Hampden Football League

[ringo1]

Guys I'm getting lonely down here. We live in an area with a great league yet there are no posts/threads about our league. Does anyone have any info about what is on the go?

[ratley]

Ringo, i hear north have picked up a few players, haveyou heard this?

[ringo1]

Ratley I have heard the same thing. I reckon that they will be a fair side this year.Who do you think will be the teams to beat in 06?

[ratley]

not sure having not seen a hampden league game for 3 years, but i don't think you couldn't go past Terang and Koriot and warrnambool seem to be shaping up reasonably well.

who do you play with or associated with

[ringo1]

Ratley have'nt played for a while and have no association with anyone.Will get back an involvement one day. See Marcus Picken is going to Cobden and should be handy for them.

[ringo1]

Has anyone got any info on Cobden? I've heard that they have picked up a couple of likely types from the SANFL that could see them hard to beat.

[journeyman]

For such a good league this thread doesn't have much action. I've been looking on the Standard website daily but i haven't found anything writen about Kurt Nicklaus returning to Warrnambool.
This bloke is a gun, one of the best defenders in country vic and top bloke (albeit a bit of a loose dude).

Also, Sth Warrnambool have picked up a handy ruckman from La Trobe in the Ammos, Dave McMekan (spelling??). He's teaching out at a Timboon or something like that. The Hampden will be a step up but from what I've heard he'll be up to it.

[Grimmett]

Looking further afield it was covered by the Border Mail at the time of the news breaking.

Major setback for Hoppers
By David Johnston
February 10, 2006

KURT Nicklaus has quit North Albury without playing a match for the Hoppers in the Ovens and Murray league.
The Hoppers secured Nicklaus from WAFL club Perth where he played alongside Daniel Leslie last year.
But, the talented mid-fielder has accepted an attractive employment option in his former hometown of Warrnambool and will play in the Hampden league this season.
"It's very disappointing to be honest," Hoppers coach Corey Lambert said yesterday.
"When you get a bloke who is going to fill a role for you, get him all signed up, living here and then comes to you and says he has got work opportunities somewhere else he can't knock back it's disappointing.
"Moreso for the fact it's so late we are not going to get one to replace him.
"It's frustrating and disappointing."
Lambert informed the Hoppers playing group at training on Wednesday night one of the club's most sought after recruits would not be lining up at Bunton Park.
The Hoppers coach said Nicklaus' former employer at Warrnambool had offered him a role which would not be available at the end of the season.
Nicklaus finished fourth in Perth's best and fairest last season when he was used in a variety of key position roles, but the Hoppers recruited him to play as ruck rover.
In another potential major setback for the Hoppers, No.1 ruckman Sam Nevins has accepted a second round university placement in Melbourne and may not travel back to play in the O and M.
Albury recruit Daniel Maher also played at Perth last year.
Lambert said Nicklaus had relocated from Western Australia late last year and appeared settled.
"He was the one we wanted," he said.
"He came away on our camp and had a fantastic time and got on wonderfully well with all the boys.
"He is a top fellow and he feels a bit embarrassed the way things have gone.
"But, he told me he just can't knock this opportunity back."
The Hoppers have added small forward Ash Bates, who coached Quambatook in the Golden Rivers league last year.
Lambert revealed the Hoppers were among four O and M clubs to make inquiries about Japanese players Michito Sakaki and Tsuyoshi Kase, but didn't plan to pursue the possibility of the duo playing at Bunton Park.
Also showing an interest in their talents were Wodonga, Wodonga Raiders and Albury.

[ringo1]

Thanks guys good to have some mates down here and it is a good league!

[ringo1]

Any truth in the rumour that Royce Vardy is coming to town? Heard a strong whisper that he was.

[TheFreakyPenguin]

Originally Posted by journeyman

For such a good league this thread doesn't have much action. I've been looking on the Standard website daily but i haven't found anything writen about Kurt Nicklaus returning to Warrnambool.
This bloke is a gun, one of the best defenders in country vic and top bloke (albeit a bit of a loose dude).

Also, Sth Warrnambool have picked up a handy ruckman from La Trobe in the Ammos, Dave McMekan (spelling??). He's teaching out at a Timboon or something like that. The Hampden will be a step up but from what I've heard he'll be up to it.

His brother sponge also a top bloke. Is he still in the bool.

[Grimmett]

Interesting story about the appointment of the Hampden FNL interleague coach. One of his brothers is Brian who is coaching Horsham United in the Wimmera FL this season. The other brother is Brad who has been playing for Korooit and is mentioned in this story as an assistant yet is also supposed to be getting a clearance back to United. He's going to be a busy boy.

From The Warrnambool Standard:

HIGH HOPES
By ELIZA SEWELL
March 8, 2006

NEW Hampden interleague coach David Cassidy has earmarked a return to the glory days of division one football as his main aim in the job.

Cassidy was announced as the Hampden Football Netball League interleague coach yesterday for the May 28 country championship clash with Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.

In a one-off game, which will decide the pool B champion, Cassidy said the plan was to raise the league to the elite competition.

"I think the main part is we've got to aim to be in division one,'' Cassidy said. "From a Hampden league point of view that's the ultimate goal.

"It's a one-off game so at the end of the day the winning team goes up to division one.


"It is a challenge but an exciting challenge.''

And if any one can turn the side around it's Cassidy.

The coach famously lifted Warrnambool and District side Merrivale from wooden spooner to premier in one season.

Cassidy played in four premierships in a row under St Kilda coach Grant Thomas with Warrnambool. He gained interleague experience when he coached Warrnambool district's combined side in 1994.

However, he insisted he would not be a regulation coach with his role more about mentoring personalities.

"I don't really see myself as the coach as such,'' Cassidy said.

"These players - the best players - in the league will be coached by their coaches.

"They'll be taught their skills by their coaches and they'll be given fitness (management) by their coaches.

"It's people management I suppose and that's the way I'm looking at it.

"(It's) not necessarily coaching - it's just managing the players we've got a hold of.''
Cassidy will not be going it alone.

He will be supported by Mark Dwyer, his brother Brad Cassidy and Stephen Hammond who will be his assistants.

Cassidy said he hoped the new one-match format would make playing for the league more attractive to key players.

"It's a one-off game,'' Cassidy said.

"A few years ago there were probably three games.

"I just think it will create a lot more interest.''

The job will be a fast and furious 12-week stint for Cassidy who is returning to football after two years on the bench.

Cassidy said he had more than 40 players in mind already to be chosen for the initial squad. The squad would be announced as early as the second round of the season, he said. "We'll play form players and that's something that I've always
strived to do,'' Cassidy said.


This story was found at: http://the.standard.net.au/articles/...701540486.html

[Whispers]

From a Geelong FL perspective, Camperdown have picked up some good players in Torin Baker, Russell Whiteford and Jeremy Larkham! Baker and Whiteford are outstanding midfielders and Larkham is a young ruckman with good size and aggression.

[ringo1]

Our boys may find it hard to beat the MPFL but as Whispers has alluded to the word from Camperdown is that these three guys can play. Hopefully they will add depth to the squad. It would be great to see us back in div 1.,We have lost a bit of profile recently with Colac going etc. Perhaps the downers will be hard to beat.

[Grimmett]

Charity match fall clips Magpie's wings

March 13, 2006

CAMPERDOWN'S Troy Stephens will spend eight weeks in plaster after breaking his leg during a practice match at Leura Oval on Friday night.

Stephens, a Victorian country representative, was playing his first game since 2004 and was anticipated to be a key part of the Magpies' season.

The 28-year-old landed awkwardly after a marking contest and limped from the field.

"I thought I'd just rolled my ankle," Stephens said.

The Camperdown butcher, who has captained the Magpies and featured as an assistant coach in the past, broke his fibula near his ankle and said it was the first serious injury he had had during his career.


He will see a doctor on Wednesday to reassess the injury and hopes for good news.

"I'll be keen to get back but I can't really afford to get another injury with work,'' he said. ``I'll just see what happens after the plaster is off.''

Camperdown president Peter Conheady said the club was thrilled when Stephens returned to football after travelling last year. And while the injury was a setback, Conheady hoped to have his charge back before the end of the season.

"Naturally it was disappointing,'' Conheady said.

"He was very keen to get back playing footy.

"I'm sure he will recover from the injury.

"We hope to have him back this year.'' Camperdown went down to Cobden in the charity practice match which was played over five quarters. The match raised more than $5000 for 10-year-old Jarrod Fryers who has cerebral palsy.

His parents Gary and Louise need to raise about $32,000 to modify their car to enable Jarrod's wheelchair to be rolled in.

"Stephens' injury was a negative but the money we raised for Jarrod was a real positive,'' Conheady said.


This story was found at: http://the.standard.net.au/articles/...098374662.html