The players had a good Easter break after performing well in the first practice match against Mulgrave the week before in our new away jumpers. This Saturday we play our final practice match against Wantirna South at Kings Park before the first game of the season the following week April 9th against Chirnside Park away, our first home game is the 16th April against Park Orchards before the Anzac Day clash against South Belgrave on Monday the 25th April at Kings Park, when we will be wearing special Anzac Day Jumpers. For an update on the clubs prospects for this season click on following link to the EFL Website for an interview with Andy Hayman (Link to Interview)Thursday night will see the club kick off meals for this season; so come down and have a meal and catch up for a drink and chat. Also Thursday night all U19 Players and Parents are invited down to the club for a meet and greet session; see below for more details. Congratulations to Upper Gully Cricket Club on the 1sts’s Premiership last Saturday to add to their 2nds and 4ths. Club Memberships now available as well as player sponsor opportunities which includes Club Membership. Neil Thompson is again running the King Club; refer below for further details and get on board this important coterie group of Upper Gully. Don’t forget to support our sponsors and especially our major sponsor Ferntree Gully Toyota; contact club vice-president Dean Wilson on 0412 312 672 to help get you a great deal on your next Toyota purchase. The Club is ordering Baby/Mascot Jumpers for anyone wishing to purchase; orders required by 3rd April, please see below for prices and other information, or contact Tom Caruso on 0406 102 549. Andy Neville is again in charge of the VIP area for this season; contact him on 0418 546 260 if you have a group that would like to watch the game from behind glass with Upper Gully Hospitality thrown in. A group of Past Players got together a few weeks ago and are now planning a Past Players Day for the round six clash against Scoresby; see below for more info but please put this day in your diary. Anyone interested in playing footy every second Sunday; then the Vets team is for you,so if anyone is interested please contact Jason Zinnow on 0411 079 829 or otherwise turn up to training on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Netball Courts from 6:30pm.Upper Gully Auskick starts April 9th at Dobson Park; If you have any questions, please call Bob on 0424 059 975 Any Girls wanting to play Football or Netball for the club this season; please check out the info below for contact details; Girls U12’s training will continue on Thursday evenings from 5:45pm at Dobson Park. Upper Gully Primary School is celebrating its Centenary on 30th April, Many of our early players attended the school; anyone interested please go to the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/uftgprimary/?nr Don’t forget to get down to the Royal Hotel between 5:30pm and 6:00pm on Thursday’s for the Meat Tray Raffle; special thanks to James Hume (Upper Gully Life Member) for running this raffle as well as Boococks Meats and the Royal for their support. Remember also that the Royal Hotel is still honouring the Club Rewards Cards; so please present it for a discount for yourself and help the club financially. The club is now also on Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/uftgfc/ as well as a You Tube site Don’t forget to check out the website;http://www.uftgfc.sportingpulse.net for all the latest news and photos from around the club. The Club has put out a new Calender for this season which will be available at the club; thanks to Craig Bridle and Dwayne Stangherlin for their efforts as well as Bull as always for the printing. Thank you to all our sponsors for 2016 and especially our Major Sponsor Ferntree Gully Toyota and our Gold level sponsors LPS Waste Services, FTG Motor Group, Frawley Signs, Action Events and Mystique Printing. Anyone wanting to contribute to this newsletter please email uppergullynews@hotmail.com
Good Luck in 2016 Upper.....Go the Red and Blue!
Under 19’s Players and Parents
To all U19 Players and Parents. You are invited to the Senior Club for a meet and greet at our Clubrooms. Enjoy a chicken schnitzel for $5 and hear from President, Football Manager and Coaches in regards the 2016 season. We hope to see you there from 7pm.
Mascot/Baby Jumpers
We have Mascot/Baby Jumpers available for order, short sleeve or long sleeve. From sizes 0 and Upwards. Also can order with number on the Back of Jumper. Prices are $65 for short sleeve and $70 for long sleeve. We need to place order by 3rd April with at least 10 jumpers so if you are interested please email uftg-orders@hotmail.comor contact Tom Caruso on 0406 102 549 with your order details.
Player Sponsors
ALL PLAYERS ARE THIS YEAR AVAILABLE TO BE SPONSORED. Sponsor your favorite player and help the club along the way. Cost is $125 Inc. GST. What the sponsor gets is a Club Membership Card, Name on the player’s photo in the club rooms and during the Round 13 home game the sponsor is invited to the VIP area for some complimentary drinks and food and will go into the raffle of all players’ sponsors. 1st Prize is $250, 2nd Prize is $120 and 3rd Prize is $75.
Contact your favorite player or the club if interested.
2016 Membership
Don't be a Supporter Become a Member; support your club and get Free entry to Home Games as well as access to the Social Club and Voting Rights. Contact Andy Lee on 0419 539 863 for further details.
King Club 2016
The King Club will once again be back this season with Neil Thompson in charge. Last year saw a new initiative in the King Club Flyer Trophy where members cast votes (3, 2, and 1) on the player they think had the greatest impact in the first half of the game and had gotten the team off to a flying start. Well done to Jarrod Whiteman who took out the award for the 2015 season. The King Club is a support group for the Upper Ferntree Gully Football Club and provides valuable funds for the Football Club. For 2016 members of the King Club have access to the rooms during the senior game half time were they receive food and drinks complimentary during the break; there are also raffles to raise further money with joker poker featured. You become a club member and have free entry into home games and also received a King Club Polo or other Merchandise. There is also a social event during the season. Neil Thompson can be contacted for further Details at neilt101@hotmail.com; mobile: 0400 921 357.
Upper Gully Vets
Anyone interested in playing footy every second Sunday; then the Vets team is for you. The Vets team is looking good with confirmed starters including names like Zinnow, Lizza, Graham, Blundell and Lee, all Upper Gully Life Members and Premiership players, another Life member in DeGroot as well as other Upper Gully Premiership Players in Clancy and Derksen alongside crowd favourites Paul Dale, Bull Rattray and Saidi “Sanka” Kipyego. With this potential lineup you would be mad not to get on board and have a run every second week with Upper Gully mates. So if anyone is interested please contact Jason Zinnow on 0411 079 829 or otherwise turn up to training on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Netball Courts from 6:30pm.
GIRLS FOOTY 2016
The club is held its first Girls U12 training session on Thursday 10th March at Dobson Park between 5:45 and 6:45 and also had Emily McKie from the EFL along for an information session for both players and parents. Training will continue on Thursday Nights between 5:45 and 6:45 so any girls or parents interested please come down. As well we are looking for support staff to assist during season, let us know if interested.
UFTG Senior & Junior Football Clubs would like to receive expressions of interest for girls of any age to play AFL football. NB - we are hoping to field U12’s & U16’s teams for 2016 in the new EFL/Yarra Valley Girls Competition. Games will be played on Sundays If you are interested & would like to join as a player or in a support/coaching role, please forward your expression of interest to: uftg-girlsladies@hotmail.com
NETBALL 2016
In association with the EFL FRIDAY NIGHT NETBALL COMPETITION UFTG Seniors Football Club will be fielding 2 x LADIES TEAMS for 2016. If you are interested & would like to join as a player or support/coaching role, please forward your expression of interest to: uftg-netball@hotmail.com Registration Fees $55 for 16 to 18 years of age $65 for 18 years and over. Registration fee covers club membership, court fee, umpire fee, entry fee and insurance. UFTG Club netball dress costs $65 GO UPPER!
Upper Gully Past Players Group
Past Players Day has been set down for the Round 6 clash vs Scoresby – Starting around 12 with finger food and guest speaker before watching the senior game. Cost will be around $20 with Drinks at Bar prices.
Also we will be celebrating the following reunions – 1996 Reserves 20 Year Anniversary, 1986 Under 16’s 30 Year Anniversary and 1976 Under 15’s 40 Year Anniversary.
For further details please contact any of the following past players: Mick Stone (0412 270 211), Paul Carroll (0407 440 531), Terry McCormick (0413 862 449), Andy Lee (0419 539 863) or Casey de Groot (0419 377 588)
The club is very keen to start up a formal past players group at Upper Gully to allow for gatherings and functions to help support the club. Last season saw plenty of familiar faces with past players and officials at the THF Lunch all enjoying being able to catch with current and past friends and teammates in a social atmosphere. If you are interested in being involved in the past players group please let us know so we can organise dates for functions and numbers.
Clearances
We have recently cleared Jared Derksen and Sam Crocker to Ferntree Gully. In many ways this represents more than player clearances as the Derksen and Crocker families have made a significant contribution to our club over the past decade and more. Whilst we respect Jared and Sam’s decision and are very disappointed, we wish them all the best for this season and hope that one day they find their way back to Upper.
Peter Hards (President)
Andrew “Gibbo” Gibson – Assistant Coach
Played over 300 Senior games at local and VFA level, kicking over 1600 goals in senior career with 100 goals in season 9 times. 5 x Senior Premierships including 1986 with Williamston in the VFA. Coaching career includes 5 years as Assistant at Williamstown, 3 years at Epping, 4 years at Port Melbourne, 2 years at Casey Scorpions and recently 4 years at Montrose including the 2nd Division premiership in 2013. On top of this the Western Region Football League Goal Kicking Trophy is named the Andrew Gibson Trophy and he also holds the record for most goals in a VFA game – 22 for Williamston.
Upper Gully Football Club Pre-Season Review by Andy Hayman (Football Manager)
Numbers for pre-season training have been a little inconsistent with some of the group involved in cricket and others with work commitments at this time of the year. Numbers have started to grow and as we move towards the practise match phase we hope to see numbers steadily rise.
Chad and the coaches have been concentrating on a combination of fitness and ball movement patterns and are looking to introduce a slightly modified game style in 2016. This will involve more structured defending as the lynch pin.
We have been fortunate to sign on a number of new players and some have returned to the club for next season:
Andrew Godfrey – back after stint at Casey Scorpions in VFL
Al Calder – back after stints at Warburton and East Ringwood
Ronny Matthews – back after stint at FTG
Nathan Thornbury – new on baller from Nunawading
Ben Haddock – new Ruckman/Forward from Mulgrave
Brad Kelleher – new forward/back from Croydon
Liam O’Carroll – new tall from Vermont
We hope to sign up a few more and together with the existing Senior group who committed last season and our emerging younger talent clearly on show in last season’s final series all looks good for the season ahead.
Lifeworks Counselling Service
The Club has formed a new partnership with LifeWorks Relationship Counselling & Education Services to provide counselling to any players from the club requiring assistance for any issues they may have; this is a free and confidential counselling service and will provide great assistance for Robyn Lawson our Club Wellbeing Officer.
Upper Gully Football Club History
Andy Lee has added to the website under the History tab a complete table of head to head results against all sides that the seniors have played since 1949. Andy also has been compiling a list of all players to have played for Upper Gully and has now added to the website a list of players from 1949-1959 who have played for Upper Gully; any details on these players would be appreciated. Thanks to Norm Reeves for the 1964 and 1965 MDFA Records that have been able to fill in some gaps in the records as well as the 1965 Membership Ticket amongst other items. Still looking for Upper Gully Membership Cards from 1969, 1970 and 1971 as well as 1951; also after any EFL records from the 1960’s, 1970’s or 1980’s, if anyone can help please contact Andy Lee on 0419 539 863. Please check the Club History Page on the club website as well as the Battler page. If anyone is interested in providing anecdotes about the club or their own football career or any amendments or additions to the club history on the website; please contact Andy Lee at alene.lee@ozemail.com.au
Sponsors News
Thank you to all our SPONSORS for 2016, especially our Major Sponsor Ferntree Gully Toyota and our Gold Sponsors Action Events, Frawley Signs, Mystique Printing and LPS Waste Services. We also welcome on board the FTG Motoring Group as a significant sponsor. More news about this sponsorship later but part of the deal is for our new Away Clash Jumpers that the club will wear three times during the season including last weeks practice match. The club has signed up Johnny Boys Pizza’s in Upper Gully as a new sponsor. Last season the club welcomed on board Trident Leasing Australia as a new sponsor, contact Peter Nicholls on 1300 883 718 for all your funding needs, also iTrak Real Estate are on board sponsoring Upper Gully shorts, for any real estate requirements contact Mel on 0439 513 004. Anytime Fitness Ferntree Gully is now a sponsor of the Club and has agreed to a special rate for Players and Members of UFTGFC at $12 / week for 18 Month contract. In addition Jason Wood – Federal Liberal Member for Latrobe and Ray White Real Estate came on as Sponsor’s in 2015. Please use them and mention you are from the club so they continue their support to us. Their details can be found on the website. Also if anyone who knows of potential sponsors please contact Peter Hards, who will follow up with you.
Social Media
Theclub is on TWITTER; ClickHere Currently 486 followers and growing; also the club is on FACEBOOK currently with over 348 subscribers. Search for and Subscribe to the UpperferntreeGully OfficalSite FootballClub. The club has created a new Team App for IPhone and Android Phone users for all the news and events happening around the club. All you need to do is download the Team App fromhttp://teamapp.com/appand search for UFTGFC to install on your phone. And now we are on Instagram as well; and now we are on Instagram as well https://www.instagram.com/uftgfc/with already 88 followers.
The club is compiling a database of email address so that we are able to communicate to as many people as possible the latest news and events happening around the club more efficiently. With this in mind could you please forward the email address of any Upper Gully people you may know touppergullynews@hotmail.com
UFTG Football Club Committee 2016
Last Modified on 06/04/2016 14:56