0 daily readers
rank of 9494
Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:
|
|
|
Sourced: The Examiner
by Phil Edwards
SOUTH Launceston yesterday welcomed two South African recruits for the 2011 season in an innovative State League football recruiting coup.
Twenty-year old Tshoboko Jonviss Moagi, of Johannesburg, and Cape Town's 25-year old Khayalethu Yandisa Sikiti have been brought to join the club by Bulldogs president Ian Goninon.
South Launceston senior coach Dale Chugg welcomes South African recruits Tshoboko Jonviss Moagi, 20, of Johannesburg, and Khayalethu Yandisa Sikiti, 25, of Cape Town. Picture: GEOFF ROBSON
Goninon hatched the radical plan while on a visit to South Africa during the last soccer World Cup.
The AFL is actively promoting Aussie Rules in South Africa.
Sikiti played in an international AFL series held in Australia in 2008.
"I thought why not try it and approached the AFL and they told me to grab these two players," Goninon said.
"Moagi and Sikiti are both gifted athletes in a number of sports, so I am keen to see how they go on the footy field."
Both African recruits will be involved in working and training around the club with Bulldogs recruit Mitch Thorp for the next four months.
South Launceston coach Dale Chugg said it was a unique situation and suggested the two recruits could play senior State League football this season.
"It's great that the two want to play football and I am certainly looking forward to helping them develop as players and teaching them the finer points of the game," he said.
Sikiti has been described as an exciting prospect and a smaller version of Collingwood's Harry O'Brien with speed, athleticism and attacking run from defence.
Moagi is a nuggety defender-centreman who is strong and tough for his size.
Goninon said the club looked at the recruitment program as a long-term project.
It aims to bring the two players back for a longer nine-month period including pre- season in 2012 or replacement players if they are not available.
Both Sikiti and Moagi will be involved in the South African national team playing a series in Australia in August.
Goninon and South coaches will look at other potential recruits during that time and discuss future recruitment links with South African officials.
Sourced: The Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania
by Adam Smith
MOST pundits predict South Launceston to again be in contention for the State League wooden spoon in 2011 but boom recruit Mitch Thorp has warned: Beware the Bulldog.
South has struggled in the first two years of the TSL, winning just five games and finishing last in both seasons.
Mitch Thorp says South Launceston is ready to climb the TSL ladder. Picture: ROSS MARSDEN
But after landing former AFL Hawk Thorp, there is renewed optimism at Youngtown Oval.
Thorp had three frustrating years at Hawthorn, playing just two AFL matches as his body continually let him down.
Now feeling injury-free and fit, the 22-year-old is confident his young Pups can cause a few headaches when the State League season starts in a couple of weeks.
"I'm really excited, I'm back playing with my brothers [Cody and Beau], I've never played with my two youngest brothers and to play with the group of young guys we have got is something I'm really looking forward to," Thorp said at the TSL launch in Launceston yesterday.
"No-one gives us a chance at all in 2011 except for the guys training at South and the coach and everyone involved with the club.
"To sneak under the guard of the better teams is a challenge I'm really looking forward to and I know the club is as well."
After being delisted by the Hawks at the end of 2009, the former No. 6 draft pick spent 2010 playing with VFL side Werribee.
The key forward admitted he nearly stayed in Melbourne this season, but the lure of walking onto the field with his brothers was too good to ignore.
However he has not given up hopes of again hitting the AFL, with the likes of Jeromey Webberley [Richmond] and Jeremy Howe [Melbourne] both making the AFL system directly from the State League.
"I was very close to staying in Melbourne, if it wasn't for my relationship with my brothers, we are pretty close, I would have definitely stayed.
"I just turned 22, Ian Callinan was 28 when he got drafted, James Podsiadly was 28 [too].
"Although it [an AFL return] is not at the forefront of my mind, it's something I will keep striving for. I will train really hard and we are more professional at the club now.
"There is no pressure at all, the shackles are off and I can just go and play as good football as I can and hopefully the club does well.
"My body is the best it's ever been. Hopefully that holds me in good stead for 2011."
Sourced: ABC News Hobart
Former Hawthorn footballer Mitch Thorp will line up for South Launceston in the Tasmanian Football League next season.
The number six pick in the 2006 AFL National Draft spent last season playing with Werribee in the Victorian Football League after being delisted by the Hawks.
21-year-old Thorp says he is excited to be at the club.
"Up and coming club, very enthusiastic group of young adults that want to do well so that's something that I'm interested in, hopefully I can help them do that."
The club's Football manager Andrew Keegan says Thorp's experience will give a boost to the Bulldogs, who finished the 2009 season at the bottom of the ladder.
"We've got a young playing group that need a bit of experience behind them and Mitch is definitely going to give us that, especially with his AFL experience, and just having that extra height down in the forward line that's really going to benefit our smaller running players," Mr Keegan said.
The club has also announced Thorp's brothers, Cody and Beau, as recruits for next season.
The Dogs are opening their season this year against Cross-town rivals North Launceston art Aurora Stadium. A game that will be played underlights on a Friday Night sees finalists North Launceston looking to continue a run against the Dogs, the young Bulldogs under former Bombers legend Dale Chugg will hope to have a few wins this season.
As of now the only reported change for the Dogs in the loses has been Nick Buller who has headed to a Geelong league. North Launceston will be under new coach former Saints defender Jeff Dunne, but could be missing spear head forward Darren Crawford who has, as the rumours say up and left the club and headed to a regional league
[ Click here to read more ]
The Brisbane Lions have re-drafted former South Launceston ruckman Bart McCulloch today in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft. The Lions originally delisted the young Tasmanian, and offered him a lifeline again today. Bart wasn' the only former Tasmania to find his home back at his original AFL club, as Tom Hislop too was re-drafted by the Tigers.
Other Tasmanians to find homes today was Hobart's George Burbury who was training with the Saints, he was drafted by the Cats, and young Lauderdale Rucman Andrew Philips, he joins the Giants, alongside former Demon Sam Darley who was already pre-listed by the Giants
[ Click here to read more ]
After another season of failure for the young Dogs, new coach Dale Chugg will hang onto his position with the club. He is one of 7 coaches that have retained their jobs for the 2011 season, as the other clubs have announced their coaches are locked in. That means Brett Geappen (Clarence), Anthony Taylor (Launceston), Clinton Brown (North Hobart), Brent Plant (Burnie), Darren Winter (Lauderdale), and Graham Fox (Hobart) are all going to be coaching in 2011, while Glenorchy searches far and wide for their new coach and their northern rivals Devonport have advertised Errol Bourns job.
And North Launceston has officially terminated Paul Atkin's contract after just the one season.
South Launceston fans haven't had much to cheer about since the inception of the TSL, things have seemed to reach their worst for the Dogs. But this season the Bulldogs are going to see finals action, the Seniors may have won another Wooden Spoon but the Reserves are a chance to end this season with something good.
Some have seen the South Launceston side that leaped from the NTFL into the Tasmanian Football League as a serial underachiever. The Bulldogs share a rich history, but not really a successful one, South last one a premiership in 1999 that side were back to back premiers having won the premiership in 1998 beating East Devonport
[ Click here to read more ]
More Posts
7 Posts dating from August 2010
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
David Harding's Blogs
4689 Vote(s)
18 Comment(s)
62 Post(s)
3928 Vote(s)
9 Comment(s)
35 Post(s)
17185 Vote(s)
19 Comment(s)
249 Post(s)
50 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
5 Post(s)
41 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
1 Post(s)
939 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
13 Post(s)
1355 Vote(s)
8 Comment(s)
15 Post(s)
4642 Vote(s)
4 Comment(s)
41 Post(s)
4563 Vote(s)
47 Comment(s)
36 Post(s)
16857 Vote(s)
35 Comment(s)
206 Post(s)
|
|
|
Add Comments
Read More
