Sharks ready to begin inaugural season

THE Surf Coast’s newest football club will take the field for the first time this weekend, beginning its inaugural season.

South Coast Sharks Masters Football Club will play Maryborough at 2pm this Sunday on Spring Creek Reserve in Torquay, in an exciting next step for football in the region.

“We’ve done all the preparation off the field, so we’re looking forward to putting the side together out of 40 people who have said they’re available,” Sharks president David O’Brien said.

“The idea is to maximise participation, so we’ll have some of our players help fill out the Maryborough side too, but we’re just excited to kick things off.”

The Sharks will feature in the AFL Masters’ Country League, alongside 16 other member clubs from around the state, however, O’Brien said South Coast will not play all other clubs due to travel constrictions.

South Coast has committed to at least seven games for the season, with the campaign expected to end shortly after AFL Barwon’s competitions end with the annual Eliza McGowan Cup, an intraclub showcase game between ex-Torquay and ex-Anglesea players to take place in mid- to late-September.

“We’d really like to acknowledge the efforts done by the Active Men’s Club here in the area. They’ve been building up Masters Footy in the Torquay area for the past seven or eight years,” O’Brien said.

“This club would not be alive without their contributions.”

Made up of former and new football players over the age of 35 years, O’Brien says this year’s playing group is an eager bunch.

“Coach Luke Vassallo and assistant coach Chris Robinson have put together a really great list and are running really good sessions.

“Some of the new additions are still quite young and fresh out of the leagues, so we have some quick guys at our disposal and that’s a credit to our secretary Liam Shellard.

“We have players aged from 35 years all the way through to 70, so it just goes to show that if you’re eager to have a crack, no matter your age, then this could be an opportunity you might want to take up.”

The inaugural game will be livestreamed to the club’s Facebook page, but O’Brien says he hopes to see as many people as possible down at Sunday’s game.

The club is still looking for small-scale sponsorships.