Page 8 The Moorabool News – 12 July, 2022
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Former Devil leads Victorian team By Lachlan Ellis A Darley teen was named captain of the Victoria Country football team, leading the side to a big win in Queensland. Aaron Cadman also plays for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels in the NAB League, and was added to the NAB AFL Academy squad in May. Mr Cadman is 18-years-old and led Vic Country to a comfortable 33-point win against the Allies on Sunday 3 July at the Gabba, contributing 2 goals 3 points of Country’s 10.15 (75) final score. He said it was a privilege to have been named captain and deemed worthy of leading the Vic Country squad. “It’s an honour really, to captain those boys…we’ve got a ripping group of boys down there, and we all get along really well. To be named captain, and be seen as a leader in that group, is just an honour, it’s really good,” Mr Cadman told the Moorabool News. “The support from Darley is really good, everyone’s always supporting me and getting around me. Whenever I’m at
training people say congratulations, every time I go on Facebook the Darley footy club have posted something. I really appreciate everyone’s support.” A towering 194 cm figure with strong hands, and over two goal average in the NAB League this season, some sources predict Cadman will be one of the top 20 picks in the upcoming AFL Draft – but he isn’t letting that go to his head. “I hope I’ll get drafted, but you never know what’ll happen. You never know, still got a long way to go. But it’d be unreal… I’ve been waiting for that moment my whole life, putting in the hard yards, to see it all pay off would be incredible,” he said. “It’s been harder playing against bigger bodies, but I just try to play my natural game and play on my instincts…but I think I’m fitting in pretty well.” Mr Cadman is also expected to captain Vic County against Western Australia (July 17) and Vic Metro (September, time TBC). He shares the role as co-captain with Jhye Clark from the Geelong Falcons. Both matches will air on the AFL website and Fox Footy.
Aaron Cadman has captained the Victorian Country Football team in Queensland. Photo – GWV Rebels
Pub push conviction By Lachlan Ellis
Trees for bees
By Carol Saffer
Farmers have until Sunday, 31 July, to apply for a Bee-Friendly Farming grant of up to $10,000. If farmers and land managers plant pollinator-friendly trees indigenous to their farms, Bee Friendly Farming will provide $1 for every tree planted. The grants are a partnership between the Wheen Bee Foundation, Bee Friendly Farming and One Tree Planted, which is providing $100,000 for the grants, with the target of planting 100,000 trees to increase pollinator habitat. Fiona Chambers, CEO of Wheen Bee Foundation, administrators of the grant program, said the tree grants support pollinators while also benefitting farmers. “Habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to bees and other pollinators,” Ms Chambers said. “Planting pollinator-friendly trees increases food for bees, provides essential habitat for them to breed and creates habitat corridors, reducing the distance they need to travel to forage. “This, in turn, helps farmers with healthier, more prolific pollinators and enhanced crop pollination outcomes.” Wheen Bee Foundation is a registered Australian charity promoting the importance of bees for food security, biodiversity and ecosystem health. It funds research and development activities that address bees’ national and global threats. The Foundation partners with One Tree Planted and Flow Hive in organising the grants program. The Bee Friendly Farming project recently celebrated its first anniversary in Australia, with over 30,000 hectares of farmland across Australia certified as Bee Friendly Farming (BFF). To be eligible to receive a tree grant, farms must be certified with BFF Grant amounts start at $1,000, which more than covers certification costs. Seventeen agriculture businesses in four states received grants totalling $48,600 to plant pollinator-friendly trees during the first year of the grant program. “The program was extremely successful last year, funding the establishment of 80ha of pollinator habitat across four states,” Ms Chambers said. To be eligible, farms must either be BFF certified or have a BFF certified application submitted and pending approval by the tree grant closing date. To apply for certification, go to beefriendlyfarming.org.au/categories/bff-certified To apply for tree grants, go to beefriendlyfarming.org.au/tree-grants-application Applications close at 5.00pm on Sunday, 31 July 2022.
A split-second decision to push someone at a Bacchus Marsh pub has landed a 19-yearold man a four figure fine. Magistrate Ronald Saines told the young man he’s lucky the victim wasn’t more severely injured. Brodie Souter appeared in-person at the Bacchus Marsh Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 June, represented by lawyer Tim Hancock, as he faced a charge of recklessly causing injury. The court heard that Mr Souter’s decision to push another man at Main Street hotel led to the victim fracturing two vertebrae. “The accused was at Flanagan’s having some drinks with friends. About 15 minutes past midnight on 19 June, the victim had a verbal argument with the accused, which started with some banter. The accused was overheard saying something to a male, ‘If I hit this guy will you back me up’. The accused has then struck out, pushing the victim in the chest area…he was caught offguard and hit his head on a table,” Police Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Clare Kane told the court. “This was captured on CCTV. The victim was taken to Bacchus Marsh Hospital complaining of neck pain. After an initial assessment, he was taken to Sunshine via ambulance for further investigations. Scans conducted at the Sunshine Hospital revealed the victim had sustained a fracture to his CT and C3 vertebrae. He was fitted with a neck brace, which stayed in place between 6 and 12 weeks to assist in healing it,” LSC Kane said. Mr Hancock said his client made full admissions to recklessly causing injury, and was remorseful for his actions.
“This was another one of those instances in the context of alcohol consumption and young men, which can often end in very different circumstances. Perhaps this is mercifully one of those situations where a millimetre difference means we’re here, and not having this conversation in a committal strain…the seriousness of this is most certainly not lost on Mr Souter,” Mr Hancock said. “By his own admission, excessive alcohol was consumed. A group of two men got together, banter, barbs, and jabs were exchanged…in a split-second hazed decision, Mr Souter has pushed the victim who has fallen back and struck his head. “He [Mr Souter] sees the disappointment he’s caused to his family and the injury he’s caused to the complainant. He’s been very upset, disappointed, and let down with himself on how he acted at the time,” Mr Hancock concluded. Given the “long working life ahead” of Mr Souter as a 19-year-old, Mr Hancock asked Magistrate Ronald Saines not to record a conviction. But Magistrate Saines was not convinced that no conviction should be recorded, based on the youth and otherwise good reputation of Mr Souter. “I accept that the offending lacked intent to harm in any significant way. I accept that the offending was entirely spontaneous. However, to the extent that it is an act that involved the hospitalisation of a person…hospitalising someone is a serious consequence of your offending. I am satisfied that the court must express denunciation. That is by means of recording a conviction against you,” Magistrate Saines said. On top of the conviction, Mr Souter was fined $1000, and ordered to pay $85.70 in court costs.