - at this point in time the Mountain Lions are awaiting a ground force assault by members of the Blackheath CC Presidential Guard and may be forced to buy them a slab or some such gesture of goodwill).
The Lions looked resplendent in our Western Suburbs (Sydney) Jumpers as they ran out onto Browntown Oval under under threatening clouds. Despite struggling early on we were more than competitive in the second and third terms before lightening forced the umpire to call a halt to proceedings, whereupon everyone adjourned to the Lithgow Hotel for a few cleansing alees, speeches and raffle draws, etc.
Under 17's coach and all round legend, Matt Hill kicked the first ever goal for the Mountain Lions, who remain undefeated throughout their history, making us THE most succesful club in the history of Australian Football. Ever.
BOG for the Mountain Lions was coach and coal miner Charlie Body who proved to be of great assistance to the ump throughout by advising him of when we should be receiving free kicks, etc. Recent Rugby League converts Sean Muir and "cuts" Cutler rounded off the 3-2-1 for the Mountain Lions best and fairest award, the "Digger" Riddell trophy (Named after the Lithgow Bombers stalwart). Ben Howard won every single ruck contest and was ably assisted in the midfield by the mad Irishmen Dav Stritch and Gar Whatsisname.
CSU's man about town, Tom Balchin put in a shining performance at full forward and Sideshow Bob gave them plenty of run out of the midfield.
The Mountain Lions now face Mudgee at Katoomba Falls Reserve on March 29 at 1pm.
Katoomba Lithgow Mountain Lions v Charles Sturt University Buylldogs. Match abandoned in the third quarter due to lightening.
Katoomba-Lithgow 3.2 Goals: Hill 2 Howard Best: Body, Muir, Cutler, Howard, Martin, Hill, Stritch
"Digger Riddell Trophy"
3 - Body (3)
2 - Muir (2)
1 - Cutler (1)