Firstly, a huge congratulations to Dean White for his 250th game this weekend! Our club is grateful to have you and your family involved!

Dean White began his senior career with Monbulk in 2006, playing 10 matches with the Seniors and 12 with the Reserves, including a Grand Final that year. Dean was to become a regular Senior player from 2007 through to 2018 in the No.23 guernsey, playing as a courageous, skillful and running defender. In the opening Round of 2019 he injured his knee and missed the rest of that season, and the following season was wiped out by Covid. He had a final season with the Seniors in 2021 before dropping back to play Reserves football in 2022. His tally of 192 games with the Seniors places him 21st on the all time Monbulk club list for Senior appearances. In 2023 Dean started his coaching career by taking on the Reserves job with Michael Langworthy and he is now in his second year of coaching that team.

Dean will play his 250th Senior grade match with Monbulk on Saturday against Narre Warren, consisting of 192 Senior and 58 Reserve matches.

Dean also played 33 Under 18s matches with Monbulk in 2004-2005, captaining the team in 2005, taking his tally to 283 appearances for the Senior club. In addition Dean also played with the Monbulk Junior Football Club on 124 occasions between 1996 and 2003, bringing his total tally for all Monbulk teams to 407 games over 29 years.

FOOTBALL
SENIORS
For the second consecutive week the winless Hawks have faced an unbeaten opponent, this time coming up against Woori Yallock at Monbulk. Monbulk had been hit by an injury curse, along with a funeral and a suspension, and had to make six forced changes this week. Monbulk’s determination and effort has never been questioned as the team as a whole crack in all afternoon, however they have two aspects affecting their results – wayward goalkicking and allowing the opposition sides to get a few goals in a burst.
Missed opportunities in front of goal have meant that scoreboard pressure has been minimal, despite some great play around the ground. The Hawks scored 7.14 on the weekend, and over the last five weeks have returned with 32 goals and 65 behinds for their efforts. Having lost their opening seven games is statistically their worst start to a season since 1990, a year where they only won once and was the last time that they were relegated, a fate that they are now facing. Their solitary win in 1990 was against Emerald, who happen to be this weeks’ opponent, and the Hawks will dig deep to break their duck.

Monbulk 7.14.56 def by Woori Yallock 16.9.105
Best: Lachlan Smith, Mitchell Dekker, Max Thornton, Josh Wentworth, Joshua Spencer, Lochlan Beecroft
Goals: Lachlan Smith 2, Lochlan Beecroft 1, Josh Wentworth 1, Johnathon Hevern 1, Ziggy Hatherley 1, Josh Rak 1

RESERVES
It was a red letter day for the Reserves as club stalwart Dean White notched his 250th Senior/Reserves match for the Hawks. Dean is the current Reserves Co-Coach and was able to guide the Hawks to a morale boosting win over the Tigers, despite losing a number of key players to the seniors this week. It was only inaccuracy that kept Woori in the game in the first half but Monbulk steadied to kick five goals to none in the second half and ran out convincing 41 point winners.

Monbulk 9.11.65 def Woori Yallock 3.6.24
Best: Campbell Evans, Ben Grimes, Thijs Koelewyn, Cameron Griffiths, Tim Rickard, Ryan Gilbert
Goals: Michael Langworthy 3, Brodie Emmett 2, Dean White 1, Jacob Defina 1, James Whitworth 1, Joshua Hill 1

WOMEN’S
The Monbulk Women’s team are nearing the halfway mark of their season and met the only other undefeated team in a top of the table encounter, although Woori were half a game behind by virtue of a draw. Woori Yallock took the challenge up to the undermanned Monbulk and could have been leading by three-quarter time with the scores level at 2.2 v 1.8. The Hawks defence, including Madeline, Bridie, Hannah K., Stacey, Yanessa and Stephanie, stood tall and held out the Tigers. Good play by the ever reliable Josie and Laura won possession in the middle and clever use of the switch to free up Maddy Dodd on the top wing paid dividends as Monbulk twice found Jade McCormick in the last term to score the winning goals. Monbulk have now beaten every team in their division.

Monbulk 4.2.26 def Woori Yallock 1.8.14
Best: Josie Ford, Madeline Caarels, Yanessa Hancock-wolfe, Laura Gillard, Stacey Jolly, Maddison Dodd
Goals: Jade McCormick 3, Laura Gillard 1

NETBALL
A GRADE
After an indifferent couple of weeks, Monbulk put in a powerful display against Woori Yallock, setting the pace early and then extending the margin at each change. With a squad of ten playing they were able to display their versatility by rotating through the positions. The Hawks move back into the top half of the ladder, one and a half games behind Emerald, who they will meet this week.

Monbulk 65 def Woori Yallock 39
Best: Stephanie Ferguson, Jamie Clark, Georgia Himmelreich
Goals: Peri Reid 26, Elly Stewart 24, Stephanie Ferguson 15

B GRADE
It’s not often that 53 goals will be a losing score but in a free flowing arm wrestle that was the fate that met the Hawks. There were only ever a few goals in this match, with scores tied 42-42 at the last change. After an enthralling contest, the Tigers eventually found themselves two goals ahead when the match terminated. Monbulk’s Liz Cutting played her 50th match.

Monbulk 53 def by Woori Yallock 55
Best: Jorja Wragg, Alice McCormick, Paige Whitworth
Goals: Jorja Wragg 40, Dayna Walsham 10, Chloe Schmidtke 3

C GRADE
Monbulk and Woori Yallock were only separated by a game coming into this match but the Hawks made it look like top v bottom in their complete control of this contest. Monbulk’s quick ball movement and dominant forward half meant that the match was nearly decided by quarter time, with the home side leading 12-3. Sammi Kelly, Tasha Selby and Lisa Boyle were miserly in defence and conceded just 18 goals in the 29 goal win.

Monbulk 47 def Woori Yallock 18
Best: Laura Del Biondo, Sammi Kelly, Grace Sands
Goals: Jamie Sands 27, Grace Sands 14, Chloe Carmichael 6

D GRADE
Monbulk played a solid and consistent game against the sixth placed Woori Yallock and there was little separating these teams. The improvement shown indicates that a win is not far away.

Monbulk 27 def by Woori Yallock 37
Best: Hayley Donald, Jessica Steele, Brooke O’Loughlin
Goals: Ella Flynn 14, Hayley Donald 13

Under 15s
Monbulk won every quarter but it was the second, which yielded 10 goals to 1, which really set the teams apart. Captain Isabelle Cross is a rock in defence and the versatility through the mid court allows for cohesive play between the arcs. Over the next six weeks the second placed Hawks will play bottom placed Beaconsfield twice, the unbeaten top side ROC twice and have two byes, so a strong showing against the Eagles this week is vital as clubs jostle for spots.

Monbulk 27 def Woori Yallock 15
Best: Stella Dunstan, Bridie McCormick, Stevie Mullinder
Goals: Lara Stenhouse 12, Kaitlyn Summers 11, Stella Dunstan 4