Sunday snow and sun

Today's snow cover at Mt Mawson.
Click image to enlarge.

DESPITE the warm temperatures forecast for tomorrow (Sunday), there is still a good covering of snow at Mt Mawson in the Mt Field National Park.

While it will be warm and sunny in the Derwent Valley, with an expected top temperature of 24 degrees, it will be a much cooler on the mountain, where a top of 16 degrees has been forecast.

Southern Tasmanian Ski Association volunteers are on the mountain and the Mawson Ski Tow is running. "There is still a great snow cover and classic Tassie spring skiing!" STSA Peter Davis said on the Mt Mawson blog.

Today's footy results

SFL Seniors
2nd Semi-Final: Claremont 18.15 (123) d New Norfolk 7.5 (47)
1st Semi-Final: Lindisfarne: 18.17 (125) d Huonville 18.18 (126)

NEXT WEEKEND: New Norfolk v Huonville in preliminary final at KGV.

SFL Reserves
2nd Semi-Final: Claremont 16.8 (104) d New Norfolk 3.5 (23)
1st Semi-Final: Brighton 19.13 (127) d Huonville 4.5 (29)

SFL finals: Week 2 previewed

SFL Season 2015 Finals
Week 2 previewed by Ben Harrison

Second Semi-Final: Claremont v New Norfolk at Abbotsfield Park
WILL it be the might of the Magpies who have dominated the competition all season or will the reigning premier in the make its way into the biggest game of the season to try to pull off a fourth consecutive SFL premiership for the Eagles?

On paper Claremont will be fresher from the week’s break and look to have a really great balance of depth across all their lines. Two of the biggest jobs will be holding Magpie match winners Nathan Brown and SFL leading goal-kicker Sean Salter who has 95 goals this season, whilst Brown has kicked 53 for the year himself.

New Norfolk would normally look just as potent with Zeke Gardam and Caden Wilson having kicked more than 120 goals between them. But the Eagles enter the finals series without their key playmaker and reigning William Leitch medalist in coach Wilson who has suffered an injury to end his 2015 campaign. The goal-kicking weight will point heavily toward Gardam and Nic Clayton.

Most people would be leaning toward Claremont to win this clash at home, but it’s a gamble to write off the Eagles particularly if Claremont don’t pay enough attention to New Norfolk’s true finals “weapon” coming off a best afield against Lindisfarne in Nathan Ross.

Player to watch: Nathan Ross (New Norfolk)
Prediction: Claremont by 15 points.


First Semi-Final: Lindisfarne v Huonville at Anzac Park
IT’S all or nothing at all at Anzac Park in the First Semi-Final between two sides who should put on a fast, free-flowing game of football.  The Lions would be really confident following a really solid second half in their elimination final, whereas the Two Blues would be hoping to string together a whole game with the intensity of their first half last weekend against New Norfolk.

The Lindisfarne defence will have its work cut out for it trying to limit the scoring opportunities of Lamprill, Paul, Sullivan and Garth for the Lions, which is where the run and carry of the Two Blues on-ballers needs to be delivered for more than just a half this weekend.

Troy Cunliffe has had an outstanding year for Lindisfarne and he would need to be watched very closely as he also regularly gets the Two Blues scoreboard moving. If the forecast is right and the sun shines and the temperature reaches the 20s for the first time in many months this should turn into a high-scoring shootout to entertain the locals from Lindisfarne and those venturing up from the Huon Valley to support the Lions, who may continue their finals journey and just get the points.

Player to watch: Troy Cunliffe (Lindisfarne)
Prediction: Huonville by 9 points.

Change of venue for immunisations

THE Derwent Valley Council's free childhood immunisation service will relocate to the Derwent Valley Child and Family Centre in Blair St, New Norfolk, for three months. The sessions will continue to be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month between 2–2.30pm, with the next to be held on September 23. For more information contact Laura on 6261 8530.

Eagles into SFL semi-final

SFL Season 2015
Finals Week 1 reviewed by Ben Harrison

Qualifying Final: New Norfolk 14.10 (94) d Lindisfarne 8.11 (59) at Boyer
Lindisfarne set off to Boyer with the intent of playing fast-paced football against the reigning premier and by half time in the game on Saturday it appeared they were up for the challenge, taking the lead into the long break as New Norfolk struggled to combat the Two Blues' game plan.

The third quarter remained very tight and was almost goal for goal and set up a thrilling final quarter. However, it was all New Norfolk from late in the third quarter as they finished the game with seven goals in a row and proved that no matter who the Eagles take on their opposition can’t afford to let up before the final siren.

New Norfolk coach Caden Wilson spoke to the media after the game and said: “We knew that Lindisfarne was going to come out strongly. But we knew if we played four quality quarters we could overrun them.” On the other hand Lindisfarne coach Daniel Willing suggested it was experience that told in the end: “They had a lot more players who had been in that situation than us,” he said.

Jordan Banks-Smith kicked a game-high four goals for New Norfolk while Ben Lovell finished with three goals for the Eagles. The Two Blues' only multiple goalscorer was Troy Cunliffe who finished with three and was without question Lindisfarne’s best player. In a big final it was no surprise that best on ground for New Norfolk was Nathan Ross and he received great support from Mark Horne.

In the reserves New Norfolk defeated Brighton by 19 points

Elimination Final: Huonville 14.12 (96) d Brighton 10.8 (68) at Huonville
As expected Huonville held strong in their clash with Brighton to keep stay in the hunt in the SFL 2015 finals series with a 28 point victory over Brighton. However the Lions did not have everything their own way all day as Brighton raced out of the blocks and led by 19 points at quarter time and still held sway by 11 poins at the long break.

Huonville coach Tim Lamprill found the right words to re-energise his men at half time as the Lions produced a blistering premiership quarter to kick 8.6 and at the same time hold Brighton scoreless and just about put the game beyond doubt in a dominant performance to show that when Huonville are on song they can definitely match it with the best teams in the competition.

Tim Lamprill was the leading goalkicker for the Lions with four goals and Brad Sullivan and Michael Paul both chipped in with three goals each. Wade Burgess finished with three for the Robins whilst Ryan Bailey kicked two goals. Dale Thorp and Cameron Johns both had great games for the Lions whilst Trent Millhouse and Adam Collis tried really hard to keep Brighton in the game all day.

In the reserves Huonville defeated Lindisfarne by 40 points and made it three wins for the day with
victory over Sorell in the Colts by 26 points.

SFL Week 2 Finals Fixture

SENIORS
Claremont v New Norfolk, 2pm at Abbotsfield Park
Lindisfarne v Huonville, 2.30pm at Anzac Park

RESERVES
Claremont v New Norfolk, noon at Abbotsfield Park
Brighton v Huonville, 12.30pm at Anzac Park

COLTS
Claremont v Huonville, 9.30am at Abbotsfield Park
Sorell v Brighton, 10.30am at Anzac Park

Five fine footballers

Cody Coleman, left, Jye Bearman, Zac Triffett, Ryan Banks-Smith
and Josh Whitford-Marriott. Click image to enlarge.

FIVE members of the New Norfolk Junior Football Club were named the best and fairest players in their age groups at the Southern Tasmanian Junior Football League awards last week.

Congratulations to the following:

Jye Bearman, Under 13B Association B&F Winner
Cody Coleman, Under 14B Association B&F winner
Zac Triffett and Ryan Banks-Smith, Under 16 Association B&F joint winners
Josh Whitford-Marriott, Under 18 Association B&F winner.

Visit the NNJFC Facebook page for more.

Queen's honours for two locals

Ken O'Brien, centre, with his late sister's
medal, surrounded by three of her children.

THE Derwent Valley's first female local government councillor was honoured by Tasmania's first female governor late last week.

On Friday evening Her Excellency Professor Kate Warner presented a posthumous Medal of the Order of Australia for Dorothy Robinson. The award was accepted by the late Mrs Robinson's eldest son, Greg Robinson. Mrs Robinson's brother, Ken O'Brien OAM, was among the invited guests.

A common thread connecting the Governor and Mrs Robinson is that both were long-term residents New Norfolk. Mrs Robinson passed away in 2014, about 12 months before being named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List this year.

Sandra and Tony Nicholson at the Order
of Australia dinner on Friday night.

Former Derwent Valley mayor Tony Nicholson was also awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia this year and received his medal at the same investiture on Friday. Mr Nicholson was accompanied by his wife Sandra and elder son Richard.

Afterwards, the Order of Australia’s Tasmanian Division held a post-investiture presentation dinner at the Royal Yacht Club in Sandy Bay.

The Queen’s Birthday 2015 Honours List recognised 717 Australians across a wide range of professions and industries, and from all states and territories. A total of 519 General Division appointments and awards were announced.  A further 198 Australians were recognised through meritorious and military awards.

Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia.  If you know someone worthy, nominate them at www.gg.gov.au.