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Night game to open EFL’s new season opportunity to showcase the new lights. Hopefully, we get a big crowd as well.’’ The EFL released it season fixture on Monday with all four divisions to start on April 13. The Waters and Lions split their two matches last season and with Winterton being a former Mulgrave player. ‘‘We split our matches last year, they beat us on our ground and we beat them on their ground,’’ he said. While the Waters train under lights for much of the season, Winterton said playing under lights would be a different experience and he may seek out a night practice match in preparation for round one. Winterton said the Waters were close to signing several recruits. Rowville will make its debut in division 1 with a much-anticipated clash with Vermont at Seebeck Oval with former Hawks playing coach Kris Barlow leading the Eagles against Hawks coach Paul Mynott. The EFL has announced at
BY ROY WARD BAYSWATER Oval’s lights will open the new Eastern Football League season with a night match on April 12. The newly christened lights have been used twice by Bayswater Cricket Club after coming on line during the spring and the football club had long planned to play at least one night match with possibly more to follow. The Waters will play rivals Mulgrave in a match which will be highly anticipated with both sides aiming for finals campaigns in 2013. Waters coach Neil Winterton said he and his side were looking forward to the match and hoped to play in front of a finals-sized crowd with no AFL game in Melbourne that night. ‘‘It’s something different which we will be looking forward to,’’ he said. ‘‘We haven’t played too much night footy over the past few years, so it will be a really good
Lights up: Bayswater Oval, pictured during cricket season, will host a night match between Bayswater and Mulgrave to open the EFL division 2 season on April 12. Picture: Wayne Hawkins least three games will be played on Anzac Day, highlighted by Mooroolbark’s twilight clash with Waverley Blues. EFL football operations manager Phil Murton said clubs were asking for more rivalry matches in an attempt to grow crowds. ‘‘Apart from the constraints we put in with the seeded draw in Divisions 1, 3 and 4, clubs are
looking to maximise crowds and develop rivalries, so they are requesting more specific matchups than ever before,’’ he said. ‘‘We believe our four-division structure gives all clubs the opportunity to find a grade that suits where its aspirations are at that time.’’ The full fixtures for all four divisions are available at efl.org.au
10-man Chile makes it into cup semi-finals CHILE co-coach Victor Villella admits he didn’t give his side much hope when it was down to 10 men against Albania in the Knox All Nations Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. With the Albanians ahead 2-1 midway through the second half, the Chileans, in just their second year in the cup, had a man sent off. But instead of falling in a heap, Chile pulled together and found two goals from striker Daryl Roach to pull ahead 3-2. That goal looked enough until the Albanians found a goal in the final minutes to send the game into extra time at 3-3. The two sides looked destined for a penalty shootout until Roach popped up again with just minutes left in the second half of extra time to score the winner and send the South Americans into the final four
FINALFOUR KNOX ALL NATIONS CUP Semi-finals Scotland v Ireland, 1pm Sunday Serbia v Chile, 3pm Sunday Both matches at the Knox Regional Soccer Centre, Wantirna South.
with a 4-3 win. Villella said his side went crazy after scoring the goal, which ended the match under the golden goal rule. ‘‘Everyone was running onto the pitch, it was a great atmosphere,’’ he said. ‘‘Albania is always up there in his competition and with only 10 men I didn’t think we could do it.
‘‘The whole team played well. We had a good, even spread from everyone in the side and our striker, Daryl, scored a hat-trick.’’ While making the semi-finals is a new achievement for Chile, Villella knows the competition won’t get any easier with his side to face Serbia in the semifinals on Sunday. Reigning champions Scotland will play Ireland in the other semi-final. Villella said he gave his side every chance of getting through the final if they put in another effort like they did against Albania. ‘‘We know we have the quality in our side, all the players play at a high level. ‘‘This year, the boys have a good bond and the way they have gelled together and shown a will to win has made the difference.’’ — Roy Ward
EFL honours league stalwarts with life memberships THEY filled posts at club level, the tribunal and at the very top of the Eastern Football League. Last week, the league honoured three long-time servants with life memberships at its annual meeting in East Ringwood. Former EFL chairman Steve Jones, former tribunal chairman Bob Murray and former EFL deputy chairman and Ringwood committee member Bruce Peak were presented with life memberships for their services to the league. Jason Wade, Aaron Nummy, Dion Festini, Stuart Wynd, Jeff Hall and Marc Hardy were also given life memberships after passing 300 EFL matches during the 2012 season. Jones said he was honoured to be recognised. “I didn’t know anything about it until they invited me to the night,” said Jones, who played for Ring[ 22 ] KNOX WEEKLY – YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE
wood and coached Chirnside Park in the VAFA. “It was terrific to receive, a good honour.” Jones was chairman of the league between 2003 and 2008 and still sits on the league’s appeals board. Peak started as a Ringwood Football Club board member before joining the EFL board where he spent 15 years helping expand the league. Murray was a long-time tribunal member and tribunal chairman until the 2011 season. Jones said he felt great pride in seeing the EFL continue to grow. “I think it has just continued to grow from strength to strength,” he said. “That has been a good, consistent pattern since the early days. “In all my days it is the best-run sporting organisation I’ve ever come across.’’
December 5, 2012
Life member: EFL chairman Graham Halbish, right, presents life membership to former league chairman Steve Jones last week.
INBRIEF Rowville wins Rowville Senior College girls basketball team opened their national schools championships campaign with a win over Caulfied Grammar on Monday night. Rowville won the match 67-60 at the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South and will play its remaining group matches this week before the finals on Friday. Mikaela Dickson led Rowville with 15 points and Monique Lyth added 14 and Emily Rider 13 points and 12 rebounds. The tournament continues at the SBC, Knox Stadium and Kilsyth Stadium this week.
SEABL draw released KNOX Raiders will open the next South East Australian Basketball League with a visit to old rivals Bendigo Braves. The Raiders men and women will visit Bendigo Stadium on March 15. The SEABL put out its fixtures for the men’s and women’s competitions last week with no games scheduled for the Easter weekend and Queen’s Birthday weekend Knox Raiders will play Frankston in a newly-minted game to celebrate US Indendence Day on July 4. The league also hosted its annual meeting on Saturday with board member Jim Milligan not seeking reappointment and being replaced, unopposed, by Parveen Batish from Sandringham. Former Raiders chief executive Simon Brookhouse was reappointed league chairman for two more years and the league also decided to give New Zealand-born players the same status as Australian born players beginning in season 2014.