From the manager's desk

By Gary "TT" Jordan

With the powerful playing roster at the disposal of the Coastal Hogs this year, picking a starting line up will be a real challenge. The suggested method of rotating reserves by the number on the playing strip has its merits however sitting a player out will depend on the team having its quota available on match days, and who has put their hand up for a later game off.

A quick review of last year suggests that on average we had somewhere in the vicinity of 2.5-3 reserves each game. We can quickly balance that against the fact that T Harper missed 5 games because of club commitments with Dinamo Kiev. He won't be granted any such release this year. We also lost our star left winger Peter Mac for a similiar number of games because of broken ribs. His transfer to Family United was inescapable however, the recruitment of Carroll and Rourke will ensure our left hand attack has not lost any of its zip. In fact all too frequently last year we missed the experience of many of our assorted stars and coupled with Gary Hardie not arriving until the April transfer window, our starting personnel suffered.

The genuine enthusiasm from our lads has management predicting a boost to our bench each week of between 3-4. Managing the side may be a lot easier for "The Cripple" given the way the team played late last season without him. It may be his best position.

Obviously everyone is back into serious pre-season training with an eye to our first official session on February 20. We have the added bonus of two experienced drill coaches available until, according to the fines master, they're called up to national duties. Until then, the management feels that Irish Dave has a valid point about team bonding. The Cripple also endorses the idea of drinking beyond reproach provided cameras from the major networks, and Channel Nine, are kept at a distance.

Management's tip of the week: Stretch those muscles before they are stretched for you.

Pre-season Team Meeting

On Monday 18th February, I'd like all team members to attend pre-season drink and discussion commencing at 7.00pm at Wombarra Bowling Club. Everyone should make an effort to attend, it's important to plan for the season ahead including our social calendar, it will be great to get everyone's input.

What's your best position

Here's one to get your comments flowing! We want to know where you want to play and why you think you should be there. On last mental count we had about six strikers and seven attacking midfielders, so not everyone is going to get to go where they feel most comfortable, although scoring goals shouldn't be an issue. How about an indication of where you think you're best suited, where you think you could fit in and where you definitely never want to play. It might help as we try to work out how to form our defensive, midfield and attacking units this season.
We'd love to hear any tactical opinions too, such as whether we should adopt a 4-4-2 this season instead of the sweeper system we worked with last year.
PS: Be sure to make yourself known by choosing a nickname we can understand. Also do we have any left footers?

Fines poll result

Fines will be capped at $5 per week this season. Eight votes were received for $5, seven for $10 and two for unlimited caps. Ant says fines will be decided post game while we are warming down or having a beer and in the mood for taking the pi$$. So, don't forget to pack some loose change to games this season.
Meanwhile the next poll is now open. See the post below for more information/explanation of this issue.

Player of the year voting procedure

The majority verdict on player of the year voting was to do a 3-2-1 after each round. Kevan has designed a link for this purpose (on left under STATS). Check it out but don't vote for yourself just yet.
Meanwhile, Anthony raises a good point and one which we can vote on in our next poll. His suggestion is that only six player of the year votes should be allocated to each game. Whoever tallies the most points just gets 3 points towards the final voting, the second highest gets two and the third highest (and ties) get one. If two players are tied for first then they get three each and no-one else polls a point. Last year we added up all the raw points. So for an example: TH10 scores eight goals and sets up three more in round one, drawing the maximum 3 points from all 20 in the squad. He then retires and misses the rest of the season but no-one else can catch his 60 points and he wins the coveted CHOTY award. Under Anthony's system TH10 would get just three points for round one and every subsequent MOM would get three points.
I'm interested to hear your comments on this and I'll post it as a poll when the fines poll has elapsed.
PS: The Illawarra junior season kicks off April 5 so this may or may not have some bearing on when we kick off.

Hogs Social Season 2008

As the first whistle for the opening game of 2008 draws ever closer, I propose The Coastal Hogs discuss past endeavours of goals missed, fouls committed, injuries received and colourful wording used to describe the referee during a pre-season game of golf, followed by a BBQ and beer. The early appointment of a Social Hog will ensure morale is maintained during our darkest moments when Shane opens those long legs and strides purposely towards goal . . . our goal!
We should encourage as many people as possible to attend our games, with post game celebrations held at our nominated watering hole.
During the season I recommend we hold various social events to help support our nominated watering hole but also to make our partners feel part of the club, encouraging them to participate in game day, trivia nights and the occasional dance and bbq.
Can I suggest we nominate our team's committee, who should meet on a regular basis.
Finally, I recommend photographs are taken during each game and posted on our Blog Site.

Welcome Matt!

The CH front office wishes to extend a warm welcome to our newest Hog, Matt Carroll. Matt, aka Tony's bro-in-law, has joined up following a stellar career with the Miranda Magpies in the Sutherland competition. Matt's greatest achievements include being voted his team's most convincing diver and having never missed a spot kick no matter how deviously earned. Matt, who is a strikingly youthful 34, becomes the third "little Piggy" after Ant and Fergus, who likewise will not turn 35 until after the season has kicked off.

Return of the Hogs

Ins and Outs

Three of our players won’t be backing up this season: Adam (moving), Peter McLatchey (family commitments) and Perry (injuries). Please welcome Fergus Rourke, Graeme Phillipson and Anthony Ritter (who will be the baby of the team having not quite reached the big 3-5). Because we were stretched for numbers on a few occasions last season, we are looking for a 19th player this year and I’m still waiting to hear from a couple of candidates.
New gear

It will no doubt disappoint many of you to learn that our beloved season one highly flammable and intensely ugly playing jersey is (hopefully) going to be made redundant. The club has chipped in half the cost of a new kit as has our sponsor McAneny Lawyers at Woonona. The new strip, shown in the design stages here, is in the Thistle style black and yellow vertical stripes and will have our sponsors’ logo on the front. Hopefully the numbers will match the sizes we’ve requested – a list of your playing number follows at the end of this. Thanks must go to Shane Keating for “sponsor relations”.
Office politics

John and I met with Helensburgh committee members before Christmas with a few home truths on the agenda. They sounded us out with a view to splitting the Coastal Hogs in half to form, with the current third division side, two o35 teams (or three all up including the promoted Sweat Hogs). We argued strongly against this on the basis that we had formed a strong unit together and we appreciate their decision to allow us to continue intact. Another point of contention was our support of the club overall – in particular the fact that none of us attended the club’s presentation night. We have committed to support it this season, as long as it falls outside of the school holidays.
Meanwhile, John wrote a proposal to the governing body arguing that the 0ver 35 competition should not include underage players. They responded that they would continue allowing underage players in division 2 as part of their plan to increase the o35 competition to three divisions.
Training

The summer sevens season ends on Feb 11 so we will aim to kick off training on Feb 20 at 6.30pm at Jim Allen Oval, Wombarra. We are led to believe that we will be able to use the ground and lights again this season on Wednesday nights. We don’t have a season kickoff date yet. A reminder to those who aren’t already playing – there is a useful game every Sunday morning from 8.15am at Jim Allen Oval, all welcome.
Coaching

Shane and I completed the level 2 coaching license before Christmas and have some ideas to get more out of our training sessions. We’d like everyone to bring a ball to training – you don’t have to splash out, I got a couple of Patrick balls for $10 a pop at Sportsman’s Warehouse this week. Also, Gary Jordan and hopefully Perry, will spend some time as match day managers, looking after substitutions etc.
Rostering

We only had one match last season when we had more than the allowed 16. If it happens this season we will work on a roster system. I’m proposing that in cases where we have more than 16 wanting to play we choose those who miss out based on playing number. In week one the NEW players will be rostered out and after that we will work through the team based on playing number ie, week two numbers 2-3-4 might miss out and the week after 5-6 and 7 etc etc (we will skip ANY players who have missed out already for any reason until everyone has missed a game and it is their turn again). This system is for regular season only – in finals I think we should have a lottery system. Also, I think goalie Pete plays when goalie Pete can so is therefore unaffected by the roster.
3-2-1 voting

Because we’re expected to provide a player of the year for presentation night we’ll need some sort of voting system. If we do a weekly 3-2-1 it should be done by the majority of the team. The alternative is to just do a single 3-2-1 vote at the end of the season for your three players of the season. Please let me know which you prefer.
Fines

A suggestion has been made that we can raise funds towards an end of season party, donation to the junior club etc etc by having a fines system. Fines can be frivolous or serious – for own goals, yellow cards, diving, scoring instead of passing, etc etc and can be capped at $5 or $10 each a week. Again, let me know if you like or hate the idea. Anthony has some experience as a fines master and will no doubt relish this role.