Quick Kicks: All the quirky talking points from local footy

A marquee player allowance, an umpire singing the team song, a legend’s comeback and a poor old ressies defender who wished he’d stayed home. It’s all in our weekly Quick Kicks column.

Vermont champion Craig 'Gisa' Gislingham (left) has a bold new idea.

The rumour mill around local footy circles is heating up as is the finals race.

But here at Quick Kicks we’re here to look at the lighter side and the sometimes serious moments.

Whether it be a funny exchange, a good stat or an action that’s laughed about after the game — it’s all here.

HOW’S THIS ONE?

Is it time for a marquee player allowance in local football?

In the case of the Eastern league, yes, according to Vermont great Craig Gislingham.

The 10-time premiership Eagle is worried about the standard of Eastern’s Premier division, saying it has declined sharply in the past two years as clubs operate on reduced salary caps.

This year clubs in the top tier of metropolitan leagues can pay $120,000, which is tipped to increase to $125,000 in 2025.

The Eastern, Northern, Southern, Essendon District and Western Region competitions all had their player-payments ceilings set at $100,000 as they came out of Covid in 2021.

Eastern had been at $200,000.

Gislingham said it appeared the EFNL clubs were playing by the rules, but it had affected the quality of a competition once commonly regarded as the strongest in the metropolitan area.

He said the reduction in the cap equated to the loss of three or four top-drawer players for each team.

Gislingham believes clubs should be able to sign marquee players and pay them outside the salary cap.

“I think it would make the league stronger. I think the Eastern league is being left behind by the Essendon league and the Northern league,’’ he said.

“We’ve got to try to get better players into the competition, which other leagues seem to be able to do at the drop of a hat.

“I think a club should be able to go outside and have a look around and bring in someone as a marquee player who gets paid outside the cap. Let the clubs pay whatever they can afford. If you want to go out and get a really good one, go out and do it. If you can pay it, you can pay it. I think it’s a great idea to promote the league and put the league back up there again.’’

Gislingham said he had spoken to Eastern boss Jy Bond about the issue.

He said the subject also came up when he bumped into Balwyn powerbroker Richard Wilson, who has also expressed alarm at the standard of Eastern Premier.

THE POOR RESSIES FULLBACK

You can’t keep a good man down and you can’t keep a good footballer off the field. Cameron Cloke’s time as one of the best local footballers might be over but it hasn’t stopped him pulling on the boots. The former Collingwood, Carlton and Port Adelaide big man has played four matches for Templestowe’s reserves in Eastern Division 2. He was forced to step away from the game last year after a coward punch in a game. However, he returned for the Dockers in Round 9 and has played the last three weeks, booting nine games in his four appearances - including four against the Jets. Templestowe looks set to play finals in senior and reserve grade, sitting fifth and fourth respectively, with three games remaining.

GOING STRAIGHT

Legendary full-forward Simon Goosey has not only returned to playing footy but he’s also back to his jaw-dropping on-field exploits. The Goose, who’s in his mid 50s these days, kicked nine goals for Mornington Raiders superules side last Sunday. In doing so, he continued a remarkable streak of accuracy. Goosey has kicked 26 goals straight in three games. Yep, he’s yet to miss. And, making it all the more remarkable, he’s playing with a new hip after a replacement a few years back.

THAT’S NOT RIGHT

Local footy is always filled with verbal jabs at the umpires. A great cliche is ‘have you got a *insert club name* jumper under there?’. We’ve never heard ‘will you join in on the team song?’. Some eagle-eyed followers of Quick Kicks have spotted an umpire joining in on one club’s team song. It’s understood he didn’t in fact umpire the game this side had just won but it makes for some unique viewing.

These scenes left us a little confused.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Drones delivered more than just food in the eastern suburbs on Saturday afternoon. In a partnership between Wing and the Ringwood Football Netball Club, drones delivered the whistle and the celebration for club hero Declan Hill at the Redbacks home game. Club vice-captain Declan Hill played his 200th senior game, and is only the 11th player in club history to reach this milestone. He first debuted in 2009 as a 17-year-old and has notched up 403 goals for the club. The certificate delivery was made by Wing, a drone company which partnered with Doordash to deliver food from Eastland in July. Wing spokesperson Jesse Suskin said there had already been “a lot of deliveries” made by the drones already. “A lot of people have tired at the drones and many have made multiple orders. “We have received great feedback on them already.”

TON WATCH

Twenty-three goals are needed for Coldstream’s Darcy Fritsch to salute a century. The former VFL man kicked just one major in Saturday’s shock Eastern Division 3 loss to Ferntree Gully to lift his total to 77, with two home-and-away rounds and a finals campaign to come. Hot on his heels is Donvale’s Ethan Duncan (67), while Scoresby’s Adam Amin has 72 in Division 4.

TURN ON THE LIGHTS!

Lucky the game between St Bedes Mentone and Old Ivanhoe didn’t come down to the final, with the visitors in front by 63 points. The game was abandoned with 47 seconds remaining when the lights decided they had seen enough. Let’s hope the potential percentage doesn’t have an impact.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

16-year-old Noah Wisken made his senior debut for Crib Point in the Mornington Peninsula league on Saturday in what was a family affair. Noah joined older brothers Cooper and Joel in the senior side for the Magpies’ clash with arch rival Hastings. The three boys are the sons of club champion and president Andrew “Barm” Wisken, who ironically coached both Hastings and Crib Point during his playing days. Noah played fresh off a strong Under-16 National Championships with Vic Country.

THE OLD LOOSE MAN TRICK

Gordon was in control of its Central Highlands league game against Hepburn and it felt like they had an extra player on the ground. They literally did. At the start of the last quarter on Saturday, a headcount revealed Gordon had one extra. It didn’t end up having an impact on the result. AFL Victoria rules say any score added with the additional player be removed.

SORRY COACH, I CAN’T

At least he was being honest... We’re referring to the young local player named as an emergency for a recent seniors match. Someone dropped out and the lad took a phone call from the coach on Saturday morning. “You’re in,’’ the coach told him. The player hesitated. “I’d rather not,’’ he said finally. “I’ve been out all night and I don’t want to let anyone down.’’

NO LIGHTS, NO WORRIES

This was surely a first for Michael Firrito, the ex-AFL Kangaroo who coaches Gembrook Cockatoo in the Outer East league. The Brookers had no lights last Thursday night when the local council made an error with some works they were doing. So fast-thinking Firrito called an impromptu table tennis competition — and on Saturday Gembrook Cockatoo came out with a 39-point win over Mt Evelyn.

ON THE ROAD

The Northern Football Netball League has been forced into a last-minute finals venue change. Whittlesea Showgrounds has been dropped due to the condition of the oval a fortnight out from the first scheduled finals. Weather and use has left the ground in a dangerous condition. Instead, finals will be shifted to Lalor Reserve. Whittlesea was due to host all six Division 3 men’s finals, including the grand final, but all games will now be moved to Sydney Crescent. It also hosted women’s finals last year but all four Division 2 and 3 finals this weekend will be held at Epping Reserve. The Division 3 women’s first and second semi-finals will be held at Lalor on Sunday, August 11.

It will be the first time Lalor Reserve has hosted senior finals since 2013.

KICK IT TO US

Got your own quirky talking point from the weekend’s footy or a player who deserves recognition? Send it to us at: [e-mail] or hit us up on Facebook.