Ryan Monaghan is confident his Falcons team has what it takes to be a top-four side.
GEELONG Falcon Ryan Monaghan believes his team has what it takes to turn its season around.
The ninth-placed Falcons sit 2-3 after five rounds and hope to even the ledger when they meet Bendigo Pioneers at Skilled Stadium on Sunday.
“We know getting our record back to 3-3 is important to getting our season back on track so the chance to play finals football doesn’t slip away,” Monaghan said.
“If we wanted to be, we could be a top-four side, it’s just about getting the results that we know that we can get,” he said.
Monaghan said losing Associated Public School players like key position player Sam Gordon of Camperdown, and Colac link-up player Meyrick Buchanan to their Geelong Grammar commitments had shaken the team.
Monaghan, in his second year at the Falcons, has relished a shift from the midfield into the half-back line.
First-year Falcons coach Aaron Greaves shifted the 17-year-old after two rounds, and he has since produced a best and a second-best-on-ground performance.
“This year I’m enjoying it a bit more, last year I wasn’t sure if I was going to get a game, it’s stressful,” he said.
“This year I’m playing okay because I’ve got a bit more confidence in myself.”
Vic Country selection a possibility
by Ben MartinCOLAC district footballer Ryan Monaghan’s impressive start to the TAC Cup season has earned him a chance to represent the state.
The 17-year-old is one of 12 Geelong Falcons vying to represent Vic Country under former Essendon legend Scott Lucas at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships later this month.
Monaghan has taken part in trainings and an intra-squad practice match, with the next squad commitment on May 21.
The running defender, who represented Vic Country at the under-16 level in 2009, has well and truly put his hand up for selection after solidifying his spot in his second year with the Falcons.
He is averaging 19.6 disposals and 3.4 tackles and has made the best players in three of Geelong’s first five matches.
“But hopefully I’m presenting myself well to state selectors and the next couple of weeks I can keep playing all right football and put my hand up for state selection,” he said.
Other Colac district footballers in Vic Country’s training squad are Camperdown’s Fraser Lucas and Sam Gordon, Cobden’s Jackson Merrett, while Colac’s bottom-age Brody Mahoney and Dylan McCarthy are in the under-17 AFL Futures Academy.
Top umpire hunts new recruits
by Aidan FawkesCOLAC district umpires boss Luke McCarthy wants Colac Herald journalists and Hampden league boss Stephen Soulsby to be the next recruits to umpire football.
Mr McCarthy’s declaration came after a landmark weekend in which Colac District Football League chairman Peter Lucas took the whistle for the under-17 Colac Imperials-Forrest match.
“So far the two people I’ve spoken to who said yes they’ll do it are you and Pete,” McCarthy said on Sunday.
“I’m still working on a few other people but whether they will do it I’m not sure,” he said.
“Stephen was asked and at this stage he’s declined the offer.
“I’m further hopeful he’ll have a change of heart at some stage and come and give us, if not the Warrnambool umps, a hand.”
Mr McCarthy welcomed Lucas’ enthusiasm for the innovative idea and his conduct at Western Oval on Saturday.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the job he did,” he said.
“He was well respected by the players on the field and equally by the supporters of both clubs.”
Colac Imperials were comfortable winners of the match, saluting 20.13 (133) to 2.3 (15) against a rebuilding Forrest.
Young netballer impresses
by Lachlan Cowlishaw
Emily Murfitt is the second youngest netballer to play in an A Grade match for the Colac Tigers.
COLAC Tigers goaler Emily Murfitt has joined an elite group after her A Grade debut at the weekend.
Emily became the third 14-year-old A Grade debutant in Tigers netball history since the addition of netball to the Colac Football Club in 1987.
She joins current player Tahlia Jeffreys and former player Megan McCarthy as the only 14-year-olds to taste elite netball at Tiger land.
McCarthy holds the title as the youngest to debut at 14 years and three months.
Emily has experienced a meteoric rise from 15-and-under netball and her first hit-out with the senior side netted her 10 goals in the Tigers’ 48-38 loss against Leopold.
Tigers coach Courtney Cuolahan said player outs gave Emily an opportunity to play in the senior side.
“We had a few outs right across the board,” she said.
“She performed really well and handled the pressure and the physicality really well.”
Cuolahan indicated Emily would experience more time in A Grade.
Tigers B Grade coach Natalie Cuolahan said she was impressed with Emily’s performance in her sole B Grade appearance.
“The day she played she was very good,” she said.
“She is a very nice little player, she is only young and she will grow a little bit.”
The return of star goaler Bec Scott from representative duties might relegate Emily back to B Grade this week.
Colac district umpires boss Luke McCarthy wants Colac Herald journalists and Hampden league boss Stephen Soulsby to be the next recruits to umpire football.
Mr McCarthy’s declaration came after a landmark weekend in which Colac District Football League chairman Peter Lucas took the whistle for the under-17 Colac Imperials-Forrest match.
“So far the two people I’ve spoken to who said yes they’ll do it are you and Pete,” McCarthy said on Sunday.
“I’m still working on a few other people but whether they will do it I’m not sure,” he said.
“Stephen was asked and at this stage he’s declined the offer.
“From my personal point of view I’m quite disappointed.
“I’m further hopeful he’ll have a change of heart at some stage and come and give us, if not the Warrnambool umps, a hand.”
Mr McCarthy welcomed Lucas’ enthusiasm for the innovative idea and his conduct at Western Oval on Saturday.
He said Mr Lucas “did an absolutely fantastic job”.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the job he did,” he said.
“He was well respected by the players on the field and equally by the supporters of both clubs.
“It’s a fantastic thing to see.”
Colac Imperials were comfortable winners of the match, saluting 20.13 (133) to 2.3 (15) against a rebuilding Forrest.
Despite the margin, Mr McCarthy said he was also buoyed by the progress the Lions had made with their junior program.
“It’s very difficult for Forrest not having available 18 blokes each week, but they turned up and had an absolute red-hot crack,” he said.
“The story on the scoreboard didn’t tell the story of the game.
“The job they are doing is absolutely magnificent and as umpires we can’t commend them enough.”Colac district umpires boss Luke McCarthy wants Colac Herald journalists and Hampden league boss Stephen Soulsby to be the next recruits to umpire football.
Mr McCarthy’s declaration came after a landmark weekend in which Colac District Football League chairman Peter Lucas took the whistle for the under-17 Colac Imperials-Forrest match.
“So far the two people I’ve spoken to who said yes they’ll do it are you and Pete,” McCarthy said on Sunday.
“I’m still working on a few other people but whether they will do it I’m not sure,” he said.
“Stephen was asked and at this stage he’s declined the offer.
“From my personal point of view I’m quite disappointed.
“I’m further hopeful he’ll have a change of heart at some stage and come and give us, if not the Warrnambool umps, a hand.”
Mr McCarthy welcomed Lucas’ enthusiasm for the innovative idea and his conduct at Western Oval on Saturday.
He said Mr Lucas “did an absolutely fantastic job”.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the job he did,” he said.
“He was well respected by the players on the field and equally by the supporters of both clubs.
“It’s a fantastic thing to see.”
Colac Imperials were comfortable winners of the match, saluting 20.13 (133) to 2.3 (15) against a rebuilding Forrest.
Despite the margin, Mr McCarthy said he was also buoyed by the progress the Lions had made with their junior program.
“It’s very difficult for Forrest not having available 18 blokes each week, but they turned up and had an absolute red-hot crack,” he said.
“The story on the scoreboard didn’t tell the story of the game.
“The job they are doing is absolutely magnificent and as umpires we can’t commend them enough.”
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