play canberra issue 22 april 2013

playcanberra.com.au 1Issue #22 APRIL 2013

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Playcanberra.com.au

the Player’S Player

brumbieS bolt ahead to lead Super rugby

GwS GiantS time for draft

pickS to Stand up

canberra raiderS cuP

Set for big 2013

john i dent kickS off

for 2013

iSSn: 1839-3756 i cfl PubliShinG Pty ltd

Issue #22 APRIL 2013PLAycAnbeRRA.com.Au2

ONE VERy bIgYEAR in SPORT

THE CENTENARY OF CANBERRA 2013

FOLLOW US

JUNECENTENARY RUGBY LEAGUE MATCH

Canberra Raiders V Brisbane Broncos MON 10 Help cheer on the Green Machine when they

take on the Brisbane Broncos in a Monday night Centenary showdown at Canberra Stadium.

BRUMBIES V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONSSAT 22 Come watch our Brumbies take on one of the world’s

most iconic teams

JulyKANGA CUP

SUN 7 – FRI 12 The 2013 Kanga Cup is a celebration of culture, football, fun and friendship. The Kanga Cup is the

largest International Youth Football Tournament in the Southern Hemisphere with teams from across Australia and

overseas participating in the eventAustralian Junior Volleyball

ChampionshipsSUN 7 Come watch as the States of Australia battle it out to

become the nation’s bet in each of the six age divisions.

August & SEPTEMBERCENTENARY NETBALL MATCH

Canberra Darters V (TBA)FESTIVAL OF SQUASH

AUG 1 – OCT 31 The festival of Squash celebrates 100 years of Australian Squash, bringing all levels of squash players

from junior, masters and the worlds’ best professional men and women

october & NOVEMBERCentenary Baseball Match

Come watch our own reigning Australian Baseball League Champions begin their assault on the 2013-14 season in the

standalone season opener.INTERNATIONAL NETBALL TEST AUSTRALIA V

NEW ZEALANDSUN 13 This will be the first time Canberra has hosted a

Trans -Tasman netball test matchCENTENARY FOOTBALL MATCH

Canberra United V (TBA)

DECEMBERTHE BURLEY GRIFFIN REGATTA

SAT 8 The Burley Griffin Regatta takes place on the picturesque banks of the Parliamentary Triangle, with events

which include kayaking, rowing and dragon boating, this is surely a day not to miss

ZOO

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IN ADDITION TO THESE HUGE SPORTING EVENTS, THERE WILL BE OVER 100 COMMUNITY SPORTING EVENTS SHOWCASING THE DIVERSITY OF SPORT AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT CANBERRA, FOR MORE

INFORMATION VISIT CANBERRA100.COM.AU

HERE’S A GLIMPSE OF THINGS TO COME

MARCHUNITED COMMUNITY MIXED TOUCH

COMPETITIONSAT 2 Boomanulla touch football competition fuses sport, music and Indigenous culture into

one amazing event

CENTENARY RUGBY MATCH Brumbies V Waratahs

SAT 9 See the Brumbies tackle the Waratahs in this annual grudge match. Join the Centenary army

and remember to wear yellow to the game!

THE KAMBERRA WINE COMPANY BLACK OPAL STAKES & ACTTAB CANBERRA

CENTENARY CUP RACE DAY

SUN 10 The biggest race day in Canberra has gotten even bigger this year with over $766,000 in prize money. Over $20,000 in cash and prizes for Myers Fashion on the Field, as well live music

performed by the one and only EVERMORE.

APRIL & MAYCENTENARY AFL MATCH

GIANTS V ST KILDASAT 13 Not only will this match be the first Giant’s

Premiership game to be played in Canberra in 2013, it will also be kicking off at a special twilight

timeslot

AUSTRALIAN RUNNING FESTIVALSAT 13 - SUN 14 Runners can test their stamina

against many of the nation’s best distance runners on a spectacular course, taking in many of Canberra’s best sights. The fun run includes the marathon, half marathon and the grueling

ultra marathon in a two-day event which attracts thousands of participants.

RUGBY LEAGUE TEST AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND

FRI 19 The only currently scheduled international rugby league match in Australia 2013

Australian Institute of Sport Open Day

SUN 28 Find out what it takes to become an elite athlete with a behind-the-scenes tour of the AIS facilities and services. Normally out of bounds to the public, the AIS cutting-edge sports science department will be showcased to the public for

this one day only.

SOLD OUT


#22

contentS4. afl - Split round Sours the Spectacle5. ParKrun - celebrating birthday6. afl - giants packed With talent7. neafl - the magpies nest8. centenary -Sportenary9. centenary - club of the month10. leaGue -2013 crc preveiw12. feature -reece robinson14. football - rogic’s rise16. union - brumbies bolt to lead Super rugby17. cricket - Wests-uc claim premiership18. Social - brumbies and db robin awards19. actewaGl - april calendar of events20. union - 2013 John i dent preview 22. cyclinG - 2013 Jayco-aiS academy named23. cyclinG - civic loop opens24. hocKey - act under 21 teams in action25. football - a-league4canberra boosts youth football28. baSKetball - gunners Start the Season on a high

contributinG writerS & collaboratorS: antony perry brett mckay Shaun ebert adam phelan brendan parnell russ gibbs

contacteditorial nathan minerds - [email protected] 0452 220 100adVertiSing ad guys - [email protected] 0407 078 893

diSclaimerplay canberra is a monthly magazine distributed to over 500 locations in canberra on the first thursday of the month. the opinions, view and comments expressed in play do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publisher. play canberra is not responsible for the information submitted in the ads by the advertisers.

webplaycanberra.com.au

Josh matic todd davey Joshua mercer lyndall parker chris cairns Jessica munoz

cover: reece robinson. image: nudgepix Photography.

ANZAC TesT Comes To CANberrAbe part of history with the Trans-Tasman rugby League Test match Charity Dinner.

the canberra raiders in conjunction with the national rugby league and Soldier on, are offering a once in a lifetime experience to celebrate the first rugby league test match between the kangaroos and kiwis in canberra, with a special dinner on Wednesday april 17 at parliament house in canberra.

the dinner will not only feature both the kangaroo and kiwi teams, it will also have six very special guests, with Victoria cross recipients keith payne, ben roberts-Smith, daniel keighran, mark donaldson, Willie apiata and george cross recipient michael pratt all attending.

this once in a lifetime event will be the highlight of a week-long celebration of rugby league in the national capital, with Soldier on set to receive some proceeds from this event and other fund raising initiatives during the week.

canberra raiders ceo don furner said the dinner would be one of the biggest events on the calendar for rugby league in 2013 and said having the Victoria and george cross winners would be an honour.

“this charity dinner will be one of the biggest we’ve seen in canberra and it’s a great way to embrace the test match in canberra on april 19 between australia and new Zealand,” furner said. “to have the six Victoria and george cross winners in attendance is a huge honour and all people attending the night will part of something special.

image: getty

PhotoGraPherS: andrew finch: www.edgelightphotography.com.au ben Southall: www.bensouthall.com.au michael phelan: b&m photography nudgepix photography: www.nudgepix.com.au

tickets for the trans-tasman rugby league test match charity dinner are selling fast and can be purchased

through the canberra raiders by calling (02) 6253 3515 or by email [email protected]

tables of 10 are $2800 or individual seats can be purchased for $299.

“to have the six Victoria and George cross winners in attendance is a huge honour and all people attending the night will part of something special”.

- don furner

“We also have the chance to help raise some money for Solider on, which is a wonderful organisation which supports australian servicemen and women who have been wounded, physically or psychologically in contemporary conflicts, so i encourage people to make sure they get a ticket to this event and be a part of it.”

lieutenant general peter leahy ac, the current chairman of Soldier on, said the dinner was a chance to celebrate the camaraderie between australia and new Zealand, while also raising money for a wonderful charitable organisation in Soldier on.

“Soldier on is about australians coming together to show their support for our physically and psychologically wounded soldiers, sailors and airmen to assure them that we will always have their backs,” general leahy said. “our aim is to enhance their recovery, inspire all australians and empower our wounded to continue contributing to the australian nation just as they did when in service. We encourage all australians to give those who have been wounded the dignity they deserve and the chance to do and be whatever they choose.”


Split round SourS the Spectacle after the 2012 grand final that was heralded as one of the best ever, compounded with the afl’s unprecedented advertising and propagating build up one could be excused for getting excited for the return of australia’s game. by todd davey @toddJdavey

yet, the afl’s “opening round” is more of a bastardised version of what it should be – two interstate games across two days, with the remainder of the matches to be played the week after.

however, in a display of dumb luck rather than astute planning, essendon’s off-field scandal spiked interest in the game tenfold. if not for curiosity of how the bombers’ players would respond in the wake

of their off-season from hell, would the majority of the afl world care about this game?

probably not.

move on to Saturday, where the fremantle dockers and the West coast eagles clashed in derby 37. it is a match that unveils the most divisive impassioned and frenzied Western australian fans the state has to offer; a fact that we are constantly reminded of by the afl fans of the West.

both matches were entertaining, but for afl fans, two games was never going to be enough.

the round one schedule for the afl is spread out over two weeks due to the unavailability of the mcg, Scg and the gabba due to cricket commitments, but after close to six months of no football action, surely the afl public are willing to wait one extra week with the promise of seeing all 18 clubs in action.

not to mention the teams kicking off round one. With no disrespect to adelaide and essendon fans, the clash of the crows and bombers in South australia is not exactly the blockbuster contest that has every afl fan salivating coming off a six month wait.

this is two years in a row the afl has made the mistake of thinking they know what the fans want rather than actually listening to them.

last year it was the Sydney Swans embarrassing the gWS giants in their first regular season game ever. the result was inevitable, and by the time the allure of seeing the new kids in town wore off it left a bad taste in the fans’ mouths knowing this was the stand-alone feature in a split opening round.

What happened to the afl kicking off the season with the grand final re-match where the two best teams from 2012 squaring off in a bone-jarring contest that has the capacity to establish the afl pecking order for season 2013?

no, we have to wait until round 7 to see that.

With all the talk of the inequities in the draw and how imperative it is we sort that out, it’s time the spectacle and the theatre returned to the opening round.

enough of the interstate contests, split rounds and two week spasmodic starts - kick the season off at the mcg - where football belongs.

image: getty

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112 Wollongong Street Fyshwick ACT 2609P 02 6280 6925 F 02 6280 6820 www.electprinting.com.au

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parkrun the past 12 months has witnessed a running phenomenon that has been gaining momentum in canberra, as hundreds of runners of all abilities take part in a free, weekly, timed, 5km run or walk.Started in april 2012 by expat husband and wife duo russ and Jessica Jefferys, the free weekly runs have taken off in canberra, held at lake ginninderra in belconnen and more recently at lake tuggeranong in the city’s South under the guidance of gareth and kelly candy.

the concept is simple. register once at parkrun.com.au, print out the unique barcode and bring that to any parkrun worldwide. each parkrun is held in a local park or open space at the same time, at the same place, every Saturday, is entirely organized by volunteers and is completely free.

the event in canberra has attracted a wide range of participants of all abilities, from those who have never run before and are building up to running the 5km, to those who have enjoyed success in major city marathons, and even olympic games, in the case of ginninderra parkrun regular marty dent.

as of 29 march, ginninderra parkrun had been held on 48 consecutive weeks, attracting 751 different runners who have completed 3,097 runs, covering 15,485km and achieving 949 personal best times.

and as the run at lake ginninderra in belconnen gets set to celebrate its first birthday later this month, founder and event director russ Jefferys was in a

buoyant mood about how canberra had taken to parkrun in such a short space of time.

“i’m delighted with how things are going. the response from the canberra community to parkrun has been completely overwhelming.

“every week we see new people join us, many of whom can’t believe they haven’t found us earlier. and there are a huge number of regulars who have become familiar faces at our parkruns, helping with the volunteer roles and running regularly: runners of all abilities, some who run with prams, children and the family dog, and others who are pushing themselves to better and better times.

“i think the secret of parkrun’s success in canberra and globally is the simplicity of the concept. it’s inclusive: it really doesn’t matter if you’re an olympian or if you’ve never run before, everyone is welcome. and because it isn’t a race, there’s no pressure to perform at a certain

level. it’s just you against the clock, any week you want to turn up.

russ is driven by the positive outcomes parkrun delivers not only at an individual level, but also for the wider community.

“it’s been an absolute pleasure witnessing the joy so many people have got from parkrun. each Saturday morning the buzz and atmosphere at parkrun events is infectious: no wonder so many people are choosing to start their weekends the parkrun way!

“but beyond that, the positive benefits to the wider community are beginning to reveal themselves. the volunteer culture that parkrun fosters, whereby those that enjoy the runs voluntarily step in to manage one of the volunteer positions each week has been a huge success. the use and celebration of our beautiful parks and open spaces is a particularly special element of parkrun. but it is the wider health and social benefits of providing free access to regular running and exercise that is perhaps what i am most motivated by. if just one person finds a joy for running and a healthier lifestyle through parkrun i’ll consider parkrun in canberra to be a success.”

ginninderra parkrun celebrates its first birthday on Saturday 27 april. there are big plans afoot to ensure this is the best-attended ginninderra parkrun to date, with special guests, music, party food and drink for all after the run.

to register for Ginninderra or tuggeranong parkrun go to www.parkrun.com.au or

www.facebook.com/ginninderraparkrun or www.facebook.com/tuggeranongparkrun

Ginninderra parkrun celebrates its first birthday on Saturday 27

april. there are big plans afoot to ensure this is the best-attended

Ginninderra parkrun to date


the GWS GiantS packed With talent the giants have been given access to the number one pick in the afl draft for the last two years, picking up gun junior forward Jonathon patton in 2012 and classy midfielder lachie Whitfield in 2013. both are keys to the giant’s success in the years to come, but how are they shaping up for 2013?if the giants have their way, 197cm forward Jonathon patton will play most of, if not the full season. after an interrupted 2012 which only saw him play seven matches due to a patella tendon injury, the second year giant has finished his first full pre-season in Sydney, and showed some very promising form in the nab cup.

able to present hard and lead into space in the forward fifty, his fitness and ability to run looked greatly improved compared to 2012. he now looks more like a big key forward should, so look for him to hit packs in the forward hard and give smaller players every opportunity to win the ball at ground level.

comparisons have been made between himself and hawthorn’s lance franklin, and giants forward coach alan mcconnell has said that he is developing the fitness to be able to compete at that level.

it’ll be interesting to see how he matches up against the league’s premier backmen, the likes of essendon’s dustin fletcher and Sydney’s heath grundy. if he is able to get on top, he’s a scary thought for opposition sides.

the other number one draft pick was lachie Whitfield, a medium sized midfielder from dandenong.

Whitfield is the prototype for the modern midfielder, big enough to be able to win his own ball in a stoppage

if he has to, and quick enough to lose and opponent on a break-away.

he has boasted impressive form in under-18s in the previous few years, and had a strong outing against St. kilda earlier this year, booting a goal in an encouraging 16 point win.

now that the likes of James mcdonald and luke power have retired, kevin Sheedy will be looking to Whitfield and co. to keep improving. Whitfield has made a strong case for round one selection against the Swans, impressing many with his pre-season form, both on and off-field.

if he can get through the year uninjured and play as many games as possible, he’ll be a formidable prospect as a second year player.

While the pressure of being a number one draft pick can certainly weigh down on some players, giants fans can expect the young and largely untested nature of their side to be of benefit to patton and Whitfield.

it’ll be up to them to lead the giants when their senior players eventually leave the club. if they can have a big 2013 season, the future looks bright for the giants.

image: getty

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Like The Tradies Facebook Page and Check-In each time you visit to go in the draw to win! We have prizes up for

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MaGpieS neStinG at neW venue the 2013 neafl eastern conference season started with a bang as the belconnen magpies opened their brand new facility.

although the result wasn’t what the magpies had hoped for, going to down to eastlake by 46 points, their were a multitude of positives to come from the day.

the new kippax facility, nicknamed “the nest”, has turned from what was once was a run of the mill footy and cricket ground into one of the premier sporting venues in the act.

fans who attended the first round clash at the nest would struggle not to be impressed by the new pavilion, player’s rooms and resurfaced ground.

none of it would have been possible without a strong commitment by the community building power of the ground from various clubs and organisations.

the partnerships between the magpies Sports club, belconnen magpies fc, ginninderra cricket club, the act government, afl nSW/act and cricket act have yielded a three-million dollar facility that has been years in the making.

Sponsorship drives saw the belconnen football club raise over $140,000 for the redevelopment alone, with the afl contributing $100,000, and belconnen Sports club $200,000.

the act government also got in on the act, granting an incredible $2.5 million for the project to go ahead.

numerous working bees were held by the magpies football club in the months before the first game to ensure all the facilities were painted and primed to go before the venues debut on the 9th of march.

When you combine this development with the installation of the lights at manuka oval, the new town centre oval in gungahlin and other major projects that are happening around the nations capital, we are now seeing an abundance of elite level facilities being more readily available for neafl games.

the magpies will host all their neafl and afl canberra home games at the new facility and we expect their brand new venue to become a fortress in future years.

a big congratulations must go out to all people involved in this project.

Issue #22 APRIL 2013PLAycAnbeRRA.com.Au8 issue #21 march 2013playcanberra.com.au8

100 SPORTING EVENTS, 100 DAYS, 1 CENTENARY YEAR

SPORTENARYEvent Name CANbERRA WAlkING FESTIVAl

Organisation CANbERRA WAlkING FESTIVAl

Date Saturday 6 April 2013

Time 8am to 4pm

location Cnr kings Ave & blackall St, barton

Event Details www.canberra100.com.au/sportenary

Event Name TRY SAIlING WITh SAIlAbIlITY!

Organisation Sailability ACT

Date Sunday 7 April 2013

Time 1.30pm to 4pm

location Sailability ACT Clubhouse - Mortimer lewis Dr, Tuggeranong


Event Name ThE AuSTRAlIAN RuNNING FESTIVAl

Organisation AuSTRAlIAN RuNNING FESTIVAl

Date 13 & 14th April 2013

Time 13 APRIl 8.30am start. 14th April 7am start

location Telopea Park West, barton


Event Name 5 PEAkS CENTENARY 7 ChAllENGE

Organisation Pedal Power


Time 8am to 3pm

location Stromlo Forest Park


Event Name ANZAC Parade Memorial Walk

Organisation National Capital Authority


Time 10am to 3pm

location hellenic Memorial. cnr limestone Ave & Anzac Parade


Event Name kICk uP YOuR hEElS: SWING INTO ThE SECOND WORlD WAR

Organisation SoCanDance


Time 3pm to 11.30pm

location Albert hall


Will you take on the challenGe? this year, for canberra’s centenary, mount mcdonald and the three Sisters have been added to the list of usual suspects (mount Stromlo, mount ainslie, black mountain, red hill and mount pleasant). as always you can climb as many or as few as you please.

choose the ride that suits you, either the 105km centenary challenge or the 66km traditional route. tackle all the peaks and climb 100m higher than alpe d’huez. you also have the choice to pick your peaks, any of the traditional peaks can be bypassed. there will be refreshment stops along the course and you will finish on top of mt Stromlo. So why not enjoy the scenic route around canberra.

to commemorate canberra’s centenary and the 10th anniversary of the canberra bush fires, this year’s event will start at Stromlo forest park and finish at the mount

the fiVe PeaKS challenGe + centenary SeVen challenGe

when: Sunday 21st april. 8.00am start where: Stromlo forrest Park. coSt: $60 before 16/4 & $75 after 16/4

Event Name PETANquE

Organisation Capital Petanque


Time 2pm to 4pm

location Tuggeranong Town Park, Tuggeranong Town Centre


Event Name FREE FAMIlY FuN AT ThE AIS OPEN DAY

Organisation AIS


Time 9am to 3pm

location Australian Institute of Sport. leverrier Cres, bruce


Event Name MFS hERITAGE buSh DANCE

Organisation Monaro Folk Society


Time 8pm to 11.30pm

location All Saints Church. 9 Cowper St, Ainslie


Over 50 weeks of the Centenary year, there will be 100 community events showcasing a diversity of sport and recreation activities, facilities and local attractions throughout the ACT that get Canberrans off the bench and participating in Sportenary! Further information can be found at www.canberra100.com.au/sportenary

Stromlo observatory. the road up to the observatory will be closed to cars and at the top will be an event village with drinks, food and entertainment for finishers. come join the fun and raise money for rotary’s charity partners.

playcanberra.com.au 9Issue #22 APRIL 2013 playcanberra.com.au 9issue #21 march 2013

We’re from canberra Working around the motto “we can” the broulee capitals Surf boat rowers are taking the centenary message to a place few expected to see it - on the Surf boat tour around the coastline of australia. the team is set to take the message to the biggest national stage when they compete in the australian Surf life Saving titles in Queensland on the 20 -21st of april. luckily the team has a supportive local sponsor - it service provider dataflex - who don’t mind sharing the signage spots to help spread the message of canberra’s centenary to the surf boat community.

team spokesperson pip butt is hoping the team can have a positive impact spreading the word “we are hoping to raise canberra’s profile whilst up in Queensland and show that you can live here (in canberra) and still be involved with surf life saving” she recently told play.

the team is hoping to better their Quarter finals efforts at last november’s World titles and have enlisted the help of canberra sporting elite as pip explains “two other canberran sports ambassadors, brumby clyde rathbone and cricketer cade brown, have been assisting our crew with sports leadership and high performance. they’re helping us to build the toughness, resilience and

teamwork required for this sport so we can take a mental edge into each race and instill the belief that we can do it.”

“a lot of what we are trying to achieve at the aussies is about believing in ourselves and we use the motto “we can” for all aspects of our race plan. We’re really lucky to have dataflex on board as our sponsor as they believe in our abilities and are supportive every step of the way. brian evans (dataflex founder) was thrilled we even went to the World titles last november let alone made the quarter finals. they support local sports and charities and believe that we are good ambassadors for canberra and dataflex”.

being surfboat rowers from canberra gives the broulee capitals Surf boat rowers the underdog status at events and the girls are proud to identify as the “canberra dataflex broulee surf boat crew” so promoting canberra and its centenary at the events they attend comes naturally to the crew.

::centenary club of the month::

centenary club of the month ‘centenary club of the month’ will be awarded to the sporting team, club or organisation who celebrates the centenary of canberra throughout their own networks. there will be one winner each month (february to november), with the final ten winners having the opportunity to win the centenary club of the year.

SimPle StePS to be in the runninG1. Sign up to our social media sites: twitter.com/centenaryofcanb facebook.com/centenaryofcanberra

2. ‘like’ our event page: facebook.com/centenaryofcanberra and visit our event ‘centenary club of the month’.

3. once you have an idea locked in, look to select a date and make sure you tell club officials and let players, supporters and volunteers know.

4. on game day take lots photos! the more photos the better and be creative.

5. upload your five best photos and videos to our event page facebook.com/centenaryofcanberra.

6. each month a winner will be awarded a framed certificate and promoted through various channels, including social media, newsletters, online and local print media (play magazine & canberra times).

what do you win? the ten ‘centenary club of the month’ winners will each receive a grant of $500 to assist with the purchase of sporting equipment. plus an exclusive article in play magazine.

the ten ‘centenary club of the month’ winners will then go into the final to take home the ‘centenary club of the year’ award at the annual Sport and recreation ‘thanks awards’ night. the following prizes will be up for grabs: 1. centenary club of year = $1000 Sportsmans Warehouse voucher 2. Second = $750 Sportsmans Warehouse voucher 3. third = $500 Sportsmans Warehouse voucher

further information PleaSe contactPip Genge (Sport and recreation Services) [email protected]

to get to the level they are at now has seen many hours, both on and off the water, put in by the crew and supporters. the broulee capitals Surf boat rowers club was started in 2002 when current sweep gary pettigrove moved to canberra for work. he’d previously been involved with lifesaving in Victoria (torquay) and wanted to continue it in canberra. gary found a club close to canberra (broulee) and arranged for a boat to come up to canberra and soon found 2 crews (guys and girls) who were interested in giving it a go.

most rivals are impressed by the crews dedication, apart from the cold mornings on the lake and the travel involved to compete, the crew is also required to patrol the beach for 25 hours each year in order to compete, so its a big commitment to travel to the beach for patrols.

pip said the team was happy to win the march centenary club of the month and has told play they will continue the centenary theme of “one big year” as they continue on their big year of competition. “We want to have one very big year as well this year, We started by competing at Worlds, then we’ll be heading to the aussies and our year will culminate with a 7-day long distance event - the george bass marathon. Since our big year happens to be in conjunction with canberra’s we thought why not promote the town we love to live in and showcase it as a place where you can still do beach sports. We intend to do something each month, even whilst we train through winter to keep raising the profile of our club, surf boat racing and canberra”.


canberra raiderS cup 2013 previeW the off season in local footy is now officially over, with each of the eight canberra raiders cup teams having completed preparation for what is set to be a tight 2013 season in the canberra region rugby league. by Joshua matic @maticJm

With each club having lost and gained players of all calibres, the competition is very much evenly poised with most coaches agreeing their sides need to take all opposition sides seriously.

both Woden-Weston rams and Queanbeyan blues coaches, cameron hardy and former raiders hooker Simon Woolford, said that at the moment setting team tactics is difficult.

“hard question to answer [what current tactics are] with all the teams sporting new recruits,” said hardy.

“the team to beat will be the team we play each week.”

there is little doubt though that the club most successful with recruiting was the Queanbeyan blues.

in securing Woolford as their new coach in place of adam doyle, plus signing former canberra raiders first graders trevor thurling and marc herbert, along with country rugby league representative levi freeman, all coaches rated the blues a threat when speaking exclusively with play.

While Woolford may be the coach facing the highest

expectations, he shrugged off the favourite tag and said the belconnen Scholars and cross-town rivals

Queanbeyan kangaroos were still the competition bench mark.

at the opposite end of the scale, the goulburn Workers bulldogs suffered enormous losses to their playing roster, but have somewhat compensated with some handy recruitments.

a total of 30 years playing experience and 58 nrl caps were lost when 2012 joint les mcintyre medallist powerhouse mick dodson, play maker luke gray, and fullback nathan Williams all defected, while coach and former Sydney rooster James aubusson decided to hang up the playing boots top focus on coaching.

the club has managed the signings of former raiders nyc hooker ben picker, former penrith panthers back rower Jeff ryan, the 2012 winger of the year Junior Vatakani and fellow yass teammates Victor teofilo and dave rimoni.

these signings would have come as much relief for aubusson, who is confident he still has the right men to challenge the competition.

2012 cellar-dwellers West belconnen Warriors and tuggeranong bushrangers made some much needed recruitments themselves, as they attempt to rectify the haunting memories of last season, which proved the worst in both clubs’ histories.

tuggeranong, who finished second last in 2012, secured a great signing in former player michael brophy, who will return home after a stint with the burleigh bears in the Queensland cup. the club has also added power forward Sam coyte from orange in a much needed boost to their struggling forward pack of last season.

“michael was sorely missed last year both on and off the field but has returned better off with the wisdom and experience from another year in the Queensland cup,” said tuggeranong head coach and captain Jarrad teka.

“Sam has trained well since arriving this year, he has a great attitude and will add some punch to our forward pack.”

the worst thing that could have happened to 2012 wooden spooners West belconnen was losing inspirational captain freeman, but although this did happen, the club has solidified its forwards by recruiting chris Salway, kane nathan and tino Sionne.

in 2012 players at West belconnen were concerned about the culture at the club, with some saying attitudes had to be adjusted from lazy to seeking victory.

head coach alan Jones said he had implemented a new structure better suited to adaption for his men this season, and will be looking for more wins in 2013, implicating each opponent will be taken by their own merits every week.

Queanbeyan kangaroos signed ryan gordan from the bay of plenty in new Zealand and welcomed


back star head coach/captain aaron gorrell from a season-ending knee injury last year. they are again tipped to be another benchmark setter by the majority of head coaches.

defending premiers the belconnen united Scholars have retained superstar back brent crisp, who was the other joint les mcintyre medallist in 2012. head coach John hawke said the club was focussed on retaining and developing its juniors through the ranks, after the u18’s side also took top honours last year.

he told play channon mckaskill will remain captain, and crisp will play five-eighth, maintaining their premiership-winning structure.

most of the clubs began their pre-season in december last year, with the rams starting as early as october.

head coach cameron hardy will be looking for further development in his men after a lean few seasons which has seen the rams in the middle of the competition.

the same could be said for the gungahlin bulls, with head coach/captain Josh ayres starting his men in november. former raiders veteran Jason croker will continue assisting ayres at the bulls, and ayres is focussed on fixing their defensive structure for 2013.

both sides have their sights set on the top three of last season - the Scholars, kangaroos, and blues -

and after glimpses of hope in recent years, there is no reason why they cannot reach those heights.

While the Scholars, kangaroos and blues have been the top three in recent memory, threats are tipped to come from all clubs this season. key signings and shifts in personnel are bound to

even out the competition and make for an exciting 2013.

the 14 round competition kicks off april 13. (note: the yass magpies have been relegated this season due to the loss of players).


reece robinSon the player’S playerreece robinson is undoubtedly enduring the most exciting time of his nrl career, but despite replacing sacked fullback Josh dugan and being in remarkable form, the quiet character is not getting too buoyant. by Joshua matic @maticJm

it is not very often that robinson fronts the media and discusses his own personal game or the current status of the team.

in fact, when agreeing to speak at a canberra raiders press conference for the first time since the start of the 2013 season in the last week of march, he seemed uneasy, and was unsure whether the first question asked of him was for real or not.

but it is this quiet, humble nature that he has about him which makes him the ultimate clubman.

“i’ve just grown up like that,” said robinson when speaking with play last week.

“the family’s never been ahead of themselves. i’ve always been pretty humble, and i just try not to get too big-headed like some people might do.”

the 25 year olds 56 game career has come without putting a single foot wrong.

he made his nrl debut in 2008 playing for the brisbane broncos, and played 13 games that season, scoring four tries.

after failing to obtain a contract renewal for the 2009

season, the lebanon national representative made his way down to Sydney to play for the north Sydney bears in the nSW cup.

after being spotted by nrl coaching legend Wayne bennett and getting recommendations, the raiders signed him for the 2010 season.

he made his debut for the club in round one of that season, a 34-16 loss to penrith in penrith, but after losing his spot in the first grade side, he came back in round 25 to score four tries against the cowboys at home in a 48-4 thrashing, sparking his career in the nrl.

after playing 14 games in 2011, he made himself a first grade regular in 2012- playing a remarkable 24 games including two finals matches, and missing just rounds two and three to injury.

he was the top try scorer for the raiders with 16 tries.

So far this season he has played two games, after missing the round one loss to penrith through a precautionary injury rest.

Speaking with other players around the raiders squad, it is very clear that robinson is a much loved

team man, who commits his all each and every day.

teammate Jarrod croker told play he is one of the best trainers in the squad, and said he is a great man to be around with.

“he’s good for the club. he’s probably one of our best trainers – one of the fittest, fastest, strongest – so he’s fairly gifted,” said croker.

“but it doesn’t come easy.”

“he trains pretty hard as well, and he’s great to get along with, so he’s got all the attributes there.”

there is no doubting robinson is in fine form off the field, and this has certainly translated into fine form on the field as well.

one of the most consistent players at the club in the past two seasons, robinson has rarely been out of form.

but to be the shining light in a so far tumultuous 2013 campaign by the raiders surely has not been the easiest thing to do.

the most publicized drama for the canberra raiders so far this season has, of course, been the sacking of now former fullback Josh dugan.

the one-time nSW origin representative breached club alcohol policy by consuming alcohol whilst injured.

he posted a photo of himself and teammate blake fergusson drinking on a rooftop to his instagram account. in the image, he also had his middle finger raised in a seemingly deliberate manner.

raider’s management showed no hesitation in tearing up his contract, which left the fullback position up to robinson.

but that was not the only drama.

there was also media speculation on forward Josh papalii signing with the parramatta eels, which was eventually put to bed when the 20 year old announced he had re-signed with the raiders.

then there was the suspension of centre fergusson for his involvement in the dugan incident.

in light of all the drama though, robinson has committed himself on the field.

in the 36-0 thrashing at the hands of the gold coast titans in round two, he still made 11 runs for 103 metres, made four tackle busts, and chased down opposing fullback and former raider William Zillman 35 metres out from scoring, when the side was already 30-0 down.

in the 30-17 round three win against the St george illawarra dragons, he scored two tries to continue his own purple patch against the red V’s which started with a hat trick of tries in the corresponding game last season.

When asked of his current form, however, he remained critical of his own game, and refused to talk himself up too much.

“i was at the right place at the right time, and

image: getty


whenever i was there, there was a couple easy tries,” he told a press conference last week following the win over the dragons.

he is also refusing to admit he has already secured the fullback position as his own.

he already has much experience in the position – playing ten games there last season, and has shown great ability in adapting to the extra pressures fullback provides in comparison his former wing position.

but, being the humble character he is, he certainly is not getting too ahead of himself.

“there’s a lot more i need to work on, and try to build on, so hopefully just each game at a time i can just keep on improving,” he said.

“there’s a bit of pressure no matter what playing fullback, but i just focus on my game, and do what i need to, to help the boys come out with a win.”

“i’m pretty happy [about being selected at fullback], but it’s not my own position just yet. i’ve just got to keep practicing footy and make it my own.”

he said personal confidence has a lot to do with his current form, and that it is important to build on that confidence each week and keep the desire to improve.

“fullback is a lot tougher than the wing. you get a lot more involved and you’ve got to be around the play so wherever you go hopefully the ball goes,” he said.

croker could hardly give robinson any more raps when asked of his chances of retaining the fullback position.

“he’s a class player, and he deserves it – the way he trains on the field and in the gym,” said croker.

“he obviously had a good start [against the dragons]. i think he showed he can nail that spot down.”

“he’s always going to put in for you on the field. When you go on the field, you want to have reecey next to you.”

robinson had the dream start to the year when selected for his first representative game in australia, playing wing for the indigenous all Stars against the nrl all Stars in brisbane in february.

in the shadow of 2012 dally m medallist ben barba’s outstanding performance, he scored a hat trick of tries in the side’s biggest win in the fixture.

“it was probably one of the proudest moments i’ve had playing. i really enjoyed it,” he said.

“i had a good feeling, and lucky to come away with three tries.”

While he said he is far from focussing on further representative honours at the moment, there is no doubting that robinson will be under the spotlight again.

a great man on the field and off, he is certainly one the raiders must look to keep in the long term, and a great role model for aspiring young players.

meanwhile...it has not been the ideal start to the season for the raiders team as a whole.

“he’s always going to put in for you on the field. when you go on the field, you want to have reecey next to you.”

- jarrod croker

despite the confidence-boosting win over the dragons, they find themselves in 14th position on the ladder after round three.

a flawless pre-season was followed by a 32-10 flogging in penrith, followed by the gold coast disaster.

defence and errors have undoubtedly been the main issue so far, with veteran utility Shaun berrigan admitting there was a lot of work to be done.

“a lot of first up contact was really poor, and we did a lot of extra defence as well, and that always takes its toll,” he said after the round two loss to the titans.

the first two games were played in 30 plus degree heat, and coach david furner said his men were “like an ice-cream that melted”.

“the first two games…they were horrendous conditions, that we certainly didn’t handle, especially at the start, in those conditions,” he said.

after the side’s first win, halfback Sam Williams said the mood was a lot more positive, and said that they now needed to work on consistency.

“to have that win on the weekend really gave us a boost and hopefully it’ll get our season started,” he said after the dragons game.

although the win over the dragons was far from perfect, there were vast improvements in possession and error counts - two horror areas in rounds one and two. 45% possession and a grand total of just 1042 metres gained in round one was followed by just 47% possession and just 1129 metres in round two.

errors [13 in round one and 17 in round two] and missed tackles [26 in both rounds] took their toll, and literally made victory impossible.

round three saw a huge turn-around, with a much more committed side having 57% possession and running around half a kilometre more for 1632 metres.

although missed tackles still totalled 24, and errors totalled nine, their field position was much improved, and they gave themselves far more scoring chances with ball in hand.

it is now up to the team to continue improving in key statistical areas and start scoring points as they did in 2012.

raiders home Games in april:V roosters Sunday 7th 6.30pm

V warriors Saturday 13th 7.30pm


roGic’S riSe talented midfielder and australia’s newest wonder kid tom rogic has gone from canberra school fields to celtic park in just over two years, a rapid ascent by anyone’s standards. by kieran pender @kieranpender

Just over 12 months ago, tom rogic made his debut for a-league side central coast mariners. in a modest start, the young playmaker struggled to get involved and was subbed after 67 minutes, despite showing some touches of potential. although starting in his first professional game was a huge achievement, no one watching the mariners’ clash with adelaide that day would possibly have predicted the trajectory rogic was about to take.

like so many football careers, it all began back in school. While still completing his studies in canberra, rogic starred in the 2010 asian football confederation futsal championship, where he earned plaudits for his skill on the ball and finished fourth highest goalscorer.

following his impressive performances in tashkent for the futsalroos, rogic entered and ultimately won the nike chance competition, beating over 75,000 hopefuls and 100 finalists to secure a contract at the sportswear giant’s academy. the prize – a spot at the nike program based at loughborough university – would be a great learning opportunity for the australian.

however at the completion of his time in england, unable to gain a british work permit, rogic returned home to the mariners, whom he’d trained with prior to the competition. Quickly snapped up on a professional contract, the young star finally had the opportunity to live up to his hype.

Success at the central coast side quickly followed, with a series of appearances allowing rogic to showcase his impressive technical abilities. a regular first team place was swiftly cemented, while the goals and mazy runs through opposition defences increased in regularity.

a national team call up was next, with appearances for the u23 side and Socceroos in quick succession, as the attacking midfielder impressed honchos aurelio Vidmar and holger osieck. from playing school yard football at radford college only two years earlier, rogic’s australian debut capped off a truly remarkable rise.

a notable success story of the a-league, rogic’s former club central coast has invested heavily in their youth development centre, despite well publicised financial troubles. Speaking after the transfer, club chairman peter turnbull highlighted the fact, bullishly claiming that this emphasis would see the mariners continue to prosper, despite losing several of their key players to overseas clubs.

image: getty

he has demonstrated the importance of futsal in the technical development of young players, a fact acknowledged in many

other countries yet still undervalued in australia.

“the systems we have in place from youth development through to the first team under the astute guidance of graham arnold – who did a tremendous job with tommy – provide the best opportunity in australia for young players to take the next step in their careers. fundamentally, this is why we are the club of choice for many of australia’s best young players, and we are confident our production line, and subsequently our first team, will continue to prosper.”

the initial interest came from reading, who had attempted to sign rogic after his time with nike, before several other clubs joined the chase. the playmaker had been unable to sign for the royals previously after failing to secure a work permit, but this time decided joining the club mid-relegation battle might not be the best start to a premier league career.

other clubs soon followed, and rogic quickly became the most sought after player in the a-league. Queens park rangers and fulham were both reportedly interested, and when the 20-year-old jetted to Spain for a training camp with celtic, rayo Vallecano and celta Vigo jumped aboard the bandwagon.

finally though, after a week training with the hoops and as other clubs lurked, the Scottish giants sealed the deal in a move believed to be worth 400,000 pounds.

regardless of whether rogic immediately stars for their first team or instead spends some time on the substitute bench, his transfer has already made several things clear. he has demonstrated the importance of futsal in the technical development of young players, a fact acknowledged in many other countries yet still undervalued in australia. furthermore, the incredible story provides hope for young footballers around the world – that a relatively unknown player can go from zero to hero in such a short space of time.

and if he can impress on the world stage with celtic, rogic may just become the creative lynchpin so desired by the australian national team – at brazil 2014 and beyond.

this article was first published on the football ramble, a leading british football website and highly entertaining podcast. for more information see www.thefootballramble.com.

kieran pender is a local journalist and regular on the far post – a local radio show covering football both in the capital and around the world. check it out every Sunday from 3-5pm on 2XX 98.3fm.


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WeSton MolonGlo Football club the club previously known as Weston creek Soccer club has unanimously voted at its annual general meeting to rename itself Weston molonglo football club. by ben Sakker kelly

“this is a huge step forward for the club,” club president chris brown said.

“it signifies our expansion to cater for the new molonglo region, which will include 55,000 new residents. at last year’s Senior presentation night, we were also heartened to hear minister andrew barr indicate that we will be able to call the new

$11 million molonglo sporting facility our home ground when it is built.”

the change of name is one of the club’s first steps in reaching out to the growing molonglo community, some residents of which have already registered as players.

“We will now be pro-actively engaging with the

community - getting into schools, community organisations and other areas to increase our membership and ensure that football lovers have a home the moment that they move in,” mr brown said.

the club retains its 42 years of proud history, with the now famous magpie and football emblem remaining in the revised logo.

the club retains its 42 years of proud history, with the now famous magpie and

football emblem remaining in the revised logo.

“there is a lot of history at the club – we’re one of canberra’s oldest. it’s great that through consultation with our members, we have agreed on a name that reflects the past and future. it’s also good that our logo is relatively unchanged, as some members actually have club tattoos!” mr brown said.

the club will once again field a strong Women’s premier league side this year, as well as providing under 12 and 14 men’s premier league teams in a joint venture with cooma tigers fc.


bruMbieS bolt ahead to lead Super ruGby Field the brumbies have surged to the top of the australian conference, and the overall Super rugby standings, thanks to some impressive form and some clinical rugby over the last month. by brett mckay @bmcSport

the brumbies unbeaten start to the season came undone in cape town, where they were beaten 35-22 by a very handy Stormers side who will undoubtedly feature at the pointy end of the season.

prior to that, the brumbies set a new Super rugby record for the number of consecutive wins away from home, with their completely dominant 29-10 win over the Sharks in durban marking their seventh straight win on the road, stretching back to april last year.

the crusaders had previously held the record, having twice recorded six consecutive away wins between 1998 and 2000, while the brumbies had never previously won more than three away games in a row.

prior to heading off on their South african tour, the brumbies confirmed their status as the australian conference benchmark with a thumping 35-6 bonus-point win over archrivals, the nSW Waratahs, in front of more than 20,000 people at canberra Stadium.

head coach Jake White stated from the moment that he arrived in canberra that his desire, his entire purpose of taking on the task of rebuilding the two-time championship-winning club was to win a Super rugby title.

that the brumbies look to be well on the way toward achieving this goal speaks volumes for the program that White has created within the club, the specific performance improvements of backs and forwards

under assistant coaches Stephen larkham and laurie fisher, respectively, and the for way in which the entire playing roster has ‘bought in’ to the master plan.

credit must also go to ceo andrew fagan and the brumbies board, for entrusting White to return the club to former glories. nearly two years ago, fagan told me that he looked forward to the day where on-field performance replaced his own name in the headlines and reader commentary, and he should rightly be proud of the way the club has emerged from the dark days of the recent past.

on the field, the team of 2013 is having success on the back of three major improvements from their 2012 methods.

firstly, the brumbies are playing with an increased breakdown physicality due simply to a greater weight of numbers. there can’t be any better example of this than the first half of the Sharks game, where the Sharks had no chance of competing against waves of brumbies players flooding the breakdown. the numbers into the breakdown is also lifting the number of steals made, allowing defence to be used as a method of attack.

the signs were there before the Sharks game, of course, but the brumbies have confirmed themselves as one of the more dominant breakdown contesters in the competition.

the recruitment of david pocock played a major role in this becoming a weapon, but the brumbies have been no less served in pocock’s absence by the seemingly immortal george Smith and colby fainga’a.

the second major improvement has been the use of support runners backing up the ball carrier, and coming from depth. When the brumbies are really on, and getting quick ball, these support runners into the ruck or taking second-phase ball can be brutal in their effectiveness. When combined with clever offloads - and big fotu auelua leads the way here - the metres made in next to no time is incredibly hard to defend.

thirdly, the brumbies haven’t been afraid to use their strike power out wide, and have been only too happy to get the ball into the hands of the speed men. more than two thirds of the brumbies’ tries this season have come from the likes of Jesse mogg, henry Speight, robbie coleman, Joe tomane, and clyde rathbone.

these guys represent some of the very best finishers in the game, capable of converting half-chances and slight windows of opportunity into five pointers. coleman’s length-of-the-field chip-and-chase try that had its origins in mogg returning a speculative Waratahs kick will already take some beating as try of the year.

the african tour could well go down as the making of the brumbies in 2013. the clinical nature of the bonus-point win over the Sharks in durban made it one of the best performances in the club’s history, and it was comfortably the best opening forty minutes from the brumbies since the 2004 final against the crusaders at canberra Stadium.

conversely, the loss in cape town to the resurgent Stormers will similarly provide the necessary perspective on what is required to run with the very top teams, both in terms of physicality and attacking requirements.

there’s no doubt that loss will lead to renewed focus at the breakdown and the collision, and the brumbies will need to recapture their gain line effectiveness with some tough games ahead.

the real sign of improvement, though, comes in the shape of a total squad involvement. before the Waratahs match, Jake White was thrilled to have the selection headache that a full roster of fit players brings. and this complete contribution from the playing group is what has lifted the brumbies, and what is creating the expectations within fans not felt since the mid-2000s.

Where the brumbies have had only a sprinkling of national representation in recent seasons, suddenly the likes of palmer, fardy, kimlin, mowen, White, lealiifano, tomane and mogg are being spoken of in Wallaby terms. alexander, moore, and mccabe will almost certainly feature.

but behind these guys, it’s the carters, the aueluas, the Sios, priors, and kuridranis who are producing the performances of quality that push the brumbies into ‘contender’ chat. When the lesser names are playing well, then the squad performances can only lift.

image: getty


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WeStS-uc claiM cricket act 1St Grade preMierShip Western districts-university of canberra are the cricket act rSm bird cameron 1st grade premiers for season 2012/2013, after a comprehensive display against tuggeranong. by brett mckay @bmcSport

batting first at manuka oval in somewhat difficult conditions, after overnight rain delayed the start of the match, tuggeranong made a reasonable start having been sent in by Wests-uc, with openers Justin haywood and dave griffith putting on 53 for the first wicket.

but the story of the tuggeranong innings became the loss of regular wickets, and only blake dean and Vinesh bennett, who added 48 for the sixth wicket, could mount a partnership to match that of the openers.

ethan bartlett was the main destroyer for Wests-uc, and claimed the greg irvine medal as player of the final for taking 7/41 as tuggeranong went to stumps on day 1 at 8/185.

Wests-uc captain ben oakley took the final two tuggeranong wickets to start the second day, with tuggeranong all out 195.

tuggeranong were always going to need early wickets to be any chance of taking a first innings lead, and when Wests-uc had slumped to 3/34, confidence would’ve been high.

from there though, it became the matt condon and adam hewitt show, with the two putting on a very well timed 172-run partnership to bat tuggeranong out of the game.

opener condon was out for 94, just six shy of a premiership century, but with Wests-uc already building a lead. hewitt was unbeaten on 154* an hour after tea, and with Wests-uc well in command at 5/289, tuggeranong captain michael Wescombe conceded defeat.

it was Wests-uc’s first two-day premiership since 2007/2008, and made up for defeat to eastlake in the one-day final back in february.

db robin & SJ Moore Medalben oakley capped off a successful season by being named as the db robin medal winner as the

1st Grade Player of the year for 2012/2013, and was also named captain of the 1st Grade team of the year at the recent cricket act awards night.

team of the year: matt condon (wests-uc), jono dean (Queanbeyan), friday Kristeni (anu), michael Spaseski (tuggeranong), aaron ayre (Queanbeyan), harry medhurst (weston creek), ben oakley

(capt - wests-uc), Shane devoy (tuggeranong), danushka wijesundara (eastlake), ethan bartlett (wests-uS), chris Prescott (tuggeranong).

db robin medal: ben oakley (28 votes), from harry medhurst (22) and chris Prescott (20).

Sj moore medal: Shannon webb (tuggeranong, 38 votes), from Peta Guy (anu, 34 votes) and anne lawson (wests) and ingrid Svilans (eastlake), both on 24 votes.


above: canberra brumbies pre game function. canberra stadium

images: andrew finch

below: db robin & SJ moore medals the tradies club Woden

images: nudgepix

greg corliss, Shane ivers and damian hannan

Sarah reid and keith hawkedoug edward and phil lynch

terry and trish Wilkins and Sam carternoel florian and phil toolelee hancock and Jason Smith


ACTEWAGL APRIL EVENTS CALENDAR

Week 1: 01-07 March

Friday 05/04 SUPER RUGBY - BRUMBIES V KINGS 7.40pm Canberra staduim

Saturday 06/04 NEAFL - Ainslie V Morningside 11.45am Ainslie Oval NEAFL - Belconnen V Tuggeranong 2.00pm KippaxPREM LEAGUE - Cooma V Belco Utd 3pm Nijong OvalJOHN I DENT - Royals V Gungahlin 3.05pm Phillip Oval JOHN I DENT - Uni-North V Easts 3.05pm ANU NorthSEABL - Gunners V Ballarat 7.30pm Belco BBall Stadium

Sunday 07/04 NEAFL - QBN Tigers V Eastlakes 11.45am Ainslie OvalPREM LEAGUE - Canb FC V Woden 3pm Deakin Oval PREM LEAGUE - Canb Olympic V Canb City 3pm O’Connor PREM LEAGUE - Monaro V Tugg Utd. 3pm RiversideNRL - RAIDERS V ROOSTERS 6.30pm Canberra staduim

Week 2: 08-14 April

Saturday 13/04 PREM LEAGUE - Tugg Utd V Cooma 3pm Kambah 2JOHN I DENT - Easts V QBN 3.05pm Griffith Oval JOHN I DENT - Wests V Royals 3.05pm Jamison Oval JOHN I DENT - Gungahlin V Vikings 3.05pm Nicholls OvalNRL - RAIDERS V Warriors 7.30pm Canberra staduim

Sunday 14/04 NEAFL - Tuggeranong V Swans 11.45am Greenway OvalPREM LEAGUE - Canb FC V AIS 3pm Deakin Oval PREM LEAGUE - Belco Utd V Canb City 3pm Mckellar PREM LEAGUE - Canb Olympic V Woden 3pm O’Connor

Week 3: 15-21 April

Friday 19/04 SEABL - Gunners V Hobart 8.00pm Belco BBall Stadium

Saturday 20/04 NEAFL - QBN Tigers V Aspley 11.45am Dairy FarmersCRC - Belco Utd Scholars V QBN Roos 3pm Northbourne CRC - QBN Blues V Goulburn Bulldogs 3pm Seiffert Oval CRC - Woden Rams V Gungahlin Bulls 3pm Phillip OvalPREM LEAGUE - Tugg Utd V Monaro 3pm Kambah 2JOHN I DENT - Gungahlin V East 3.05pm Nicholls Oval JOHN I DENT - UNI-North V QBN 3.05pm ANU North JOHN I DENT - Vikings V Wests 3.05pm Viking Park

ACTEWAGL AThLETE oN ThE RISEharriet Burbidge-Smith - BMX.

ACTAS athlete Harriet has been racing for around 12 years and has competed in 10 national championships. She has won 6 ACT State Titles, 4 NSW State Titles, 6 Australian National Titles and 2 World Championship Titles. Harriets ultimate goal is to follow in the footsteps of mentor Caroline Buchanan and compete in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio.

THE ActewAGL Athlete on the Rise recognises and rewards the achievements of our rising sporting talent. The award caters for athletes at all levels of competition. It is not only results that count, but good sportsmanship as well.Do you know someone that qualifies as an ActewAGL Athlete on the Rise? Send all nominations to [email protected]

Sunday 21/04 NEAFL - Belconnen V GWS 11.45am KippaxPREM LEAGUE - Belco Utd V Canb FC 3pm McKellar PREM LEAGUE - Cooma V Woden 3pm Nijong Oval PREM LEAGUE - AIS V Canb Olympic 3pm AIS

Week 4: 22-28 April

Friday 26/04 PREM LEAGUE - Canb City V Canb FC 7pm Deakin Oval

Saturday 27/04 NEAFL - GWS V Eastlakes 9.30am Manuka OvalCRC - Belco Utd Scholars V QBN Blues 3pm Northbourne CRC - Goulburn Bulldogs V West Belco 3pm Workers Arena CRC - Gungahlin Bulls V QBN Roos 3pm WBLC CRC - Tugg Bushrangers V Woden Rams 3pm GreenwayPREM LEAGUE - Woden V Monaro 3pm Woden ParkJOHN I DENT - Easts V West 3.05pm Griffith Oval JOHN I DENT - QBN V Vikings 3.05pm Campese Field JOHN I DENT - Royals V Uni-Norths 3.05pm Phillip OvalSUPER RUGBY - BRUMBIES V WESTERN FORCE 7.40pm Canberra staduim

Sunday 28/04 NEAFL - QBN Tigers V Tuggeranong 2.00pm Dairy FarmersSEABL - Gunners V Frankston 2.00pm Belco BBall StadiumPREM LEAGUE - Cooma V AIS 3pm Nijong Oval PREM LEAGUE - Canb Olympic V Belco Utd 3pm O’Connor

Supporting our future starsActewAGL is proud to support Canberra's local sport stars. We congratulate ACT junior cricketers on their 2012/13 season. We wish all local sporting teams the best of luck in their upcoming season.

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John i dent cup priMed For an action packed 2013.With the Super rugby competition full in swing, canberra local competition, the John i dent cup, kicks off on Saturday 6th april and what a season it is shaping up to be. all of the 7 premier clubs have been putting in the hard work all off season since november and with pre-season wrapping up clubs are looking to start off in the best shape possible. the return of the contracted brumbies players to all premier clubs is again very exciting and will continue to strengthen the depth and standard of canberra club rugby.

last year the Viking’s set the standard early and from there were unstoppable losing only one game on their way to securing back to back premierships. however this year, with all clubs focusing on strong recruitment and retention, the competition will be extremely competitive.

eaStern SuburbScoach: Jeremy osbourne home Ground: griffith oval, captain cook cres. 2012 finish: 7th Players to watch: rhyne bowden, matt giugni, chris cocca & mitch lewis. new Players: fabian tago, leti tago, rhyne bowden, Jack Vanderglas, adam taylor & luke Judd. brumbies contracted Players: Stephen moore, etienne oosthuizen, clyde rathbone, Jordan Smiler, andrew Smith, ruan Smith & Stephen Van der Walt. website: www.eastsrugbyact.rugbynet.com.au

coaches comments: the preseason has focussed largely on recruitment. training started in november and numbers across all grades are slowly increasing. probably a bit behind the pack in terms of trials but will be ready to go round one. easts will look to regain a

competitive team in 2013 and give players in the local area the opportunity to play rugby at their highest level in an enjoyable environment.

GunGahlin eaGleScoach: owen finegan & adam connolly home Ground: nicholls enclosed, gungahlin drive. 2012 finish: 4th Players to watch: rutikha ilolahia, Xavier duffy, tim donnellan, ben mcgee, andrew barrell, mitchell connolly & matt hawke. new Players: Seva rokotavaga, patricio noriega, cathal breslin, mark bertholuet & robert mccarthy. brumbies contracted Players: ruaidhri murphy, dan palmer, ita Vaea, henry Speight & Josh man-rea. website: www.eaglesrugby.com.au

coaches comments: the 2013 competition pre-season began for a number of the eagles back in november last year with eight of our first grade squad training with the brumbies academy over the Summer period and a number participating in trial matches against the brumbies and Samoa earlier this year.

We competed well at the Queanbeyan 7’s tournament making the Semi finals with a number of players getting valuable fitness game time.

a great hit out against uni-norths for first grade, second grade, colts and thirds has given us some good match practice and we are looking to improve on our finals appearance results of recent years.

We will be looking to get off to a good start with five home games from the first six, and building on that momentum throughout the season.

Queanbeyan whiteScoach: adam fahey home Ground: david campese fields, yass rd. 2012 finish: 3rd Key Players: dan penca, Sam Windsor, chris barbaro & rob beath. new Players: marco kotze, gp pretorius, paul howe, Sam taseni, Jake gordon & neori nadruku. brumbies contracted Players: leon power, robbie coleman, tevita kuridrani & nic White. website: www.whitesrugby.org.au

coaches comments: the 2013 season is shaping up as an exciting one for the club. the club has a new group of coaches and management staff which has provided a fresh new approach during pre-season. the players are once again excited by the brumbies player’s involvement within the club and competition.

canberra royalScoach: russell ingram home Ground: phillip enclosed oval, ainsworth St. 2012 finish: 5th Players to watch: robbie abel, Soakai tai, craig mcmahon, tim cornoforth & Jack Sutton. new Players: tom Staniforth, Jordan rapana, liam richardson & pedro rolando. brumbies contracted Players: Sam carter, Siliva Silva, matt toomua & mark Swanepol. website: www.royalsrugby.com

coaches comments: following on from 2012 with three teams competing on grand final day, the club is hoping for a strong showing in 2013. a good off-season has seen the senior player group build size and strength through the royals repS program. the club has seen good numbers at pre-season training and is hoping to have depth and success throughout all grades. the club has been strengthened by the return of robbie able, tim cornforth and ben Johnston from overseas, plus the recruitment of australian Schoolboy lock, tom Staniforth, argentinean halfback, pedro rolando and former force player Jordan rapina. Veteran flyhalf craig mcmahon will again be instrumental in organising the team around the park each Saturday.

tuGGeranonG ViKinGScoach: brad harris home Ground: Viking park, amsinick St, Wanniassa 2012 finish: premiers Players to watch: rodney iona, tim cree, paula kaho & eneliko lealiifano. new Players: James foster & James proctor. brumbies contracted Players: colby faingaa, ben mowen, Scott Sio, Zack holmes & christian lealiifano. website: www.vikingsrugby.com.au

coaches comments: preseason has been solid and the players have worked hard, we continue to have a big focus on strength, power & conditioning. With a change in coach comes new structures and styles and it takes time to get those embedded not just in 1st grade but across the club, having lost a large number of players from last year’s team we have a focus on developing and providing opportunity for the players


that have come through our academy and Wider training group systems and the performance of these players at training and in our matches to date have been pleasing. looking ahead to the John i dent in 2013, we expect the competition to be very tight this year and with that comes a clear understanding that good performances will be required consistently week to week in order to be successful.

uni-northS owlScoach: Joe hedger home Ground: north oval, mccaughey St, o’connor. 2012 finish: 6th Players to watch: david bennett, bhiamie Williamson, tom mulquiney, edan campbell & Sam irwin. new Players: andrew cullen, harry ellis & corey hammond. brumbies contracted Players: ben alexander, david pocock, tom cox, ian prior & Joe tomane. website: www.owlsrugby.com

coaches comments: With a blend of youth and experience in our ranks, 2013 is shaping up to be an exciting season for the uni norths owls. new coaches have been brought in to contribute to a rebuilding phase for the club and, along with a tenacious and determined fighting spirit among the playing ranks, opposing teams should expect a battle each and every time they take the field against the owls. loyalty and courage will define the owl’s season for 2013.

weStern diStrict lionScoach: craig robberds home Ground: Jamison oval, catchpole St, macquarie 2012 finish: runners up Players to watch: aaron mcinnes, ben coutts, gus mckercher, michael Smith & peter rains. new Players: tim Small, montana o’neil & gareth Watts. brumbies contracted Players: fotu auelua, peter kimlin, pat mccabe, Jesse mogg & Scott fardy. website: www.westslions.com.au

coaches comments: pre-season has been building nicely – trials against illawarra, easts and royals. We have been able to get through that will no major injuries and our game plan has started taking shape. We have retained all of 1st grade and only lost 3 players out of 2nd grade and have some promising colts coming through so there is plenty of pressure on for spots and as a result training has been very competitive. the boys and coaching staff are now looking forward to the start of the John i dent cup.

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Champions are made from something

they have deep inside them.

A desire, a dream, a vision.

- Muhammad Ali

Sport: The good stuff in life.

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we’ve got it covered.

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Advertising enquiries: [email protected]


2013 Jayco-aiS World tour acadeMy riderS unveiled cycling australia (ca), the australian institute of Sport (aiS) and Jayco heralded a new era for australian cycling in canberra this month at the official launch of the 2013 Jayco-aiS World tour academy. the Squad includes canberra rider (and play contributor) adam phelan (second from left).

a reshaping of the successful Jayco-aiS continental team, the new-look academy will provide the pathway for australia’s most talented under 23 riders into the World championship, olympic games and professional ranks.

ca’s performance director kevin tabotta said that the Jayco-aiS World tour academy team will be presented as the australian national team in all european races.

“We are always keen to implement new methodology and structure to our programs to ensure we are growing the high performance environments, and evolving to handle the current international scene,” said mr tabotta.

“the academy will provide increased international racing opportunities for our emerging talent and will also provide room for australian uci continental and nrS teams to have a greater involvement in the development of these young athletes.

“additionally, this structure will help ensure that athletes stay motivated, professional and challenged throughout the long season. there will be great upward pressure, with riders on the fringes challenging for spots,” mr tabotta said.

aiS director matt favier said partnerships between the sport sector and private enterprise were important in an increasingly competitive global sporting environment.

“We have great expectations that both track and road cycling will make a significant contribution to achieving the goals set out when we launched australia’s Winning edge last year,” mr favier said.

“Supporting our best young talent is critical to long term international sporting success, which is why we are happy to continue partnering with cycling australia and its sponsors to provide the best environment for athletes to achieve their full potential.”

Jayco managing director gerry ryan is eager to see support from Jayco transfer into international results.

“the Jayco-aiS World tour academy is an exciting concept and Jayco is pleased to be continuing to work with cycling australia and the aiS to support a pathway for australia’s most talented young riders,” said mr ryan.

members of the men’s team have completed a training camp at the aiS ahead of their the team’s first event in the european road season at the giro del belvedere in italy on april 1.

image: michael phelan

· alex clementS (taS)

· alex edmondSon (Sa)

· caleb ewan (nSw)

· campbell flaKemore (taS)

· damien howSon (Sa)

· brad linfield (wa)

· alex morGan (Vic)

· mitch mulhern (Qld)

· adam Phelan (act)

2013 Jayco-aiS World tour acadeMy riderS


REGISTER EARLY AND SAVEmillionpawswalk.com.au

SUNDAY 19 MAY

STAGE 88 COMMONWEALTH PARKENTERTAINMENT ON STAGE FROM 9:30AM

WALK STARTS AT 11:00AM

Do you love fitness and the outdoors? Join us for one of the best days out

of the year. Million Paws Walk is a 5km walk with lots of entertainment and

activities. Don’t have a dog? Don’t worry, with over 40 food, merchandise and craft

stalls there will be something for everyone. You will also be helping raise vital funds for animals in need. So get your walking shoes

on and register today!

Whilst some sections are still under construction, the finished civic cycle loop will connect east and West civic and connect the two most popular cycle paths in canberra together - the Sullivan’s creek cycle path and the lake burley griffin cycle path via the footbridge near the acton ferry terminal. the eastern arm of the loop will start at the footbridge near the civic Swimming pool and go along allara, bunda and rudd Sts to connect with marcus clarke St.

pedal power executive officer John armstrong commented: “We applaud the government’s efforts in getting sections of the loop built. We think this is a fantastic centenary legacy for canberra’s bike riders. Separated cycle lanes already operate in cities such as melbourne, Sydney, brisbane and adelaide and a higher percentage of canberrans cycle than residents

of any of those cities. this is a timely and appropriate investment in getting even more canberrans riding their bikes.”

he continued “We thank the labor ministers gallagher, corbell and the ex-chief minister for taking this up, current tamS minister Shane rattenbury for carrying through on the project and officials, tony gill and ben mchugh, for implementing it. We look forward to giving more praise in 2014 – the loop’s stated deadline for completion.”

civic cycle loop oFFicially openS after four years lobbying the civic cycling loop has been officially opened by territory and municipal Services minister Shane rattenbury. the civic cycle loop incorporates european-style physically separated cycle lanes. the physical separation will encourage people who feel uncomfortable cycling in traffic to leave their car at home and cycle.

“Separated cycle lanes already operate in cities such as melbourne, Sydney, brisbane and adelaide and a higher percentage

of canberrans cycle than residents of any of those cities”

armstrong concluded “the completed sections along marcus clarke and rudd Streets already allow bikes to move freely and safely. they are fun to ride and a very pleasant way to access our city. they connect the busy paths coming in from the lake and Sullivan’s creek to the center of civic. this will allow riders from both the north and south side to reach the shops or their place of work without having to ride amongst fast moving or congested road traffic. i hope it will encourage more people to travel by bicycle, and help the government reach their target of 6% of journeys to work being completed by bicycle by 2016. there are more sections still to be built, on bunda and allara Street for example. We want to see the whole loop finished as soon as possible, to encourage more canberrans to cycle

more often and make our city a better place to live, work and play.”

the civic cycle loop was proposed by pedal power in 2009. it is one of pedal power’s three priority projects along with the kingston foreshore path and the completion of the lake burley griffin path.


act under 21 hockey teaMS ready For nationalS the act under21 teams are entering their final days preparation before they depart for the under21 national championships. the men’s championships will be held in brisbane and the Women’s championships will be held in darwin.both championships will be held concurrently commencing tuesday 2nd april, with finals to be held on Saturday 13th april. the under 21 national

championships will be one of the final selection tools for the australia Junior World cup teams who will be competing later in the year.

the women’s team will be highly competitive as they come to the end of their five month training program. the team will be led by current Junior World cup (JWc) squad member kate gilmore, who is also captain of last year’s women’s capital league 1 premiership winning ochc. gilmore will be looking the secure her place in the Junior World cup team through a strong performance with the team

at the championships.

other key athletes in the team include naomi evans, also a member of the Junior national Squad, and Jenna cartwright who are also valuable members of the canberra Strikers. the 2013 act under 21’s Women’s team is considered one of the strongest line-up the act has ever produced.

With a strong mix of experience and fresh faces, the disappointing performance of last year will provide increased motivation for improvement among the men’s team. the team diverged from traditional training programs, utilising a shorter intense training program over the past month to replicate the conditions of a national championship.

coach brent deans is happy with the team’s preparation and believes they are in a much better position both physically and mental compared with the 2012 campaign. “co-captains James Jewell and Simon kragh have developed strong team cohesion which will be an important factor in success this year.”

newly appointed ntc coach and under 21 Women’s head coach Steph andrews believes both teams have had excellent preparation leading into these championships, and is looking forward to positive results.


youth developMent booSt FroM a-leaGue4canberra bid teaM capital football today received a cheque for $150,000 from the a-league4canberra bid team to help assist in the development of youth men’s football in canberra. the presentation of the cheque by the former chair of the a-league4canberra bid team, mr. ivan Slavich, was conducted in a short hand-over ceremony at hawker football centre.

the money, which is the unclaimed surplus funds from the unsuccessful a-league4canberra bid, will now be used to sponsor a youth united program as well as help fund games against national youth league and hyundai a-league clubs throughout the year.

mr. Slavich (pictured left with capital football ceo heather reid) made the presentation on behalf of the a-league4canberra team to australian institute of Sport defender, and graduate of the act academy of Sport and capital football representative teams, george timotheou. timotheou, who made his debut in the national youth league this season for the aiS, was joined by current ntc graduate players antonio barbaro, nikolas popovich, rowan blake and alex gelonesi as well as acting chair of capital football, James Selby.

“this is welcome funding from the a-league4canberra team,” capital football ceo heather reid commented. “capital football appreciates the need to continue building a pathway to assist in the development of talented young players, to enable them to progress to the national youth league and beyond, and this funding will certainly help towards obtaining that goal. Whilst we are sad that the a-league bid was not successful we are grateful that the corporate partners and the football community of canberra have agreed to pass on these funds for the future development of male players.”

the youth united and Senior rockets teams can look forward to representative action later in the year with additional support from the aleague4canberra bid consortium including iinet, project coordination, bearcage and Smartfix.


andreW leiGh encouraGeS children to Get active on Wednesday 27 march, andrew leigh, member of parliament for fraser visited the australian government’s active after-school communities (aaSc) program at kingsford Smith School.

more than 70 children took part in a tennis hot Shots session, in a fun, safe and inclusive environment with trained community coaches.

“the tennis hot Shots event provided children with the opportunity to participate in tennis activities with the aim of encouraging them to develop a lifelong love of sport through club, community or school teams,” aaSc regional coordinator liz chester said.

this initiative demonstrated the important links between kingsford Smith School, yWca hawker School age care and tennis act by providing quality sporting experiences for children.

“it is great to watch children participate in the aaSc program under the ‘playing for life’ approach. this is based on the game sense approach to coaching that uses games, rather than drills, to introduce the principles of a particular sport or other structured physical activity in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.

“playing sport is also about encouraging children to have fun, make new friends, learn new skills and most importantly get active and develop a

lifelong love of sport,” chester said.

kingsford Smith coordinator, ian bottomley said, “the aaSc program is free for all our participating students and encourages them to participate in sports and other structured physical activities during the after school time slot. the children, parents, teachers and community coaches all enjoy being part of this national initiative that encourages children to get active.”

an australian government initiative, delivered by the australian Sports commission, the aaSc program is run in more than 3,200 schools and after school care centres in all states and territories with approximately 190,000 children participating each semester.

the aaSc program provides children with the opportunity to try a wide variety of sports and other structured physical activities through a positive and fun experience. in doing so, the program aims to encourage children to develop a love of sport that motivates them to join a local sporting club and get participants and their families active for life.

for more information about the aaSc program visit ausport.gov.au/aasc

WoMen in Super Mother’S day claSSic pink will definitely be the colour of choice at this year’s Women in Super mother’s day classic on may 12, but look out for the yellow shirts amid the canberra runners.

as a special canberra centenary initiative, the mother’s day classic organising committee invited the first 100 people to register for the annual event and fund raise more than $100 for breast cancer research to be part of the mdc canberra 100.

mdc canberra 100 team members have not only been feverishly participating in a pre-event training program with fernwood fitness instructor and marathon running specialist kim Wilmshurst and

ultra marathon runner keli Vaughan, they have raised $16,000 within weeks of registering.

mother’s day classic canberra chair and national chair of Women in Super, catherine Wood said the enthusiasm of the mdc canberra 100 team was a fabulous start to what promises to be another special event which includes a 5km walk/run and a 10km run.

“canberran’s have always been great supporters of the mother’s day classic and what it represents and we continue to be delighted at their response and fundraising efforts,” said Wood.

“We want as many canberrans as possible to make mother’s day a memorable and meaningful day by registering and start fund raising now. anyone who has experienced a mother’s day classic event knows what a special vibe there is to the morning,” she said.

more than a quarter of a million australians have participated in past mother’s day classic events, making the

mother’s day classic australia’s largest funder of the national breast cancer foundation’s research programs.

Since Women in Super initiated the event in 1998, five year survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer have been increasing, and now stand at 89 per cent of those diagnosed.

the 2013 mother’s day classic will be kirsty brook’s fourth as a breast cancer survivor.

the young mother of two has reached out to friends, family teachers and local businesses for donations she desperately hopes will one day mean a future without breast cancer.

“fundraising to me is raising money to find a cure. i am healthy and cancer free but i have to trust that my treatment has worked and i will live to a ripe old age. but living my life would be so much sweeter if i knew that soon there was a cure,” she said.

an addition to this year’s already fun filled mother’s day classic program is a ‘shoe drive’ to support robert decastella’s indigenous marathon project. runners and walkers are asked to bring along any used or unwanted running/sports shoes and the imp will take them to indigenous communities who will find plenty of extra wear in them.

for further information or to register go to www.mothersdayclassic.com.au


HELPING YOUNG MEN ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL FOR OVER TEN YEARS

FREE COUNSELLING AND MENTORING FOR YOUNG MEN AGED 12-25

TO GET HELP OR TO GET INVOLVED WWW.MENSLINK.ORG.AU

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:

MenSlink and the bruMbieS teaM up For younG Men’S Mental health canberra-based men’s mental health charity, menslink, have teamed up with the brumbies to help spread the message to young men and their families that help is always close at hand. by brett mckay @bmcSport

“the brumbies have been really supportive of menslink, in getting the word out there to the general community about what we do, and the programs we run,” menslink ceo martin fisk told play recently.

“We run a monthly session called the ‘menslink midweeker’ at gryphons caffe bar up in griffith, and it’s sponsored by the brumbies, and myself and a famous speaker will come and talk about issues that are relevant to guys and young blokes in particular.”

“the last session we did, clyde rathbone and i spoke about the impact of depression on blokes, why four out of five suicides are males, and some of the challenges that guys face, and also some of the things we can do about it,” fisk explains.

the story of rathbone’s battle with depression and ballooning weight once he departed the constant of professional rugby in 2009 is well-documented and doesn’t require re-telling. but rathbone’s determination to return to the brumbies and Super rugby is something that resonates in circles much larger than what is cheering him onto canberra Stadium again in 2013.

“i’ll give you a specific example of what clyde’s done for the young guys,” fisk begins.

“clyde came out to one of our [bi-annual] camps, and spoke to the young guys around the fire. he just came right out and said, ‘i struggled with depression, here’s how it happened, it caught me a bit by surprise, here’s how i dealt with it’ and again giving that message

that all of us, no matter how strong, how famous, how successful, we’ve all had these troubles in our life.”

“and what happened next was absolutely magic,” fisk goes on.

“We didn’t predict this, but one of the young guys around the fire said, ‘you know what i reckon we should do? We should all just talk about something bad that happened in our life, and something good that happened in our life’ and i’ve got to tell you, a few of us adults were tearing up at some the stories these young guys were sharing.”

“and clyde opened that conversation.”

brumbies business development manager, Simon chester, says it was only natural that the club would be involved in the great work of menslink.

“you always hear stories about depression, and you might be one or two touch points away from it, and you read the stories and you hear of someone’s friend, or someone who knows someone who suffered from depression,” chester says.

“but obviously, with clyde being such an integral part of the club a few years ago, and now coming back and hearing his story, he’s really put a face to [men’s mental health] for us, and now everyone in the organisation - players and staff alike - are more aware that this can happen to anyone. So for us, it was natural fit for us to work with menslink, and to bring this issue to the forefront, not just with clyde, but with all the players.”

“We’re behind the scenes promoting our games, and helping menslink to get people along [to sessions], but to get them there might be the first step in their recovery, and that’s really important for us.”

“depression and suicide aren’t dirty words,” fisk says, to finish, “but silence is. that’s just some of the messages we want to get across.”

“and the brumbies have just been fantastic in being those role models who’ve got the ‘kahunas’ to get up and talk about it.”

the Wednesday night ‘menslink midweeker’ sessions are held every four weeks at gryphons caffe bar in griffith, and the brumbies will be running promotions in the lead-up to the match against the Southern kings at canberra Stadium on friday, april 5.

menslink encourage anyone in need of support to contact them on 6239 4699, or to email them at [email protected].


FiSt SlinGerS FiGht niGht: eXploSive talent20/04/2013 australian croatian club, 68 mccaughey St turner, act

this top level event will feature local canberra boxers including 5 Gold medallists and 3 Silver medallists from this years australian boxing championships.*

ticket Prices regular tickets: 13 and over $30. under 13 $20. 3 pack $80

ViP tickets: Single $100. table of 10 $900*card subject to change.

GriFFin buzzer beater raiSeS the rooF in a dramatic final minute of play the canberra gunners snatched victory from the bendigo braves after comontae griffin banked a three pointer on the final buzzer to seal an 83-81 triumph for his side. by Sian mcgrouther.

from tipoff the game was full of drama with neither side giving their opponent room for error. While the visitors lead by as much as 10 points early in the third term the game was always set for a final quarter showdown.

“We didn’t give up, it got out to ten points and we fought back. in the first half the shots weren’t dropping but then in the second half we started to make our shot and we got a rhythm going that we carried through until the head,” gunners head coach cameron barnes said after the game.

the highly anticipated match up between griffin (29 points) and bendigo’s Jazzmarr ferguson (25 points, 9 rebounds) was a fizzer in the first half with the gunners marquee player having little impact on the

game. the gunners american recruit scored just four points across the opening two terms. but the eventual hero of the game came out attacking in the third settling the canberra side into an accelerated rhythm by taking 25 points in the final two terms.

“he really stepped up the second half, he took the team on his shoulders all the way to the end when he shot the game winner for us,” barnes said.

alex gynes was another key playmaker for the home side scoring 25 points and taking 10 rebounds continuing his impressive form from last weekend.

While the gunners put on an entertaining show for fans with the dramatic win, barnes knows they have a long season ahead and is not getting ahead of himself.

“it’s early days, it is only two wins… in training we will keep working on our transitions on the court and our ball carry as well as our defence. ivan mcfarlin took 26 rebounds tonight so we need to work on boxing those big guys out.”

the gunners had a packed out belconnen basketball centre standing on their feet by the final minute giving fans a taste of what is to come for the rest of their 2013 Seabl campaign.

braVeS SurGe to Victory oVer caPS academyan impressive bendigo braves defeated the canberra capitals academy 97-55 in round 2 of the Seabl.

the opening minutes of the game looked promising for the capitals who’s shooting accuracy appeared to have improved significantly from their loss against brisbane the weekend before but a strong defensive game from the visitors quickly put a stop to that.

Spearheaded by an unstoppable shooting performance from Wnbl forward renae camino (35 points), the braves lead from the start capitalizing on every mistake the caps made. madeline garrick (24 points) also supplied valuable points for the bendigo side who ran away with the game in the second term.

While the score line may not suggest it, the academy put together some impressive plays and continued to attack every ball despite having surrendered a 20 point lead by half time. caps forward lauren Jansen kept the home side in the fight scoring 12 points and taking 11 rebounds.

backing up their solid partnership from the weekend before, caps Wnbl players Sam norwood and alex bunton scored 27 points and took 15 rebounds between them providing a reliable backbone for the academy side who are still finding their feet this season.

canberra GunnerS & capS acadeMy april GaMeS

belconnen basketball and Sports centre

Saturday 6/4/13: tip-off 7.30pm* V ballaratfriday 19/4/13: tip-off 8.00pm* V hobart

Sunday 28/4/12: tip-off 2.00pm* V frankston

*caPS academy tiP-off 2 hourS before


Full paGe FroM zoo??


down

1 Soccer teams inter and ac (5)

2 city of the 1968 olympics (6)

3 net cord serve (3)

4 association football (6)

5 one-on-one match (7)

8 Speedster Jeff ___ (7)

11 edged (7)

13 home of the masters (7)

15 la ball player (6)

16 West coast side (6)

17 carl ___, famed sprinter (5)

20 rower’s accessory (3)

G R E E K T I G E R

L X I N D I A U O

A S T O N A T A T U M

S R G V I A

G R A S S I T A L I A N

O D N

W O O D S W A I R T H

T A E

S H E A R E R L A V E R

C A N I I B

U N I O N E O L L I E

L A G O R A N L R

L A N C E S H A F T

croSSWord number 17

1 2 3 4 5

6 7

8

9 10

11

12

13

14 15 16

17

18 19

20

21 22

acroSS

6 fielding position (4,3)

7 mr becker (5)

9 end point of the tour de france (5)

10 city of pro basketballers the bulls (7)

12 South african quick (5,6)

14 discredited Wallaby (5,6)

18 Sally pearson’s event (7)

19 tmS commentator Jonathan ___ (5)

21 mount (5)

22 field event (7)

“the most talented players don’t always succeed. Some don’t even make the

team. it’s more what’s inside”.

- brett favre

cros

swor

d #

16 s

olut

ions

COERVER Coaching Master Class Series.Topic: The Outside Cut

Jason LancsarCOERVER® Coaching Asia Pacific DirectorJason Lancsar COERVER® Coaching Asia Pacific DirectorWe hope you enjoy our Coerver Coaching Play Magazine homework designed to improve your game but above all have fun while practicing. Coerver Coaching has been a global leader in 1v1, this month we look at the Outside Cut.

See next issue for more tips from Coerver Coaching or for further information please visit our website www.coerver.com.au

Step 1:Push the ball forward out in front of you.

Step 2:Then stretch to reach the ball.

Step 3:Using the outside of your foot, stop the ball.

Step 4:As you do this, turn with the ball and push the ball in the opposite direction, accelerate away from your opponent.

1. For the most effective outside cut, try to make sure the ball is well ahead of you.2. Try to stay low and cut the ball with your ankle, rather than a stiff straight leg, so you have a soft and flexible touch and can accelerate out of the move strongly.3. As soon as you complete the move, look up to see where your opponents and teammates are.4. Use this move when going across your opponent’s goal and when your opponent is in front of you.

Step 5:Now you have shielded the ball, you can go in another direction.

play canberra issue 22 april 2013

Documents

time canberra

sportthe centenary of

brumbies v british

canberra stadium

centenary army

night centenary showdown

community sporting events

upcanberra raiders cup