SPORT Seagull star thrown an AFL lifeline
Michael Gibbons has one last chance to make it on to an AFL list next season after being invited to train with Carlton. (Damian Visentini)
The AFL door remains slightly ajar for Williamstown midfielder Michael Gibbons. There have been howls of discontent from players, coaches and supporters in the Victorian Football League after Gibbons was once again overlooked at the AFL’s national and rookie drafts, despite him being the VFL’s best-and-fairest player. There are no promises for the dual JJ Liston Trophy winner, but now Gibbons at least has hope after Carlton invited him to train with its team, along with former Dandenong Stingrays youngster Matthew Cottrell. The pair will vie for vacant spots on Carlton’s 2019 playing list. Gibbons can train with Carlton until the playing lists are finalised. The Blues will have to lodge their final squad by March 15. Gibbons was the king of the coal face in the VFL last season, averaging seven clearances a game. The 23-year-old averaged 28.6 disposals and 12 contested possessions. If Gibbons impresses and is signed by Carlton, he would become the fourth Williamstown player to be taken by an AFL club this year following the drafting of Ben Cavarra to the Western Bulldogs and Lachie Schultz and Brett Bewley to Fremantle. Should Gibbons not land on Carlton’s list, he will head back to Williamstown for the 2019 season.
Only hours before the news of the Carlton training invitation broke, Williamstown confirmed its star asset had re-signed. While Gibbons will be striving towards a spot on Carlton’s list, he will not put the cart before the horse and is excited about returning to Williamstown should an AFL spot not eventuate. “I love this club,” he said. “We are all striving for team success and hopefully we can build on what we did this year and go one step further.” In other signing news, Williamstown has brought in North Heidelberg trio Liam Hunt, Jesse Tardio and Jhye Baddeley-Kelly. Hunt, a former Northern Knights and Coburg inside midfielder, won the best-and-fairest at North Heidelberg last season. Tardio, also a midfielder, spent two seasons on the Northern Blues’ list after graduating from the Northern Knights. Baddeley-Kelly is a half-back who has risen up through community football. Williamstown general manager of football Stephen Soulsby was thrilled with the triple swoop. “Both Liam and Jesse wanted to return to VFL footy and it is great to have them come on board,” Soulsby said. “They will also add valuable support to Jhye in his first opportunity at VFL level.” Lance Jenkinson
Dogs miss by two runs By Lance Jenkinson An excruciating two-run loss has not dampened Footscray’s enthusiasm for the inaugural Super Slam Twenty20 tournament. The Bulldogs needed 12 runs to win off the last over against Essendon but just fell short in a thriller at Merv Hughes Oval. Bulldogs coach Stan Nell praised both sets of players for the show they put on. “It was a really good game of cricket,” he said. “Two very competitive sides. “We just fell short by a couple of runs, so we’re disappointed, but life goes on.” The T20 competition has extra significance for Premier Cricket clubs this summer. The top two sides in the competition will go on to play in a T20 tournament in Adelaide next year. Footscray’s hopes are still alive, but the loss to the Bombers means it cannot put a foot wrong in its remaining matches. While the Bulldogs have the one win, two of their matches were washed out and re-scheduled, so they can make up ground on the back of those results. “We’re behind two games, so if we win those two games we’re a chance to play in the final in our conference,” Nell said. “It’s become a case of having to win every game.” While the carrot of playing in the Super Slam finals in Adelaide is enticing, Footscray is not approaching the competition as cut-throat. The Bulldogs have opted to blood their youngsters in the competition and have not brought in a marquee player, which is allowed in this competition. “We’re playing all our club players,” Nell said. “We don’t have any imports and we’re not trying to be something that we’re not. “It’s a good opportunity for us to give some of the younger players an opportunity to play senior cricket and for us to have a look at them in action. “It gives them a chance to get a feel for what it’s like to play at that level.” One youngster who impressed for Footscray in the defeat to Essendon was opening batsman Nathan Caulfield. Set 159 for victory, Caulfield got the Bulldogs
IN THE DOGHOUSE ■ The successful bid by the Western Melbourne Group for an A-League team to be based in Tarneit is massive for sport in the west on so many levels. The purpose-built stadium and the associated facilities that will be part of the precinct won’t cost locals a cent and will bring not only an international sporting organisation to the west but much more. It was a bold bid and in the end I think that was what got them over the line. The ignorance of some of the comments from alleged experts regarding the Western Melbourne Group bid was incredible. The way some described it you would have thought the new stadium was being built in a remote, desolate enclave rarely seen by any civilised beings as opposed to Tarneit, a vibrant suburb with a growing population and facilities. Wyndham council backed the bid by gifting the land in-principal, a bold move and one they should feel good about. We all know there are needs and demands for money and support in other areas but the economic benefit of this to the City of Wyndham in particular will be enormous. ■ David Hayes knows horse flesh, as proven by his incredible training feats over decades in the racing industry. He obviously knows a bit about footy as well as he talked his son Will into not hanging up his boots at the end of 2017 and giving his dream one more shot. It paid off as Will won the Footscray VFL best and fairest, went on to be drafted to the Bulldogs in November and now is a professional footballer. Will and the other future stars of the club have been introduced to members and supporters at recent end of year functions. Will is a football stayer, having spent five years in the VFL system waiting for his chance. Williamstown coach Andy Collins spoke last week about the number of AFL-ready players in the VFL, citing Jack Charleston at the Seagulls as another who should get a chance. ■ I would like to wish all readers a very merry Christmas and a happy and safe new year. My thanks to those individuals and clubs who have contacted me during the year with news and stories. This column is all about the people who play, follow and are engaged in sports in the western suburbs. Thanks again to Westpoint Ford for their ongoing support which started on day one with Chris Byrne and continues with Daniel McKenzie, the new dealer principal into 2019.
Kevin Hillier Any news, let me know on email kevin@howdypartnersmedia.com.au. Follow me on Twitter @KevinHillier, plus check out the Howdy Partners Media website as well.
Dylan Kight has been a mark of consistency for Footscray this season. (Damjan Janevski)
off to a cracking start with 48 off 32, combining for a 76-run opening stand with veteran Dean Russ, who made 28 off 24. The duo of Dylan Kight (32 not out off 23) and Hamish Winter-Irving (26 off 16) got Footscray within touching distance, but the
30 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY \ DECEMBER 19, 2018
run rate just became too much to maintain grip in the end. Nell was not too perturbed by the result. “You can over-analyse it sometimes, but we played a good game and so did Essendon, but they came out on top,” he said.
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