VFL: Footscray breaks up Frankston’s 1000-match celebrations

Robbie McComb has made a slashing start to the VFL season for the Footscray Bulldogs. Is he ‘the next Anthony Scott’?

Robbie McComb celebrates a goal for the Bulldogs against Frankston. Pic: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

Robbie McComb was a very good player at Vermont.

He’s a better player in the VFL.

He is, in fact, in the top bracket of midfielders in the competition, a strong and uncompromising figure around the football for Footscray, which is unbeaten after Round 6.

Some VFL watchers even think he’s capable of stepping up to the AFL, following the lead of other VFL Bulldogs Anthony Scott, Will Hayes, Mitch Hannan and Ben Long.

The 25-year-old is in his fourth season with Footscray and he could not have started it more impressively; he’s had at least 20 possessions in each of his five matches.

On Friday night he was among the best-afield as the Bulldogs broke up Frankston’s 1000th VFA/VFL match celebrations with a thumping win under lights at SkyBus Stadium.

Radio station 3RPP called the game and at the end of it threw to former Frankston player and more recently general manager Mick O’Neil for his summary.

He had circled McComb’s name as the Bulldogs’ best, entitling him to a $100 supermarket voucher.

That will get him a few bags of groceries.

On the field he’s been getting bags of disposals: 24 against the Suns, 25 against the Giants, 26 against the Northern Bullants, 28 against Carlton and 24 against Frankston.

“I have been happy with my consistency so far,’’ McComb said on Saturday.

Robbie McComb bursts out of a stoppage. Pic: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

McComb played junior football at Ferntree Gully alongside Bulldogs AFL-lister Ben Cavarra, then had a year of senior football as a 17-year-old.

A back injury he picked up playing cricket dashed his hopes of making the Eastern Ranges squad.

McComb transferred to Eastern powerhouse Vermont when he was 18. The Dogs noticed him and made contact through Stewart Edge, now the VFL coach.

He played seven games in 2018 and 15 in 2019; in both seasons he also played in Vermont’s premiership teams.

McComb said he had gradually increased his fitness since joining the VFL program. The Bulldogs are having only one official training session but he’s doing a lot of extras, including boxing.

“When I’m playing well I’m covering the ground, running a lot of ks,’’ he said.

“I did 15.2 in the last game.’’

As for his ambitions, McComb said he was “giving it everything’’ this year, thinking time is running out.

He nominated for the mid-season draft but it was rejected because he hadn’t put his name in for last year’s national draft (he can seek an exemption).

“It’s not the be-all and end-all for me but it (AFL) is definitely something I want to go for,’’ he said.

“I’ve sort of been working up to it.’’

O’Neil said: “I was just so impressed with him. He seemed to be a good player in the last couple of years. But he’s clearly stepped up from there. I liked his hardness and his running. He was elite out of the centre clearance and he’s got an AFL body and he‘s ballistic with it.

“I couldn’t have been more impressed with him. Is he the next Anthony Scott? That’s what I was thinking.’’

Mitch Cox is having a strong season for Frankston. Pic: Matt Walker.

The Dolphins were depleted – they made seven changes, six of them because of injuries, from the Round 5 team and went in without a recognised ruckman – but they were undaunted and trailed by 19 points at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter.

But the Dogs took control with eight unanswered goals and turned it into a rout, 19.14 (128) to 5.17 (47).

McComb kicked two goals. Springy forward Dominic Bedendo, Josh Schache and Rhylee West all kicked three, with West also collecting 27 possessions.

The visitors also showed up with a tall left-footer in Bailey Vanderhuevel, who took a star turn with six marks in the forward line and leaving spectators to wonder where the heck he’d come from.

Ballarat, it turns out.

Mitch Cox was a standout for Frankston with 23 possessions and two goals, continuing his strong form.

The 24-year-old right-footer is enjoying his best season in the state league, reward for his much-improved fitness. It allows him to compete harder and for longer.

“He’s playing good footy,’’ coach Danny Ryan said.

“He got super-fit in the off-season, which is a credit to him because he wasn’t able to get to all our sessions. He’s working over in the west of Melbourne, so he did a lot of his own stuff.

“He’s realised he’s got real potential, a bit of swerve and curve about how he runs, a strong body. He kicked three points … if he had kicked straight he would have had a really big impact.

“He’s playing a really strong role for us and he’s a leader without being a leader.

“We’re really enjoying watching him going so well.’’

Captain Josh Newman (26), Sam Fletcher (25), Anthony Brolic (24) and Will Fordham (23) also had a good handle on the ball.

The Dolphins had two debutants in Harry Loughnan and Billy McCormack, who showed a lot of spirit in his role in defence.

Frankston won its first three matches, has lost its past three and on Thursday night hosts Richmond in a match to be broadcast on Foxtel.

Ryan hopes ruckmen Jeremy Goddard and James Rendall, Nathan Freeman and Bailey Lambert will be available.