Bentleigh FNC& Dragon Club Newsletter
June 2017 Edition:
Welcome to the 2nd Edition of the Bentleigh FNC & Dragon ClubNewsletter for 2017
Two months in and the club is well and truly in the grips of Melbourne winter sports madness. In this edition we shed some light on all of our Football & Netball side’s progress, recognise our sponsors, highlight what happening around the club socially acknowledge the milestones of BFNC players.
SPONSORS
Whilst we recognise and appreciate all of Bentleigh FNC sponsors, this edition we pay specific attention to the support that Bells Hotel in South Melbourne has provided the club. A new sponsor to the club this year, Bells Hotels offers a fantastic venue for any private function, date night or social catch up with friends. Please get behind them & support. Check out the link below.
Anyone looking at sponsoring the club please contact Brett Marshall on 0418 373 899
FOOTBALL
Seniors
In football some years provide an easy run all the way though and others are littered with hurdles all the way. It has been the latter story for Bentleigh so far in 2017, but there are signs it can be turned around.
Two consecutive wins over top five sides in East Malvern at home & Oakleigh Districts on their home ground the week before showed the capacity of our side when it musters full strength. Bentleigh managed to dictate terms from the start to finish and never let either East Malvern or Districts into the game. This week’s match Vs. Clayton away becomes a crucial match to continue this momentum.
However, the five weeks prior did not go to plan & we are currently sitting second last after eight games with just three wins & five losses, although just one game & percentage away from 4th spot. Injuries, suspensions and unavailability’s have bitten hard after a terrific start in Round 1 against St Pauls. We have often gone into matches with up to eight of our best twelve players on the sidelines.In that regard, Scott Lawry and our recruit Chris Johnson only played two games each in the first six weeks, and newly appointed skipper Tom Backman only played one.
But we have enough depth in our list combined with these players returning, to turn the situation around.There have been some excellent performers in the meantime such as ruckman Andrew Walsh and defender Kayne O’Brien. Whilst Brodie Lawford has shown steadfast form and Chris “Snorter” Yenofkian had stood out among the younger brigade. In the last couple of weeks new mid-field recruit Tom Massey has also added to our strength.
For those not aware, our senior coach Paul Dimattina had to resign after the fifth round because his extensive business commitments interstate meant that he could no longer devote the necessary time to the coaching job.He deserves our thanks for his dedicated efforts and it should always be remembered that in guiding the club to a Division One Grand Final, he took Bentleigh to the highest peak so far in its history. Peter Pirera and Chris Johnson (dual assistants) will share the coaching duties for the remainder of the year and we are certain the club is in good hands.
Our seconds have obviously been directly affected by the constant drain of players to shore up the senior side’s absences.
That makes their record of sixwins from the first eight rounds to sit in third place all the more creditable, and is a tribute to Steve Hall and co. There have been plenty of changes week by week, but a number of players such as Michael Laskey, Andrew Pendlebury and Mitch Allamby have been consistent performers.
Under-19
Last year we fielded a merged under-19 team with East Brighton but in 2017 the club is fielding a stand- alone side, and is in a building stage. Under the coaching of club stalwart Dale Lewis we have a very young side. Ninety per cent of the team will have one or more years ahead in the under-19s. At least nine players could have played as top age under-17s this year but wanted to continue to be part of the under-19 set-up.
Our emphasis this year is to build a culture and create the right setting and environment for a future at Bentleigh. We were under no illusions that this would be an instant success. Starting from a base of just seven players in the wake of last year’s merged side we have now edged up to 23. The emphasis has been on the bigger picture of the future, not merely on immediate wins and losses.
In certain game s we have been right up with the opposition for 55 of the 80 minutes. With 10 minutes to go against Cheltenham in round 2 we were one goal down, but when we were reduced to 17 players they ran away from us at the end.
We would look to causing some surprises to other teams in the second half of the year. Dale Lewis, team manager Ozzie Ozaydin and assistant coach Paul Nankervis are doing a great job and have put the right framework in place.
For all the latest football & netball fixtures please keep an eye out for the SFNL link below
NETBALL
Our netball teams lost a number of experienced players prior to the season due to a diverse set of reasons such as marriage, retirement, travel and residential moves, so 2017 always shaped as a challenge.
In 2017 we are fielding teams in Division 1, Division 3 and Division 5. To this point of the season Division 3 and Division 5 have each had one win and Division One are yet to record a victory.We had requested that the SFNL permit our first team to drop down a rung, because of our player losses and the fact that our side was so comparatively young, but they knocked back the suggestion.
A couple of the higher ranked teams in Division 1 have offered financial inducements to attract key players from the VNL, which makes it even harder for a young team such as ours. Our Division 1 team has nevertheless showed strong resolve and the team has become more competitive every week. Apart from one girl they are all aged between 17 and 22 and many had to suddenly go up two divisions. Most of the players who finished last year were defender’s which has put pressure on our side’s ability to score.
The upside is that we are attracting young players and there is general awareness that good young players will be given every chance at the top level. The recruitment of a paid coach in Michelle Cunningham has been a first for the club and she is doing a fine job.
WOMEN’S FOOTY TEAM
As could be expected in any brand new venture, our new women’s team has had to battle hard to get the ball rolling in 2017.We have got good numbers with a total of 36 girls signed up so far, but we are still recruiting as there will always be some unavailable through injury or work commitments. We also have to cope with absentees of some girls with their commitments in our netball team.Once we get all the girls on deck at the same time we are sure to be more competitive.
There has also been some disruption through time changes which altered our games from 4.30 on Saturdays to Sundays at 3 pm. This was because of the fact that our lights at Bentleigh are not rated as strong enough for a 4.30 pm game. A number of our players, whose work commitments have fallen at this time, had altered their shifts accordingly before the fixtures were changed.As a result we had 15 players missing for one game.
We lost heavily to Murrumbeena in the first game, but they are likely premiership winners. We have been competitive at stages in our other games. A fortnight ago we went down by 2.2 to Oakleigh Districts 5.6 and gave a good account of ourselves.
A stirring first up victory last Sunday Vs. Edithvale will give the girls the impetus needed for the rest of the year.
Bentleigh 6.3 (39) def. Edithvale Aspendale 2.9 (21).
Chelsea Hopper (four goals) and Ellie Hearne (two goals) kicked all the Bentleigh goals, with Zoe Reed Bentleigh’s best afield.
MILESTONES
Recent weeks we have seen some of our former U/19 players play their 1st or 2ndof hopefully many, milestone games for the club. Well done to the lads bring these up in the last month.
Andrew Griffiths 100 games
Dimitri Petrakis 100 games
Justin Hall 50 games
Liam Corkill 50 games
SOCIAL
Socially the club has plenty happening over the next few months and we welcome one and all to come along. Please contact the relevant person to book your spots.
Save the Dates
Friday 14th July- Sponsors Day Luncheon
Topolino’s Restaurant 87 Fitzroy St, St Kilda @ 12.30pm
Guest Speakers - Charlie Bezzina former high profile Vic Homicide Detective, Brian Wilson Melbourne Brownlow MedallistStall Gift winner Dallas O’Brien
Saturday 29th July –Auction Night
At Bentleigh clubrooms from 7pm
Please contact for any generous donations
Luke Holmesby 0478 473 570
Russell Holmesby 0418 103 595
Paul Dimattina 0401 690 930
Friday 18th August – Dragon Club Business Luncheon
Bells Hotel 157 Moray St, South Melbourne
$90.00 a Head Includes Lunch & Guest Speakers Darren Berry former Australian Cricketer / Football Commentator & Josef Green Ventriloquist/Singer
Friday August 18th 2017 @ 12.30pm
Silent Raffles & Auction Items
See Bruce Fox 0412 408 480 or Brett Marshall 0418 373 899 for tixs
Saturday 26th August - $5,000 Reverse Draw
$100 Ticket (only 250 available)
Includes Gourmet Finger Food
Beer, Wine, Champagne & Soft drink from 7pm to 11pm
Happy Hour bar prices from 7pm until 11pm (for the spirit drinkers)
BENTLEIGH FNC COMMITTEE MEMBERS
As a club we have a well versed, visionary committee comprising the below members:
President / Paul Dimattina0401 690930
Vice President / Brett Cooper
0406 686141
Treasurer / Paul Daly
0419 568008
Secretary/Manager / Garry Matlock
0409 845439
Assistant Secretary/ Manager / Allan Riddle
0406 048876
Social Co-ordinator / Luke Holmesby
0478 473570
Football Operations Manager / Chris Smith
0410 410 871
Media Manager / Damian O’Connor
0438 530758
Women’s Football Co-ordinator / Chris Clement
0403 656436
Subscriptions Manager / James Coles
0438 503780
Dragon Club Coterie President / Brett Marshall 0418 373899
Yours in football,
Russell Holmesby
Aaron Clough