The Premiership flag flies high

Port defeated Werribee in our first home game 22 16 148 to 14 5 89.

Council meeting at South Melbourne Town Hall 14 February 2012

The J L Murphy Reserve Masterplan will be presented to Council on Tuesday with a recommendation that it be adopted, and confirming that the Hobson's Bay Obedience Dog Club will be provided with a facility in the Garden City Reserve. Key features of the plan are the creation of a wetland to store water for irrigating sporting grounds, more opportunities for exercise for people who do not play organised sports, and the creation of a new soccer pitch [towards Williamstown Rd]. To access the reports, click here. Already, the soccer club cannot accommodate everybody who would like to play. With the Port population and participation in soccer increasing, a new pitch is badly needed. From my point of view, Murphy's Reserve is the most run down of all Port Phillip's parks, and seriously needs investment. Works already undertaken based on the Masterplan, such as the perimeter path and the extension to Dig In community garden, are already bringing more people into the Reserve.
Update: The J L Murphy Reserve Masterplan was adopted with a strengthened recommendation about calming traffic in Williamstown Road through working with VicRoads on introducing angle parking on the Reserve side of the road. Submittors highlighted the central importance of securing water for the Reserve. A number of people also addressed Council about the draft Port Melbourne UDF.

Talking tennis

Did you know that the tennis courts have not always been in their present location off Swallow St, in Morris Reserve. They used to be at Garden City Reserve. The courts were built in response to the requests of the Garden City Progress Association for sporting facilities for the residents of the newly built Bank Houses. The first court was opened in 1931 and the second some years later when more funds became available. The courts remained in use for several decades until superseded by the current courts with more modern facilities. Apparently, the Garden City courts were very windy.[source: Garden City Reserve History prepared for the City of Port Phillip, Heritage Alliance 2005] The Port Melbourne Tennis Club welcomes players of all ages and abilities.

Fishermens Bend Gymnastics Club is outstanding

The FBGC held their end of year display over two nights this week. The Club is bursting at the seams of the hall and can't accommodate all the interest. FBGC was also the winner in the sporting clubs category of the Greenhouse Games, an initiative of Sustainability Victoria, and won $2,000! Organisations or groups sign up households for an eight week challenge to reduce energy and resource use. Here is dedicated and devoted coach Maya and gymnast with the award.

Whatever has happened to the bowler?

Almost crashed the bike when riding along Spring St this morning to see that the Port Melbourne Bowling Club has been painted a grey/green colour. It will take me a while to get used to even though I know the Club is troubled by repeated graffiti attacks.

A champion team ...

photo David Thompson

'We did it for you, we did it for Port Melbourne' - said captain John Baird after Port defeated Williamstown in the VFL Grand Final 22 12 144 to 13 10 88. A stand alone Club won against a team fielding 15 AFL listed players.

Grand Final Day - Port vs Williamstown

The game begins at 2.15 at Etihad. In their last encounter in Round 20, the results were Port Melbourne 17 17 119 d Williamstown 16 18 114. There seems to be as much interest in Gary Ayres future as in the result of the game.

The Borough make front page news!

The City of Port Phillip homepage now features rotating images from around Port Phillip. When I went to the website this evening, I was greeted with 'Go Borough'. Click on 1 to get the Borough.

Into the Grand Final!

Port defeated the Bullants by 22 points and will play Williamstown in next Sunday's Grand Final. At three quarter time this result seemed far from certain and the possibility of a draw was actively discussed. Following the nail biting pattern of some previous games, Port made an intensely accelerated effort in the final quarter to win 18.19.127 to 16.9.105

The Borough meet the Bullants

Tomorrow Port Melbourne meet the Northern Bullants in a preliminary final at North Port Oval. The sides met previously in Round 4: Port Melbourne 21.9.135 d Bullants 18.3.111, and in Round 21: Port Melbourne 20.11.131 d Bullants 15.8.98. Port Melbourne hasn't met the Bullants [and its predecessor Preston] since the 1982 Grand Final when Port Melbourne won by 7 points. The game begins at 2.10 pm at North Port Oval. For more, click here.

Straying to South just for one post

South Melbourne Athletic Club scored first and third in the half marathon run around Richmond Boulevard on Sunday - the best result ever for the club at this distance. First was Reuben Kosgei, a resident of Kenya who runs for South when he's in Melbourne and third was Wondwosen Geleta, formerly of Ethiopia, who is awaiting citizenship in this country. Wondwosen is also the current Victorian marathon champion. And there they are in the South Melbourne colours - nearly as good as the red and the blue. [thanks Peter Logan]

VFL news

as reported by Brent Diamond*: 'Port Melbourne's relentless run and centre-clearance work mesmerised the Casey Scorpions, with the Borough winning yesterday's qualifying final by 97 points and taking another step towards being the first stand alone team to win the flag in the AFL affiliate era.' Port Melbourne 24 16 160 to Casey 9 9 63. I love Brent's commentary, but I wish he wouldn't say things like that. *The Sunday Age Sport p16

Its a grand old flag

Port's chances of going undefeated through the season looked in doubt this afternoon at the end of the third quarter. However, they found reserves of energy and determination to win 14 11 95 to Box Hill Hawks 11 9 75. It was an anxious final quarter. Port is the first team since Williamstown in 1957 to go through a season undefeated.

Finely balanced

110 gymnasts over 3 sessions participated in today's Fishermens Bend Gymnastics Club competition. The hall was packed with supporters and a sausage sizzle and cake stall meant everyone was well looked after. It was great to see the Centre so alive with activity. The Club, which has operated at the Fishermens Bend Community Centre for over 20 years, is thriving. The hall is now too small to accommodate the number and range of programs offered by the Gymnastics Club.

'Can we get a grand final like that?

'Port went from 3 goals ahead to just 5 points. Willie gets a free kick in defence. It's several minutes after the half hour in the last quarter. 2 kicks later the ball is sailing into the Williamstown inside fifty and the ABC flicks back to the studio for the 4pm program', writes a Port Focus correspondent. The final result was Port Melbourne 17 17 119 d Williamstown 16 18 114. Tweeters were not happy: 'Not happy - there was about 2 minutes to go', 'Can we get a grand final like that - better off asking the ABC if they'll show the whole thing', 'ABC makes an extraordinary decision to cut Williamstown-Port Melb game at 33 min mark of last term'. 'What what? ABC take VFL off the air at 32 minute mark in the 4th quarter with 5 points in it with Willi in the fwd line.'

Port vs Williamstown tomorrow away

Football commentators capture the mood: "September aside, it does not get any bigger than this. Williamstown and Port Melbourne. First versus second at Avalon Airport Oval." [source Sam Landsberger in the Herald Sun] Click here for more.

Port vs Sandringham: the final score

Mental toughness was once again required to overcome a Sandringham strengthened with several St Kilda players. Port pulled away in the final quarter in a tense game. In the words of Paul Amy: "It was all about Ryan McMahon's 200th senior match for Port Melbourne ... After an uncertain start Sandy threatened to turn celebrations into commiserations. Down by 33 points in the second quarter they persisted and grabbed the lead early in the final term with rookie spearhead Matthew Boland's fifth goal. A stunning upset loomed in a meeting of an unbeaten team and an opponent coming off a howler of a match in which it kicked only two goals. The Borough had been sluggish ... but they scrapped out their 14th consecutive win." [Port Phillip Leader Tuesday July 26 2011]

One more week undefeated

Now I do not understand footy enough to offer an opinion, but at half time in the game between Port Melbourne and the Bendigo Bombers I was worried. Opinions around the ground offered were [from a Bombers supporter] 'we have a way of annoying you', to people attributing the recent bye to the indifferent result at half time. At three quarter time, Gary Ayres invoked 'mental toughness' as the quality for his players to mobilise to win the game. The final result was Port Melbourne 18 16 124 to the Bendigo Bombers 12 11 83.

Port remains unbeaten

" ... Port Melbourne blew Collingwood and its finals hopes away with an eight goal final term to win by 48 points at Victoria Park." [Brent Diamond Sunday Age Sport p13]

Port vs Geelong

Port beat Geelong by 41 points yesterday at North Port Oval and remains unbeaten in the competition this season. I wasn't there so can you tell - was there anything memorable about the game?