News coming out of Pre Season training !

[The Crows Nest]

Just wondering if any news coming out of clubs from the pre season. The Crows look good plenty of numbers and plenty of young blokes down there , on top of the old veterans which is good. Crows look good this year in all three grades !!!!! HOT TIP !!

Just wondering how other clubs were travelling , how new recruits are fitting in , new coaches going etc. Any news ?

[NorthShoreAngel]

i cant wait till the season its going to be great

[Tiger Cub]

Preseason

The Tigers have started training for 2006. It is a very young squad with a number of new players. Players are coming up from the Balmain 18's and several coming over from Riverview to play with the club. Looks like a redevelopment year but if we are able to recruit a few more experienced players the TIges might be a bit of a dark horse. In any case they are supporting Sydney juniors as they move into Sydney football.

[Scooped]

Good to hear Tiger Cub. Some of the Riverview guys can play, they had some fine talent on display in the GF last year. Where do all of the Riverview graduates end up? Didn't they have a few in the RAMS squad in 05'.

[Tiger Cub]

Riverview players

There is certainly some talent at the school. Not sure how many they had in the RAMS program last season but I believe they may have several again this season (from speaking with the boys). In terms of where the players end up when they have finished seems to depend on the coach. Apparently a lot of the players went over to Pennant Hills when Penno was involved with the school. A player from Tigerland coached them last season so several have come over due to that link.

[trouble]

tigers have got to be odds on favourite for wooden spoon wouldnt they, they have still lost some players again havent they?

[Tiger Cub]

Wooden Spoon

It is always hard to tell how a club is going to go this early in the season. Although the Tiges have lost a few players they have also gained a couple (as is the tendancy in Sydney Football). As I have mentioned in my previous posts it is going to be a very young side and it will be interesting to see how the boys adjust to senior football.

Needless to say with the Riverview U18's (1st last season) combining with the Balmain U18's (6th last season) there will be an overall improvement in the senior football at the club this season. I am sure this will be enough to get Balmain off the bottom.

In terms of new players Craig Morrison returns to the club after playing in a premiership side in Geelong, a very good player who will bring some experience and versatility to the side.

Looking forward to seeing what 2006 will bring!

[Rafters]

Wollongong Lions are on the lookout for some quality players to back up lots of talented young fellas who are looking for a bit of guidance/direction following the retirement of club legend Trev Burnett at the end of last season.

Those interested should contact Leigh Forsyth (0413 603 203) & he will fill you in on the plans for the club this season.

I am sure that he will make provisions for those that live in Sydney and would struggle to make training.

As Club of the Year points shows, you will hardly find a better run club than the Lions. The committee is a non-playing one with some excellent brains amongst them.

Makes it alot easier to focus on just footy when you only need to bother about showing up & not need to bother about politics etc etc.

Footy ground facilities at North Dalton Oval are continuously improving - mainly thanks to the club's efforts which continued over the off-season.

[Pekay]

All the best to Trevor Burnett in his life after footy...Phelan,Snow Podbury Medallist-he was only short a Coleman and Brownlow!!! Do the Lions look at any talent from the South Coast FL,or do the better players from the district make their way to Dalton anyway Rafters?

[Rafters]

Originally posted by Pekay
Do the Lions look at any talent from the South Coast FL,or do the better players from the district make their way to Dalton anyway Rafters?

No idea - I think it would be a natural progression for a good player to head to the Lions now that they are in Premier League. By all means if you know of a few diamonds in that league let us know & I will get the recruitment squad onto them.

[tigers_town]

IF you want some guns look for some quality youth to come through. Tigers and Crows have heaps of it this year so perhaps you should start there!!!!!!!

I think Tigers will definetly be in the mix this year !!!!

SO to the Crows Macdougall , Santarossa , Holmes , @@@@ens , Harper all quality and it wouldnt surprise me if some clubs have a word to them.

[Pekay]

NOR-WEST JETS IN DIVISION 2 2006

As the title says,the Nor-West Jets will compete in the Sydney AFL Division 2 for season 2006.With a deadline set by the League, and agreed to by us,we worked hard over the off season to meet the criteria put forward.Unfortunately,we could not meet the early January deadline,so have been put into Division 2 again.With a strong off field team ready to go(what we lacked last year)we head into 2006 as Defending Premiers of 2nd Div,with the aim to return to Division 1 in 2007.I would like to thank all at the League for their continued support of the Jets,in particular Brett Pettersen and Bob Robinson.We look forward to the challenges on and off the field that present themselves,and to those in Division 2,SEE YOU ON THE PADDOCK.Pekay.

[shearer]

Tigertown,

Im sure most clubs would love to have those young guys play for them but i assure you they are playing with St George in 2006.

As a club that is proud of the fact that it produces its own we are not suprised that many clubs want to speak to our kids and offer them the world.

We see it as a compliment and while we understand that the league is an extremely cut throat competition now, when it comes to keeping the juniors that we want to develop further we will make sure that we do keep them.

Good luck with Balmain this year.

[Norris Lurker]

Originally posted by NorthShoreAngel
i cant wait till the season its going to be great

And to help you plan for the new season, the 2006 draw is now out for premier division. Some key features from the draw are:

* The season starts on Saturday 8th April, but then takes a week off over the Easter weekend. For Wests, who have the bye in round 2, it means a long break between their first and second games. North Shore's first-round bye means they have a much lesser break than other clubs between their first 2 games.
* Henson Park is again used as a showpiece ground, and hosts 11 H&A games plus the finals. The home & away games will all be played under lights, with 5 games starting at 6:30 and 6 as 4:00 twilight games.
* East Coast Eagles play their home games at Kelso Oval in 2006.
* Ground work at the Village Green will see it out of action in the second half of the season, with UNSW-ES playing home games at Alan Davidson, David Phillips Field and Henson Park.
* The first weekend in July is a general bye, with a rep game to be scheduled for that weekend.
* The grand final will be held on Saturday 9th September.

The opening round fixtures, on Saturday 8th April, are:
East Coast v Campbelltown (Kelso, 2pm)
Wollongong v Balmain (North Dalton, 2pm)
UNSW-ES v St George (Village Green, 2pm)
Wests v Pennant Hills (Henson Park, 6:30pm)
North Shore - bye.

It should be up on the Sydney AFL website by now, but if it isn't and anyone hasn't seen it and wants a copy, PM me with your email address & I'll send it through.

[NorthShoreAngel]

excellent thanks for that