VFL Eliminaton Final: Devils - Frankston

[Barge]

While the big crowds would have you believe everyone in Tassie loves the Devils, you would not believe how many actually despise them and/or couldn't give a fawk about them!

A fella from work went yesterday, got there 1.20pm - got into the ground at 2.35pm.

Apparently at the gate behind the scoreboard they had ONE ticket window.

What time did some suit and tie galah come and open the SECOND window?

2.30pm!

Must have been too busy sipping champers up in the enclosed areas with Wade, Abel, that guy from the VFL and Co!

 

[MalG.]

I hear the curtain raiser to the devils wasn't a bad game either?

 

[Kingpin]

29th August 2005: Devils Delight Record Crowd
By James Bresnehan

A Record VFL crowd watched Tasmania's barn-storming finish at Bellerive Oval yesterday as the home-town heroes crushed Frankston in their elimination final.
The brilliant 46-point win, in front of 10,176 screaming fans, was the Devils' 10th on the trot and earned them another home final next weekend.
Tassie will play Carlton-aligned Northern Bullants in the first semi-final on Sunday at 1.10pm for a spot in the preliminary final.
Yesterday's massive attendance eclipsed the previous record VFL crowd, also held by Tasmania, of 10,073 at the first semi-final against Port Melbourne at Bellerive in 2003.
The bumper turnout will be a financial bonanza for Football Victoria, which banks the gate at all finals.
The big crowd also inspired the Devils in a tight final term.
Tasmania led by 22 points at three-quarter-time but Frankston edged to within 11 points 10 minutes into the last quarter.
Spurred on by the overwhelming support, the Tasmanians surged to a
17.19 (121) to 11.9 (75) victory.
"The crowd was outstanding,'' said Devils coach Mathew Armstrong.
"I want to personally thank everyone who came to the game.
"When Frankston got within 11 points the crowd started chanting and as soon as they did that the boys lifted another gear and never looked back.''
The Tasmanian turnout dwarfed the combined crowds for the three other VFL finals played this weekend, which attracted a total of 6400 people.
"The Bullants are going to come out full of fire next week so hopefully we'll get another big crowd and get the boys up again.''
They came by car, bus and boat to see the Devils deliver the killer blow to Frankston in the knock-out bout.
Football Victoria could bank up to $150,000 from the two Tassie finals.
Devils president Guy Abel was delighted at the strong support for the team.
"The gate goes to Football Victoria but the great part about it was the large amount of support for the team,'' Abel said.
"People even travelled from the North and North-West Coast for the game, so it shows the large volume of support which is getting stronger as we go forward.''
Tasmania has now attracted 39,966 fans to its five home finals over the past three seasons.

 

[Kingpin]

29th August 2005: Gritty Devils Make It 10 In A Row
By David Stockdale

Early in the last quarter at Bellerive yesterday, the Devils' nine-game VFL winning streak looked in danger of coming to a sudden end.
A roaring crowd of 10,176 at the second elimination final began to lose its voice as a charging Frankston reduced a 22-point deficit to 11.
To make matters worse, defenders Mathew Jovanovic and Scott Stephens were on the interchange bench nursing ankle and arm injuries and Luke Shackleton followed them off with a strained shoulder.
But it was then the Devils turned on the after-burners, thanks mainly to the brilliance of centre half-forward Justin Plapp to extend their record club winning streak to 10 matches.
Plapp kicked four goals for the quarter -- three of them in seven magical minutes -- to finish with eight as the Devils stormed to a 46-point win, 17.19 (121) to 11.9 (75).
As if the Devils' final-term blitz of 6.6 to 3.0 wasn't enough to make fans delirious, Jovanovic and Stephens came back on later to prove they will be available for next Sunday's first semi-final against the Northern Bullants at Bellerive.
The Devils will also have Brett Geappen available next week after serving a three-match suspension.
Devils coach Mathew Armstrong was delighted with the way the Devils finished the game off.
"We were pretty good all day, but in the last quarter, when we had Jovanovic and Stephens off for most of the last quarter, I thought we were superb,'' Armstrong said.
"Our only real injury worry is Shackleton, who we will know more about in the morning.
"We really responded when the pressure was put on us and that's been a strength of our side for a number of weeks now.''
Armstrong said Plapp, who at 185cm wouldn't even be regarded as a tall in AFL parlance, had been getting better week by week after being plagued by hamstring problems earlier in the season.
"He's a professional who trains hard and prepares himself well. He got the rewards today and good on him.''
But by no means were the Devils a one-man band.
Ian Callinan again gave AFL scouts more reasons to consider him as a mature-age draft pick by harvesting 25 possessions and kicking three goals.
Stephens did a fine job to restrict the Dolphins dangerman Justin Berry to two goals after Berry had racked up 11.2 in his previous two games against the Devils.
"Superboot'' Ken Hall racked up 30 possessions and kicked one goal and Nathan Street again rebounded well out of defence.
In conditions that were unseasonably warm, Armstrong kept his onballers fresh for a big finish by constantly rotating his interchange bench.
So it was surprising that, with the notable exception of Ben Setchell, the Devils did so poorly at the stoppages.
Rival coach Brett Lovett said the Dolphins had pleased him in the way they several times fought their way back into the game, the problem being they were unable to sustain it.
"Big Daniel Clarke wasn't the impact player he's been in previous games against Tassie and Sam Anstey was down as well,'' he said.
"We didn't get enough quality ball out of the midfield and they made us pay for the high number of turnovers we made.''
The Northern Bullants, the Devils opponents next week, suffered a crushing 87-point loss to Sandringham in the second qualifying final on Saturday.
The two sides have split their nine previous meetings four matches each with one drawn, although the Bullants won the only match between the two sides this season by 18 points in round nine.

 

[Kingpin]

29th August 2005: Our Dollar Dazzlers
By James Bresnehan

Football Victoria officials were laughing all the way to the bank yesterday as a crowd bigger than the one expected at this year's VFL Grand Final watched the Tasmanian Devils beat Frankston in the second elimination final at Bellerive Oval.
But more than 1000 people missed most of the first quarter because of a last-minute rush to get in the gate.
That has forced a game management review ahead of next Sunday's first semi-final against the Northern Bullants, also at Bellerive.
"It breaks my heart to see so many people still in the queue while the game is under way,'' said Football Victoria chairman Bob Tregear.
He almost ordered the gates thrown open to let footy fans in for free to see the Devils race to glory in their 100th VFL match -- and a record 10th win on the trot.
"We had a look at it just before the start of the game and considered whether we should just throw the gates open,'' Mr Tregear said.
"But the problem with that is you end up with a gate you can't reconcile and an expectation that people can arrive late and get in for free.''
Football Victoria will meet this morning with the Tasmanian Cricket Association, which owns the rights to Bellerive Oval, and Football Tasmania to make sure there is no repeat on Sunday.
"Part of the problem is this ground doesn't accommodate crowds of this size that often, so it's not a routine to do it,'' Mr Tregear said.
"We've got to start handling it better and start educating people to get here earlier.''
A total of 6400 people attended the three other VFL finals at the weekend.
A crowd of 10,176 turned out at Bellerive, underlining the massive support for the Tasmanian Devils.
"Football clubs wherever they are need to learn to adapt to the circumstances,'' Mr Tregear said.
"Remember when the Telstra Dome, or Colonial Stadium as it was then, first opened, all the trouble with people getting into the game. The stadium management there is a lot smarter now and they don't have the problem anymore.
"I'm sure we can achieve that here as well.''
The Victoria officials were thrilled at the support Tasmanians showed for their VFL team.
"It's terrific, we couldn't get a crowd like this in Victoria -- even for the Grand Final we'll be pushing to get a crowd this big,'' Mr Tregear said.
Football Victoria will bank up to $70,000 for yesterday's final, and the TCA's share will be more than $10,000 for its rights to the venue.
Although third in line financially, AFL Tasmania also earned valuable income.
"We get a percentage of the catering rights and from our corporate luncheon,'' said games director Bill Sorell.
"It's a fantastic opportunity for the club. We're very lucky to have good sponsors and corporate partners who, like the fans, are very important to the club.''
Sunday's first semi-final against the Northern Bullants, who have the best record against any of the sides that finished in the top eight, will start at 1.10pm.

 

[Kingpin]

I hear the curtain raiser to the devils wasn't a bad game either?

Yes apparently Hobart Lions defeated Clarence by a goal in the Reserves.
Not that many people would know this because it wasn't even in the paper.
The three stories I've uploaded here from the Mercury just goes to show everyone why local footy has its back up against the wall.
You can just about sense Messrs Stockdale and Bresnehan almost creaming thier pants in their praise of the Devils and Football Victoria over one Elimination Final win.
Sure, great effort to get where they are, but it's a little overblown and sickly.

I think we can tell where the southern media and AFL Tasmania have got thier priorities.

 

[Barge]

4 page spread on the Devils Elimination Final in last Friday's paper!

Betcha there aint no fold out on the Bush Final between Cygnet and Kermandie this week or next week between Norfick and whoever!

JUST IMAGINE IF THE DEVILS MAKE THE GRAND FINAL?

They'll have to make 2 papers for the day - one with normal news and one about the VFL Grand Final!

 

[The Majestic]

4 page spread on the Devils Elimination Final in last Friday's paper!

Betcha there aint no fold out on the Bush Final between Cygnet and Kermandie this week or next week between Norfick and whoever!

JUST IMAGINE IF THE DEVILS MAKE THE GRAND FINAL?

They'll have to make 2 papers for the day - one with normal news and one about the VFL Grand Final!

We'd never hear the end of it if they made it.

 

[Barge]

We'd never hear the end of it if they made it.

Or worse still - if they WON!

Trust me, footy in Tasmania would never be the same!

All of a sudden they'd think we're capable of playing in the AFL!

 

[RiverinAFL]

A total of 6400 people attended the three other VFL finals at the weekend.
A crowd of 10,176 turned out at Bellerive, underlining the massive support for the Tasmanian Devils.

From the article where 6,400 attended the 3 other finals that means only 2,000 saw the 2 Melbourne games, as 4100 went to Bendigo