the club remains committed to its women's and netball programs while its Under 19s will compete in a combined team with Forest Hill EFNL CEO Jy Bond acknowledged the challenges faced by Nunawading and reaffirmed the league’s commitment to supporting the club’s future sustainability “We understand this has been a difficult decision for Nunawading and we commend the club for prioritising its long-term stability,” said Jy Bond “The EFNL will continue working closely with the club with the goal of re-establishing Senior Men’s football in 2026 whilst supporting the club’s women’s under 19 football and netball programs in 2025.’’ After consultation with the division four clubs in the competition the EFNL has amended the 2025 fixture replacing Nunawading with a bye Match ratio will be used for competition management The league remains steadfast in its vision of maintaining a ten-team Division four competition Bond says Nunawading’s situation highlights the importance of fostering a strong junior program with a clear pathway alignment from junior’s clubs into the senior clubs within the same league Another challenge is the growing pressures on community clubs particularly in securing volunteers and resources to sustain senior teams “Volunteer strain is one of the biggest challenges facing local sport Our role is to support clubs in navigating these challenges while ensuring a strong and competitive league structure.” The league will continue to provide ongoing assistance to Nunawading as it works towards returning to senior men’s football in 2026 Match Footage EFNL Board Staff Junior Committee Senior Clubs Junior Clubs Safeguarding Children & Young People Annual Reports (VIEW MAP) Email: enquiries@efnl.org.au Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  It’s the suburban association that counts Brian Goorjian Jenna O’Hea and Bec Allen among its greats But the biggest basketball hub in the country has a $100 million stadium problem Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later experienced an unforgettable day on the weekend as they met Greek football icons The three football heroes were part of the Greek National Team that beat Portugal in the unforgettable 2004 Euro final as well as collecting prized autographs from the Greek football legends The aspiring young stars also got a chance to hone their skills with the best Angelos Charisteas and the captain of the Euro 2004 champions The visiting trio are taking part in events in Sydney Presented by Nikos Mouzourakis of the Football Brilliance Academy (FBA) and a highly anticipated legends race at Sydney’s Lambert Park this Sunday More than 95 firefighters and 26 trucks deployed to Nunawading Fire crews remain at the scene of a blaze that destroyed a Melbourne mattress store with investigations likely to continue well into Sunday night after the fire was deemed a suspected arson attack Emergency crews responded to several calls about a two-storey building on fire at Nunawading in the city’s east about 2.20am on Sunday They arrived to find large plumes of smoke and flames coming out of the front of a Forty Winks store, according to the Fire Rescue Victoria assistant chief fire officer Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email “[Firefighters] made an internal attack to try to quell that fire as much as they could,” he said the fuel load was just too much to make any more progress.” The fire engulfed the back of the building before moving across to a second building forcing crews to retreat to fight the fire externally because of fears the building would collapse About 30 people in nearby homes were evacuated because of the smoke More than 95 firefighters and 26 trucks were deployed to fight the flames with the fire brought under control after about four hours “Victoria police will be investigating the cause of the fire with the arson squad and they have deemed it to be suspicious,” Hansen said Firefighters saved adjoining retailers from the fire including a paint store containing flammable solvents Free newsletterGet the most important news as it breaks there’s a large bicycle retailer [and] we’ve managed to keep the fire from that premise,” Hansen said An alert was issued to nearby communities urging people to close windows and doors and turn off heating and cooling systems to avoid the smoke Firefighters will be at the scene for the rest of the day and into the night Nunawading Lions Gold secured their first win of the 2025 Ringwood Mazda netball Division 4 season defeating Donvale Black by 24 goals in a terrific performance at HE Parker A 10-1 opening term set the tone for the Lions who outscored Bayswater in each remaining quarter on their way to producing an impressive 40-16 triumph The victory could not have stated in better fashion with Sarah Delaney playing her 100th game for the Nunawading Lions It was a dominant opening half from Nunawading Lions shooter Jordan Smith that played a role in her side’s strong win on Friday night 10 of them coming in the third and fourth quarter Melanie Van Zuyden was impressive in her own right and scored 17 goals while teammates Sarah Delaney and Hannah Maw had some great moments for the winning side through the midcourt with their attacking flow and providing energy Nunawading Lion’s ability to find accurate passes and options were on song whilst the strong one on one defence was the catalyst in their strong start to the match they didn’t allow Donvale any easy transitions down the court the Lions also controlled things as a unit with five-goals each from Smith and Van Zuyden seeing their side lead by nine at the first break The intensity didn’t fall away in the second term as the defensive unit of Nunawading Lions ensuring Donvale only registered five goals for the term gaining more possession as a result; however the Lions would end the third term in impressive fashion to extend their advantage to 24 goals approaching the final quarter Despite the game out of reach approaching the last quarter The Lions showed plenty of class in the last quarter resulting in them winning their first match of the season Evil Dead The Musical is coming to The Round in Nunawading record-breaking musical takes all the elements of the cult classic horror films and combines them to make one of the craziest theatrical experiences of all time Sing along as college friends accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them into demons on one wild weekend at an abandoned cabin in the woods Check out our playlists from our latest issue Our free Weekly Newsletter delivers the latest arts news reviews and features to your inbox each Saturday Saturday night was another picture book example of the theatrics tailing the Orangemen all season with a 3-3 draw against Nunawading City packed with all the emotions you could shake a stick at The Suns led 2-0 at half-time with their feet firmly pressed to City’s throat at short odds to come away with a crucial win a twice-earned lead had evaporated for the second time and After stewing on the result for a couple of days the feeling sweeping up Suns coach Craig Carley was that of missed opportunity it probably feels like two points dropped rather than a point gained,” he said “I felt like we were in control of the game for long periods had some really good opportunities to score and obviously didn’t capitalise and then got punished with some soft goals in my opinion “That’s probably the areas where we need to be a little bit better at the moment; if you’re scoring three goals at home you should expect to come away with the three points The Suns couldn’t have asked for a better start against a side fluent in passing football Hassan Alhilfi sent a corner dipping into the near post which caught City’s keeper off guard One became two five minutes from the break as Alhilfi making his first senior start for the season drove into the box and slipped a reverse pass into Russell Currie’s feet Suns fans knew how that poem was going to end took one touch on the swivel and lashed a strike sweet-as-a-nut off the bar and in for his first goal back at McEwen Reserve since August 2023 the wheels began to wobble in the second stanza despite coasting with a two-goal buffer Miki Gamo was left free to bash home a corner from point blank range and Alhilfi caught the back leg of his marker inside the box and the referee blew for a penalty Alex Kubenko converted with a stutter step technique and caressed the ball into the bottom right for the equaliser The Suns thought they’d won it as Callum Schorah produced a stylish finish from Brandon Giaccherini’s counter City substitute George Margaritis crashed home through a sea of bodies for 3-3 A few gilt-edged chances — including a Currie back heel and Schorah header — went begging late leaving Carley pondering what could’ve been if the Suns hadn’t allowed Nunawading back into the match “I was full of confidence going into the game,” he said “The effort and attitude of the boys has been spot on; we prepared really well for Nuna and I thought we executed the game plan perfectly in the first half “We sort of went away from what had got us into that position it was just a bit of a cagey affair and we never really stamped our authority on the game again.” One bright spark in the draw who caught Carley’s eye was Alhilfi showed real signs of promise on Saturday with a goal and assist and staked his claim for meriting a starting spot when the Suns meet Doveton in this weekend’s season-defining fixture There’s obviously a lot to work on Hassan’s game he’s got that bit of quality about him where he can open up a game “There is no doubting his potential in what he can do with the ball we’ve just got to nurture that talent in the right way and hopefully he can go on to bigger and better things.” Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time As the federal election campaign enters its second week both major parties are committing hundreds of thousands of dollars to local sports clubs hoping to capitalise on community goodwill leagues and local councils are on the hustle for pledges of support from one party (if they win) or the highly sought-after “bipartisan” commitment Those in marginal seats are particularly hoping to wring out promises of election cash Local politicians’ signs on the walls of one of Nunawading Stadium’s oldest courts.Credit: Penny Stephens clubs will open their doors for awkward photo opps where bemused kids run around in front of the cameras with local candidates Sometimes those photo opps become iconic – such as when former prime minister Scott Morrison accidentally tackled a hapless junior soccer player in Tasmania during the 2022 election campaign. On Saturday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton left a cameraman bloodied when a footy kick went astray at a club in Darwin Political strategists can’t say how many votes such funding deals secure but there is an opportunity cost for those candidates who don’t show up or cough up especially in marginal seats where every vote counts The Nunawading Spectres aren’t used to asking for funding The Melbourne East Basketball Association self-funded its historic Nunawading Stadium home in 1969 when 44 parents and supporters signed bank guarantees so it could build a two-court stadium for $96,000 Scott Morrison trips into Luca Fauvette at the Devonport Strikers Soccer Club in the seat of Braddon in 2022.Credit: James Brickwood But the venue has had no major works done since the 1980s and despite operating seven days a week – now with five indoor courts Nunawading Stadium plus 20 at external venues they use for games – the Spectres are at capacity with more than 16,000 people participating in basketball activities per week The Spectres are hoping the Labor and Liberal parties will both meet their request for $35 million in federal funding towards the building of a new 10-court stadium at the current East Burwood Reserve site Whitehorse City council has tipped in $35 million towards the estimated cost of $100 million to $120 million and the state government will be asked to put in the same amount The association has tried for a decade to get the new stadium built it’s made a concerted effort to win over all levels of government The old stands on court one at Nunawading Stadium as kids play Saturday morning basketball.Credit: Penny Stephens “I say to them that I don’t want $100 million from the three levels of government – what we want is 10 new basketball courts,” Nunawading chairman Robert Green said it’s about the 10 courts and all the things they give our kids and I don’t know that you can put a dollar value on something like that.” While the stadium has been based at the same Burwood Highway site since 1969, the most recent federal seat redistribution left it proximate to five of Victoria’s marginal seats Burwood Highway forms part of the boundary between Deakin and Chisholm and the stadium is only a short drive from Menzies Drive a little further down Burwood Highway while Kooyong is a slightly longer drive towards the city – meaning players from all five seats use the stadium At the back of the wooden bleachers on court one is a sign for the member for Chisholm while a larger banner adorns a wall of court two for the member for Deakin Sukkar has a special bond with the stadium. Aside from having children who play at the venue, his life was saved on those courts in 2008 after he had a heart attack and was revived by paramedics and bystanders with medical training Green said association officials were aware the political geography could help their case Nunawading chief executive] and myself both have accounting backgrounds so we talk numbers all the time,” he said Parents and children cram into courts three and four at Nunawading Stadium for Saturday basketball.Credit: Penny Stephens Are we aware of who plays in particular electorates “We’ve proven we have public support because we had over 2000 emails to council from our players and members we’ve had some very comfortable comments from both sides – we just wait for a finalisation of their positions.” Nunawading officials had simple rules to maintain good relations with all parties The Spectres also receive government relations advice from Basketball Victoria’s Jake Keogh and SMC Strategies’ Ben Tatterson “We tell both sides of parliament we are talking to the other side and we tell everyone that we remain apolitical and won’t be taking sides,” Green said Liberal candidate for Kooyong Amelia Hamer with young footballers at Glenferrie Oval in Hawthorn.Credit: Joe Armao and Labor’s Deakin candidate Matt Gregg were all asked if they would support funding the stadium upgrade “There’s no doubt that the demand for junior basketball requires more courts and better facilities As a local long-time user of the stadium I know this first-hand,” Sukkar said “I’m pleased that Whitehorse City council has recently approved the plans for this $100 million redevelopment and I have been working closely a former Labor campaign director during one state (2006) one federal (2007) and three state byelections said funding local sport clubs in marginal seats was “often about risk mitigation” and “neutralising” any potential attacks from your opponent While candidates love the photo opportunities to kick a ball with cute kids the real political bang for buck comes from “making sure the other side can’t kick the crap out of you for not funding it” Electorates where margins are under 4 per cent are where every single vote counts – and sporting club announcements will be coming from all directions “If it’s a major club and they don’t fund it and the other side does you might lose a third or a quarter of a per cent,” he said then every quarter of a per cent could be the difference between holding a seat and not,” he said Hamer joins in on a marking competition at Glenferrie Oval.Credit: Joe Armao former member for Maribyrnong Bill Shorten resigned from parliament after 17 years But one of his final acts was to secure junior Aussie rules club Maribyrnong Park Lions a $500,000 pledge from Labor for upgrades to their pavilion including a commercial kitchen and barbecue shelter Shorten had held the position of the Lions’ joint No.1 ticket holder. The club shared the news with its supporters via an email and story on the club website The story said the grant would be a “lasting legacy” for Shorten – and featured an image of both Shorten and Labor candidate Jo Briskey – but reiterated the club was politically neutral and had asked Liberal candidate Tim Beddoe to match the pledge Beddoe was asked by The Age if the Coalition planned to match the funding Lions officials said they were busy preparing for the new season when contacted for this story Hawthorn Citizens junior football club was one of the clubs happy to play along with Kooyong Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer’s visit to Glenferrie Oval this week after she brought her party’s chequebook would contribute $3 million to help fast-track change rooms and toilets at the ground which is receiving a revitalisation from Boroondara Council She then took part in some marking contests with junior players as the cameras snapped away Kooyong is a marginal seat that Hamer is trying to take from Independent MP Dr Monique Ryan Amelia Hamer is trying to win Kooyong from independent MP Dr Monique Ryan (above).Credit: Joe Armao “We’re pretty apolitical,” club president David Stanford said “We don’t mind who wants to give us money because what we do is to create an opportunity for kids to get involved in sport a council or even our sitting member Monique Ryan who is a teal [independent] – whoever wants to donate money and enable us to do that better or faster or expand our programs to more kids – we will willingly take it.” A spokesperson for Ryan said she was against “pork barrelling” and that she hadn’t made specific funding commitments to sports clubs “Kooyong voted against pork-barrelling in 2022 and will do the same in 2025,” the spokesperson said “Funding allocations should reflect independent Monique has committed to working with local governments to that end.” Stanford said the club could only play under-8s 9s and Auskick at the ground due to the lack of facilities The club has more than 560 registered players across all age groups and its Hawthorn Auskick program has 250 players “It’s one of the biggest Auskick centres in the country and it hasn’t had change rooms or toilets for the last 15 years,” Stanford said “There is a portable room that we use for canteen operations and the council bump in a couple of portable toilets at the start of the season Stanford said club supporters were understanding about being in a political photo opp “People around Hawthorn are pretty balanced either Liberal or teal – it’s evident,” Stanford said “We are apolitical. If politicians come down and talk to people, they are welcome. We are not giving them the microphone or letting them grandstand, but you are welcome to be part of our community.” News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter. As the federal election campaign , both major parties are committing hundreds of thousands of dollars to local sports clubs, hoping to capitalise on community goodwill. Across the country, clubs, teams, leagues and local councils are on the hustle for pledges of support from one party (if they win) or the highly sought-after \\u201Cbipartisan\\u201D commitment, where both parties show them the money. Those in marginal seats are particularly hoping to wring out promises of election cash. To get that money, clubs will open their doors for awkward photo opps, where bemused kids run around in front of the cameras with local candidates. Sometimes those photo opps \\u2013 such as when former prime minister Scott Morrison accidentally tackled a hapless junior soccer player in Tasmania during the 2022 election campaign. On Saturday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton when a footy kick went astray at a club in Darwin. Political strategists can\\u2019t say how many votes such funding deals secure, but there is an opportunity cost for those candidates who don\\u2019t show up or cough up, especially in marginal seats where every vote counts. The Nunawading Spectres aren\\u2019t used to asking for funding. The Melbourne East Basketball Association self-funded its historic Nunawading Stadium home in 1969, when 44 parents and supporters signed bank guarantees so it could build a two-court stadium for $96,000. But the venue has had no major works done since the 1980s, and despite operating seven days a week \\u2013 now with five indoor courts Nunawading Stadium, plus 20 at external venues they use for games \\u2013 the Spectres are at capacity, with more than 16,000 people participating in basketball activities per week. The Spectres are hoping the Labor and Liberal parties will both meet their request for $35 million in federal funding towards the building of a new 10-court stadium at the current East Burwood Reserve site. Whitehorse City council has tipped in $35 million towards the estimated cost of $100 million to $120 million, and the state government will be asked to put in the same amount. The association has tried for a decade to get the new stadium built. The plans were knocked back in 2015, but over the past couple of years, it\\u2019s made a concerted effort to win over all levels of government. \\u201CI say to them that I don\\u2019t want $100 million from the three levels of government \\u2013 what we want is 10 new basketball courts,\\u201D Nunawading chairman Robert Green said. \\u201CIt\\u2019s not about the money, it\\u2019s about the 10 courts and all the things they give our kids, and I don\\u2019t know that you can put a dollar value on something like that.\\u201D While the stadium has been based at the same Burwood Highway site since 1969, the most recent federal seat redistribution left it proximate to five of . Burwood Highway forms part of the boundary between Deakin and Chisholm, and the stadium is only a short drive from Menzies. Drive a little further down Burwood Highway, and you enter Aston, while Kooyong is a slightly longer drive towards the city \\u2013 meaning players from all five seats use the stadium. At the back of the wooden bleachers on court one is a sign for the member for Chisholm, Labor\\u2019s Carina Garland, while a larger banner adorns a wall of court two for the member for Deakin, Michael Sukkar from the Liberal Party. There are signs for state members as well. Sukkar has a special bond with the stadium. Aside from having children who play at the venue, his life was saved on those courts in 2008 after he and was revived by paramedics and bystanders with medical training. Green said association officials were aware the political geography could help their case. \\u201CMark [Hallet, Nunawading chief executive] and myself both have accounting backgrounds so we talk numbers all the time,\\u201D he said. \\u201CAre we aware of the political margins? Yes. Are we aware of who plays in particular electorates? Yes, we are. I think our timing could be fortuitous. \\u201CWe\\u2019ve proven we have public support because we had over 2000 emails to council from our players and members, and, with an election coming, we\\u2019ve had some very comfortable comments from both sides \\u2013 we just wait for a finalisation of their positions.\\u201D Nunawading officials had simple rules to maintain good relations with all parties. The Spectres also receive government relations advice from Basketball Victoria\\u2019s Jake Keogh and SMC Strategies\\u2019 Ben Tatterson. \\u201CWe tell both sides of parliament we are talking to the other side, and we tell everyone that we remain apolitical and won\\u2019t be taking sides,\\u201D Green said. Garland, Sukkar, Liberal Chisholm candidate Dr Katie Allen, and Labor\\u2019s Deakin candidate Matt Gregg were all asked if they would support funding the stadium upgrade. \\u201CThere\\u2019s no doubt that the demand for junior basketball requires more courts and better facilities. As a local long-time user of the stadium I know this first-hand,\\u201D Sukkar said. \\u201CI\\u2019m pleased that Whitehorse City council has recently approved the plans for this $100 million redevelopment and I have been working closely, as has Dr Allen, with the association on this proposal.\\u201D Stephen Newnham, a former Labor campaign director during one state (2006), one federal (2007) and three state byelections, said funding local sport clubs in marginal seats was \\u201Coften about risk mitigation\\u201D and \\u201Cneutralising\\u201D any potential attacks from your opponent. While candidates love the photo opportunities to kick a ball with cute kids, the real political bang for buck comes from \\u201Cmaking sure the other side can\\u2019t kick the crap out of you for not funding it\\u201D, Newnham said. Electorates where margins are under 4 per cent are where every single vote counts \\u2013 and sporting club announcements will be coming from all directions. \\u201CIf it\\u2019s a major club and they don\\u2019t fund it and the other side does, you might lose a third or a quarter of a per cent,\\u201D he said. \\u201CAnd at the margins, that becomes important.\\u201D \\u201CIf the swing is on, then every quarter of a per cent could be the difference between holding a seat and not,\\u201D he said. Last year, former member for Maribyrnong Bill Shorten resigned from parliament after 17 years. But one of his final acts was to secure junior Aussie rules club Maribyrnong Park Lions a $500,000 pledge from Labor for upgrades to their pavilion, including a commercial kitchen and barbecue shelter. Shorten had held the position of the Lions\\u2019 joint No.1 ticket holder. The club shared the news with its supporters via an email and . The story said the grant would be a \\u201Clasting legacy\\u201D for Shorten \\u2013 and featured an image of both Shorten and Labor candidate Jo Briskey \\u2013 but reiterated the club was politically neutral and had asked Liberal candidate Tim Beddoe to match the pledge. Beddoe was asked by The Age if the Coalition planned to match the funding, but did not respond before publication. Lions officials said they were busy preparing for the new season when contacted for this story. Hawthorn Citizens junior football club was one of the clubs happy to play along with Kooyong Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer\\u2019s visit to Glenferrie Oval this week after she brought her party\\u2019s chequebook. Hamer announced her party, if elected, would contribute $3 million to help fast-track change rooms and toilets at the ground, which is receiving a revitalisation from Boroondara Council. She then took part in some marking contests with junior players as the cameras snapped away. Kooyong is a marginal seat that Hamer is trying to take from Independent MP Dr Monique Ryan. \\u201CWe\\u2019re pretty apolitical,\\u201D club president David Stanford said. \\u201CWe don\\u2019t mind who wants to give us money because, at the end of the day, what we do is to create an opportunity for kids to get involved in sport. \\u201CIf it is a Liberal or Labor government, a council or even our sitting member Monique Ryan, who is a teal [independent] \\u2013 whoever wants to donate money and enable us to do that better or faster or expand our programs to more kids \\u2013 we will willingly take it.\\u201D A spokesperson for Ryan said she was against \\u201Cpork barrelling\\u201D and that she hadn\\u2019t made specific funding commitments to sports clubs. \\u201CKooyong voted against pork-barrelling in 2022 and will do the same in 2025,\\u201D the spokesperson said. \\u201CFunding allocations should reflect independent, merits-based review. Monique has committed to working with local governments to that end.\\u201D Stanford said the club could only play under-8s, 9s and Auskick at the ground due to the lack of facilities. It uses two other grounds for older kids. The club has more than 560 registered players across all age groups, and its Hawthorn Auskick program has 250 players. \\u201CIt\\u2019s one of the biggest Auskick centres in the country, and it hasn\\u2019t had change rooms or toilets for the last 15 years,\\u201D Stanford said. \\u201CThere is a portable room that we use for canteen operations, and the council bump in a couple of portable toilets at the start of the season. It\\u2019s just impractical.\\u201D Stanford said club supporters were understanding about being in a political photo opp. \\u201CPeople around Hawthorn are pretty balanced, either Liberal or teal \\u2013 it\\u2019s evident,\\u201D Stanford said. \\u201CWe are apolitical. If politicians come down and talk to people, they are welcome. We are not giving them the microphone or letting them grandstand, but you are welcome to be part of our community.\\u201D News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. . \\u201CAre we aware of the political margins? Yes. Are we aware of who plays in particular electorates? Yes, we are.\\u201D It’s a term they throw around pretty freely and not one we hear used when it comes to basketball If the basketball community were to take on the phrase “basketball factory” then at the top of the list would be the Nunawading Spectres Nunawading have been one of the great long term successes in Australian basketball history playing high quality basketball at numerous levels and producing some incredibly talented players Let me run you through just SOME of the names that have spent time with the Spectres during their basketball journey: Robyn Maher 3:23 AM ∙ Mar 2, 202026Likes2RetweetsAs mentioned, that is just a handful of the incredible list of basketball people that have been involved with the club. But what makes it such a special place, how does it cultivate such incredible talent across the ranks? I was lucky enough to chat to current Operations Manager and women’s NBL1 head coach Paul Flynn, along with a few club legends to talk about Australia’s great basketball factory. The Spectres were a foundation member of the NBL back in 1979. They would spend 12 years in the NBL, reaching the grand final series twice, once with Barry Barnes as coach and another with Brian Goorjian in charge. In 1992 the NBL side merged with the South Melbourne Saints to create the famous South East Melbourne Magic. However, it was a different merger that truly altered Spectres’ history. “The Melbourne Telstars was a leading women’s club in Melbourne, but they had no men’s program.  Nunawading had a very strong men’s program but had no women’s program,” explained FIBA Hall of Fame coach Tom Maher. “So, I approached Barry Barnes who was the head coach of the men’s team if we could join Nunawading.  He said he would take it to the committee and apparently there was also interest in creating a junior girl’s program as they didn't have this either.  “The committee approved the merger.  That was the first year of the WNBL in 1981.” The merged team kept the Melbourne Telstars moniker for one year, before becoming the Nunawading Spectres. It was the beginning of the most successful club in WNBL history, a title which was snatched away by the Canberra Capitals close to 30 years later. “The mighty Spectres won WNBL titles in 1983, 84, 86, 87, 88 & 89 during my time there,” said three-time Olympian and club legend Robyn Maher. “We also won Club Championships and Victorian Championship titles.” So like most clubs, the foundations of longevity were built on a strong foundation of success. With iconic head coaches Barry Barnes and Tom Maher leading the charge in the early days with superstars like Robyn Maher, success was a foregone conclusion. But it' wasn’t anything outrageous that helped cultivate greatness. It was just what you would expect. Strong leadership and people that were willing to put in to help build something special. “It was a good Club and a strong club with good juniors and great volunteers,” said Tom Maher. “We had a great committee with the Spectres,” explained Robyn Maher. “They [the club] were always very supportive and they had lots of courts back in the day, which created an army of support for the team and good juniors.” 9:42 AM ∙ Oct 11, 201812Likes3RetweetsThe pathwayAs mentioned earlier, Nunawading has provided a pathway for generations of incredible talent (hear from a few here) and the Smith family is a fantastic example of that. Darren Smith had never played for a representative team until he was selected in the Spectres U16s program. It was the start of a long and storied career, which saw him progress through to the U18s, then the senior side in what was eventually known as the SEABL. From there Smith enjoyed over five seasons in the NBL before eventually returning to Nunawading to finish off his career. “I think it [Nunawading] has a unique culture that combines hard work but with a sense of confidence,” explained Smith. “The club has always had very good coaches that committed their time and passion which made a huge impact on the athletes to learn the essentials and how to compete at a high level.” And Smith became one of those dedicated and hard-working coaches, looking after numerous girls teams, including ones that involved his daughter, and Olympian, Alanna. “I have a couple of great moments throughout my time at Nunawading - the championships as a player, both in juniors and seniors will always be something I reflect fondly on,” Darren Smith said. “But I loved being able to spend time with my daughter, helping her to develop her skills and sharing a combined passion for our great game.” Alanna Smith’s development has seen her become one of Australia’s great young stars, dominating at Stanford before taking her talents to the WNBA. She was also part of the Opals campaign at the Tokyo Games. The Smith family, which obviously also includes former Aussie captain Jason, is a prime example of the incredible pathway the Nunawading Spectres has provided over such a long time. According to Darren Smith, it’s that longevity that sets it apart as a club. “Some of what makes Nunawading such a great club is the consistency that it has held for so long,” he said. “It consistently has good administration at the top. It consistently has great coaches who give back to the game and genuinely love to coach young athletes. And it seems to consistently attract athletes that are hungry to improve and do what it takes to get to the next level. “From my experience, there are not many other clubs in Australia that can claim the same.” So history illustrates just how strong Nunawading is as a club, but what about the Spectres now? Well, they continue to produce out incredibly strong teams. Their juniors compete at the highest level across each men’s and women’s age group, they claimed the inaugural NBL1 men’s championship, and have also claimed multiple Victorian Youth Championship Men’s titles over the last few years. Despite coming through the Spectres pathway himself, Flynn believes it is an honour to work with such an iconic club. “I consider myself fortunate to be able to work in an environment and organisation that I am incredibly passionate about,” he said. “Like most within our Spectres family, I started my basketball pathway in the MEBA domestic competition, then moving into the representative stream. “I was presented an opportunity to move into the then CBA/ABA team as a bottom age U18 player, which again gave me exposure to a higher quality of athlete to learn from - you go from playing with guys your own age to suddenly defending Jason Smith at practices. “It's experiences like these that inspire me to continue building pathway opportunities for the next generation of Spectres’ players coming through - so that one day they can take their game somewhere beyond what is available here.” Like in all parts of life, Flynn knows that the club is not immune to making mistakes, however, their strong foundation and direction continually puts them back on the right path. “Success breeds success - we have had such a good depth of talent, it helps keep everyone grounded and moving forward - players, coaches, administrators,” Flynn explained. “We have several figures, both past and present, that are fantastic leaders within our community that we do find ourselves, more often than not, pointing in the right direction. “We're not immune to making mistakes but much like throwing a turnover, it's what you do on that next possession that defines what kind of player you are. “ Credit: Rachel Louise PhotographyA strong foundation, an incredible pathway, and good people. It seems so simple, but they are the key pillars of what has built Nunawading up to be one of the great Australian basketball factories. Long-term success can be so hard to come by in sport, but the Spectres have seemingly found the winning formula and continue to prove themselves. It seems only a matter of time until we see yet another Robyn Maher, Darren Smith or Alanna Smith come straight out of Nunawading and into the wider basketball spotlight. “It sounds a little cliche but I do like to view the Nunawading Spectres as a family - as such we have a long line of kin for want of a better description,” Paul Flynn said. “I believe we should be proud of the achievements of those that walked the roads before us and be thankful because they have in a large part paved the way. “For our current representatives, it's now their time in the sun and an opportunity to add to our story.” Do you have a grassroots story to share? Send us a message and it may be your club featured next! If you\u2019re an AFL fan you may have heard junior clubs referred to as \u201Cfooty factories\u201D. It\u2019s a term they throw around pretty freely and not one we hear used when it comes to basketball. If the basketball community were to take on the phrase \u201Cbasketball factory\u201D then at the top of the list would be the Nunawading Spectres. Once known as the Eastside Spectres, and a few other names along the journey, Nunawading have been one of the great long term successes in Australian basketball history, playing high quality basketball at numerous levels and producing some incredibly talented players, coaches and administrators. Let me run you through just SOME of the names that have spent time with the Spectres during their basketball journey: Robyn Maher, Tom Maher, Shane Heal, Darren Smith, Jason Smith, Penny Taylor, Michele Timms, Tony Ronaldson, Daniel Kickert, Alanna Smith, Bec Allen, Bec Cole, Damian Keogh and Barry Barnes. 3:23 AM \u2219 Mar 2, 202026Likes2RetweetsAs mentioned, that is just a handful of the incredible list of basketball people that have been involved with the club. I was lucky enough to chat to current Operations Manager and women\u2019s NBL1 head coach Paul Flynn, along with a few club legends to talk about Australia\u2019s great basketball factory. However, it was a different merger that truly altered Spectres\u2019 history. \u201CThe Melbourne Telstars was a leading women\u2019s club in Melbourne, but they had no men\u2019s program.  Nunawading had a very strong men\u2019s program but had no women\u2019s program,\u201D explained FIBA Hall of Fame coach Tom Maher. \u201CSo, I approached Barry Barnes who was the head coach of the men\u2019s team if we could join Nunawading.  He said he would take it to the committee and apparently there was also interest in creating a junior girl\u2019s program as they didn't have this either.  \u201CThe committee approved the merger.  That was the first year of the WNBL in 1981.\u201D \u201CThe mighty Spectres won WNBL titles in 1983, 84, 86, 87, 88 & 89 during my time there,\u201D said three-time Olympian and club legend Robyn Maher. \u201CWe also won Club Championships and Victorian Championship titles.\u201D But it' wasn\u2019t anything outrageous that helped cultivate greatness. It was just what you would expect. Strong leadership and people that were willing to put in to help build something special. \u201CIt was a good Club and a strong club with good juniors and great volunteers,\u201D said Tom Maher. \u201CWe had a great committee with the Spectres,\u201D explained Robyn Maher. \u201CThey [the club] were always very supportive and they had lots of courts back in the day, which created an army of support for the team and good juniors.\u201D 9:42 AM \u2219 Oct 11, 201812Likes3RetweetsThe pathwayAs mentioned earlier, Nunawading has provided a pathway for generations of incredible talent (hear from a few here) and the Smith family is a fantastic example of that. \u201CI think it [Nunawading] has a unique culture that combines hard work but with a sense of confidence,\u201D explained Smith. \u201CThe club has always had very good coaches that committed their time and passion which made a huge impact on the athletes to learn the essentials and how to compete at a high level.\u201D \u201CI have a couple of great moments throughout my time at Nunawading - the championships as a player, both in juniors and seniors will always be something I reflect fondly on,\u201D Darren Smith said. \u201CBut I loved being able to spend time with my daughter, helping her to develop her skills and sharing a combined passion for our great game.\u201D Alanna Smith\u2019s development has seen her become one of Australia\u2019s great young stars, dominating at Stanford before taking her talents to the WNBA. She was also part of the Opals campaign at the Tokyo Games. According to Darren Smith, it\u2019s that longevity that sets it apart as a club. \u201CSome of what makes Nunawading such a great club is the consistency that it has held for so long,\u201D he said. \u201CIt consistently has good administration at the top. It consistently has great coaches who give back to the game and genuinely love to coach young athletes. And it seems to consistently attract athletes that are hungry to improve and do what it takes to get to the next level. \u201CFrom my experience, there are not many other clubs in Australia that can claim the same.\u201D Well, they continue to produce out incredibly strong teams. Their juniors compete at the highest level across each men\u2019s and women\u2019s age group, they claimed the inaugural NBL1 men\u2019s championship, and have also claimed multiple Victorian Youth Championship Men\u2019s titles over the last few years. \u201CI consider myself fortunate to be able to work in an environment and organisation that I am incredibly passionate about,\u201D he said. \u201CLike most within our Spectres family, I started my basketball pathway in the MEBA domestic competition, then moving into the representative stream. \u201CI was presented an opportunity to move into the then CBA/ABA team as a bottom age U18 player, which again gave me exposure to a higher quality of athlete to learn from - you go from playing with guys your own age to suddenly defending Jason Smith at practices. \u201CIt's experiences like these that inspire me to continue building pathway opportunities for the next generation of Spectres\u2019 players coming through - so that one day they can take their game somewhere beyond what is available here.\u201D \u201CSuccess breeds success - we have had such a good depth of talent, it helps keep everyone grounded and moving forward - players, coaches, administrators,\u201D Flynn explained. \u201CWe have several figures, both past and present, that are fantastic leaders within our community that we do find ourselves, more often than not, pointing in the right direction. \u201CWe're not immune to making mistakes but much like throwing a turnover, it's what you do on that next possession that defines what kind of player you are. \u201C \u201CIt sounds a little cliche but I do like to view the Nunawading Spectres as a family - as such we have a long line of kin for want of a better description,\u201D Paul Flynn said. \u201CI believe we should be proud of the achievements of those that walked the roads before us and be thankful because they have in a large part paved the way. \u201CFor our current representatives, it's now their time in the sun and an opportunity to add to our story.\u201D CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) This is probably not the page you’re looking for All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 27-year-old senior constable had tracked an allegedly stolen white Honda Civic hatch to a hotel car park in the Melbourne suburb of Nunawading Picture Alex FordPolice cordoned off the exits around the hotel and were waiting for the man to return to the car believed to have been stolen from a home in Ringwood East In the early hours of May 23, at 2.40am, the senior constable was setting up a tyre deflation device at the hotel's Springvale Road exit when the man returned to the car his vehicle struck the 27-year-old officer," police said Police said the senior constable suffered serious upper body injuries and he remains in hospital The white Honda was found a short time later abandoned in Vermont Police are continuing to search for the man suspected of driving the allegedly stolen car and injuring the officer Anyone who witnessed the incident has dashcam/CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters Get the latest property and development news here Find out what's happening in local business tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords 7 June 2021 | Sean O'Kane A President and a Head Coach have an important relationship at any Tennis Club At Nunawading Tennis Club in Melbourne’s East President Joe Santamaria has immersed himself in the core business by upskilling himself in coaching thanks to the guidance of Head Coach where Peter was short of coaches and I filled in and enjoyed it I just wanted to get more involved in this side of the club.” said Santamaria The key motivation for Santamaria to learn more about coaching and enhance his knowledge was driven by the students that he was teaching from a nearby school “While you’re on the court coaching you feel like you want to pass onto the best information to the students and I didn’t feel like I had the best I had previously picked up knowledge learning from Peter and watching YouTube channels but there’s only so much information that you can pass on until you need to learn yourself.” Thinking that an increase in knowledge was needed Santamaria enrolled in the Foundation coaching course and Community coaching course and then followed up with attending the coaching workshop with Caruana I suggested that he could do the community course but Joe is the one who signed up and did it himself The pleasing thing was once a couple of other club coaches saw him sign up as President then they signed up as well!” explained Caruana “Joe is a great club player but didn’t have a strong playing background and a lot of the information to Joe was new – It’s a lot easier teaching something that you know and that’s why he enrolled.” After recently completing the two courses and attending the workshop Santamaria has since developed excitement with teaching new skills on court to the students which he discovered himself through the program “There are a few things that I’ve picked up in the course that I’ve started doing A simple one being teaching kids to serve; a lot of the students couldn’t toss the ball let alone swing the racquet but what I think is valuable is learning these new things and then passing it on you have more excitement when teaching them because you’re discovering these things yourself.” “You’re also watching the students benefit you can already see in their faces that they’re enjoying it and they’re getting somewhere.” Tennis Victoria Coach Leader Jon Watson and Tennis Victoria Club Development Officer Kyle McMullan with President Joe Santamaria and Head Coach Peter Caruana – Nunawading Tennis Club Santamaria and Caruana can also see the benefit for Nunawading Tennis Club “There is a transition where we’d like to see the students come through the school program first and try to encourage them to come to the club more often do some coaching after hours and this may lead to more people playing families coming down to the club and even eventual membership” explained Santamaria “There’s nothing better than seeing kids transition through and seeing kids 4 and 5 who picked up a racquet for the first time that have grown up and are now 25 and involved in the Club whether that’s playing Saturday Morning Comp or coaching at the club or on the committee Caruana and Santamaria have also grown closer as a result of being on the same page and the clear direction that the club is moving in “When I think about the relationship that we have I find it difficult to understand how it can work without a close relationship A key objective for a club is to build the amount of people playing Tennis and gaining their membership base and this is enhanced by the coaching they receive.” why should a club bring their president to the upcoming coaching courses Peter Caruana – “Some Presidents will see the coach coming in but if they can see that it’s more than that that the people that visit the club have a great first experience and that’s because the president has been able to teach the skills then the club is only going to benefit in the future.” Joe Santamaria – “I think you get more insight into actually what’s going on and one of the most important parts of the club I don’t know why they don’t invest in this side of things more.” To visit upcoming coaching courses in Victoria, please visit: https://www.tennis.com.au/coaches/coach-education/course-and-workshop-calendar#vic sold under the hammer on Saturday for the first time in 61 years four-bedroom house in Nunawading sold at auction over the weekend for the first time in 61 years The 32 McCulloch St pad has been with the same owners since it was built in 1961 Although the couple have since passed away the four siblings sold the property under the hammer last Saturday for $1.355m — scoring a huge $75,000 premium RELATED: Vermont South: Family scores home at auction after viewing for first time that day Edithvale the ‘German dream’: Father buys waterfront rental, scores $1m+ profit 7 years later Bentleigh pad gifts owners $250k premium, sells under hammer for first time in 30 years The stylish Nunawading home scored a huge result at auction Bidding kicked off with a $1.15m vendor bid before two bidders went toe to toe for the keys A third bidder jumped in after it was called on the market at $1.28m A young family looking to upsize placed the final $1.355m bid Barry Plant Blackburn agent Belinda McDiarmid said the siblings loved growing up at the home which was renovated in 1975 by the same architect involved in the build “The open-plan extension was ahead of its time and the mid-century style appealed to a lot of buyers,” Ms McDiarmid said “It was an emotional day for (the sellers).” The sale comes as PropTrack recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 55.8 per cent from 505 reported results last week A further 673 auctions are expected this week a glamorous four-bedroom home sold under the hammer for $3.46m after two bidders competed for the keys Devlin Private Sales and Projects Brighton agent Trudy Biggin said a third bidder was in attendance but the auction was “going too quick” for them to place a bid A $3m genuine bid opened the auction for 9 Carpenter St before the 470sq m property was called on the market at about $3.24m A local couple looking to downsize placed the winning $3.46m bid renovated homes are still doing well,” Ms Biggin said “To renovate and bring it up to that standard probably costs about $1m-$1.5m … the costs of renovation materials and labour have gone up so much.” The six-bedroom home features a stylish kitchen A three-bedroom house in Kew also notched a top result last weekend selling for $2.825m at its Saturday auction Nelson Alexander Kew agent Petria Thomas said five bidders attended the competitive auction for 15 Holroyd St which was called on the market at about $2.6m In Doncaster East, an expansive six-bedroom home at 17 Highfield Rd soared $50,000 above its $1.51m reserve which McGrath Box Hill director Ellie Gong said mostly included family home buyers A family living in Blackburn North placed the winning bid who plan to keep both properties and rent one of them out third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. A prominent builder’s 50-home complex at 38-40 and 42-54 Burnt St A 50-home Nunawading unit compound has sold more than $1m above its $12.5m expected price which include eight villa units and 42 two-bedroom flats RELATED: Nunawading 50-home investment of Tony Defelice tipped for $12.5m Box Hill family’s 65-year home haul, ‘Kunek village’, tipped to top $11m From Minogues to Katy Perry — see the 2021 property deals linked to famous faces The properties were owned by the family of Tony Defelice Mr Defelice was known for the homes he built around Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs and hired a young Frank and Nunzio Pellicano who went on to establish the prominent Pellicano Group He built homes up until about six years ago and passed recently in his 90s The family has taken great pride in Mr Defelice’s work and the fact tenants have stayed in it so long With the Nunawading complex among the first projects he undertook for himself in the late 1960s his family is understood to be thrilled an investor beat a developer to the title CVA commercial property agency director Daniel Phillip said he believed the buyer planned to update the units and common spaces over time but would largely keep the property as it was today some who have been there for more than five years The properties are expected to be slowly upgraded by the new owner “And that’s why the vendor was quite happy with the way it went,” Mr Phillip said “But the underbidder had planned to redevelop the site.” He added that with five prospective buyers offering north of $13m they had been “above everyone’s expectations at the end” and it’s fairly rare to get a parcel of land like that and to have the improvements that this one does,” Mr Phillip said “But we were very pleased when we got the offers that we did.” Developers appreciated the property’s size and location at the rear of a major retail hub he said he believed the extended family might have found a few more presents under the tree Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Where Melbourne sellers are set to cash in this year Childcare and fast food some of Melbourne’s most-sought after properties in 2021 Victorian construction boom comes with new-home buyer warning as wait times blow out Nunawading has again confirmed itself as the powerhouse of Victorian swimming after running away with the prestigious Fred Blunt State Championship pointscore Trophy in Melbourne last weekend The super club has always been at the forefront of elite High Performance swimming in Australia under the likes of former long-standing Head Coach “Nuna godfather” Leigh Nugent and Head Coaches of the calibre of Mark Thompson Amanda Isaac and Rohan Taylor and driven so professionally by the recently retired CEO Gary Barclay who leaves the club at the very top of the tree https://nunawadingswimmingclub.com/about-us/club-history/ the name Talbot has become synonymous with high performance swimming at Nunawading under the guidance of a young and spirited Head Coach Scott Talbot – son of legendary Australian head coach Don Talbot and his inspirational coaching mum the late Jan Cameron – who left a huge mark on coaching in New Zealand and Australia and on Scott who is certainly carrying on the family name strength and depth of the Nunawading program across the 2020 Victorian State Age and Open State Championships the club amassed 4093 points to the two rising club’s in MLC Aquatic (1748) and Northcote (1484) – establishments with former Nunawading swimmers and coaches Nick Veliades and Olympian Ash Delaney at their helms TEMPLE OF BOOM: Nunawading “X Factor” Matthew Temple shows the style he hopes will see him fly to Tokyo 20-year-old Matthew Temple and 24-year-old Jessica Hansen were awarded the Male and Female Victorian Swimmers of the Meet – Temple for his winning 100m butterfly time of 51.74 and Hansen for her victory in the 100m breaststroke in 1:07.74 before she held on to take the 200m breaststroke from emerging Country youngster Zoe Deacon in one of several Nunawading 1-2 finishes HANDS FREE: Female Swimmer of the Meet Jessica Hansen Temple had an outstanding meet – dead-heating for his first individual gold with team mate Bowen Gough after a gruelling 200m butterfly in 1:58.76 before individual silver in the 50m butterfly to NSW’s William Yang and his impressive swim of the meet in the 100m butterfly He is right on target for June’s Olympic Trials where he will clash with Rio Olympians Grant Irvine and David Morgan for one of Australia’s four available individual spots in the 100 and 200m butterfly In between his individual efforts Temple also had a hand in five of Nunawading’s male and mixed relay swims – which included new Victorian records in the 4x200m freestyle the Mixed 4x100m medley and the Mixed 4x50m freestyle Temple’s lead off swim in the winning 4x100m freestyle of 49.72 would have won him silver in the individual 100m freestyle behind Cam McEvoy while 400IM winner Brenden Smith’s lead-off swim in the club’s 4x200m of 1:50.63 would have seen him finish third in the individual The Nunawading strength in relays is paying huge dividends despite one little slip on the opening night when a tight take off saw them disqualified in the men’s 4x100m medley –thwarting coach Talbot’s goal to win all relays “One of the many things I learnt from Don was strength through relays and even though I was a young swimmer at the time I remember him saying how you can build your team depth through relays,” said Talbot “Jacco (Verhaeren) is doing that on the National team which we saw come to the fore at last year’s World Championships and we are certainly adopting that culture here as well “And I couldn’t be happier with how they all lifted in the relays – that was most pleasing.” RELAY DEPTH: Nunawading shone in the relays at the Victorian State Championships Photo Courtesy Martin Philbey Photography And he was “a little surprised with some of the individual results” and at how well his charges went given the fact they were all in very hard work “They seemed to race their way into the meet swimming better at the back end of the meet with Matt Temple a good example of that,” said Talbot “He wasn’t exceptional at the start of the meet always consistent but swam better the longer the meet went and that showed in his 100m butterfly and the relay lead off a hard worker who has got that certain character about him “Matt has that X factor about him with a tremendous work ethic that stands him aside from the other guys in the race and I like that about him.” And although coach Talbot didn’t want to dwell too much on it the fact that this young lad has a full-time Monday-Friday (with negotiations under way for a four-day week) job in a scaffolding yard adds to his “X factor/work ethic” tag And what made Sunday night’s Champion club trophy presentation event more special was the fact that his younger swimmers including Elliott Rogerson Zoe Deacon Smith and Gough were part of the group “That sets the example for our younger guys to say ‘I want to be part of this in the future’ that’s what’s important and makes those night’s so special,” said Talbot who’s tenture with Nunawading will sadly come to an end in September BRONZED AUSSIE: World Short Course bronze to Jessica Hansen with coach Scott Talbot in 2018 Talbot has revealed to Swimming World that he has taken a role to start a school swimming program from scratch in Repton admitting it was “the toughest decision he has ever made in his life” not making it based on himself but on his family He will delay  his start in a new life in Britain until after this year’s Olympics “The School program will start from scratch and that will be a challenge and a five-year plan but I love a challenge and it was a decision I had to make for my family’s future and the family support we have in that area in England “My wife Lucy and I will both be able to work and that will certainly be a big plus for our family life “Leaving Nunawading won’t be easy it’s an amazing club and our time here – although it’s far from over – has been a wondferful experience.” Talbot will remain at Nunawading until the end of the Olympic cycle leaving some very big shoes to fill Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " There was plenty of improvement from the Nunawading men’s side whilst the women’s came agonisingly close yet again to a finals appearance Leading Goalkicker: Konrad Bendrups (30 goals in 15 matches) Whilst it was another hard-fought year in Division Four for Nunawading there were still plenty of signs of improvement following the return of Frank Salanitri The first half of the season saw them be competitive picking up two wins against wooden spooners Croydon North MLOC breaking the 100 point barrier against eventual premiers Surrey Park in a 50 point loss whilst also losing just one game by 100+ points Continuing to be competitive in the middle third of the season they eventually started to slow down as the season came to close before ending 2023 with a competitive performance against Chirnside Park Many of their new signings shone for the Lions One of many to have signed on from Salanitri’s former side in Manningham his 30 goals saw him rewarded with a Team of the Year selection Ex-Box Hill North mid Peter Cassidy-Marsh was also rewarded for his strong season with a Team of the Year selection Best Win: Round 2 – Nunawading 13.16.94 defeated Croydon North MLOC 10.18.78 In the second round of the season the Lions were able to break a near 650-day winless drought as well as a 1,300+ day home win drought against the KangaRams After a tight first half Nunawading broke the game open in the third kicking six goals to four before hanging on in the final quarter at Koonung Reserve Kane Maghamez starred with four goals and was well supported by many of his teammates Jack Wensley’s strong start to the season continued with a second Best on Ground performance for them Stability is the key now for the Lions as they look to build on a season where many players continued to improve for them The re-signing of Salanitri as well as many of their key players such as Bendrups and Wensley helps but they’ll be without Cassidy-Marsh who’s moved on to Chirnside Park If they’re able to keep their core players for next season and add a bit more talent then it’ll go a long way to ensuring the upward trajectory of the Lions men side continues Leading Goalkicker: Emily Whalan (11 goals in 10 games) It was another case of being so close and yet so far for the Lions women side who fell only 13 percent short of a first finals appearance in only their second year With one win in grading Trevor Haig’s side then got to work to start the Division Four season they then started to drop off with three consecutive losses against eventual finalists It was an up and down ending to the season By season’s end they would finish with two more wins than their inaugural season but still being kept out of finals by Fairpark Laura Demarte was stellar in midfield for the second consecutive year falling just two votes off eventual Division 4 Best and Fairest winner Nicole Akers Team of the Year members Miranda Marshall and Emily Whalan were also strong in defence and midfield with Whalan ending up as the Lions leading goalkicker Brydee Oakman also had a solid first season after coming across from Ferntree Gully Best Win: Round 9 – Nunawading 4.10.34 defeated Fairpark 4.4.28 Needing a win to keep their finals chance alive Nunawading got exactly that against their fellow Lions from Fairpark Trailing by one point at the final break despite a fast start they then kicked the only goal in the term whilst restricting the visitors to two behinds to see them over the line by one straight kick Alana Mawby was the star of the show up forward this time around with two goals Whalan and Miranda Farago also got on the score sheet whilst Oakman starred in a BOG performance Much like the men’s side the key for the women’s will be to gain just a little bit more experience and also retain the majority of their list for 2024 Whilst no re-signings have been announced as of yet they were able to retain as well as gain players well ahead of this past season The only way is up for Trevor Haig’s side who will be competitive and determined to go one step further than their first two seasons The Lions had three teams in 2023 that competed in the Bendigo Bank Netball Competition: Nunawading Lions Gold Nunawading Lions Black & Nunawading Lions Maroon After winning the Division 4 premiership in 2022 the Gold side were a competitive force in Division 3 falling just one win short of a finals appearance Rebecca Lawson and Melanie Van Zuyden were the main targets in the circle Black then eventually dropped down to Division 8 where they were much more competitive but still falling two games short of finals in fifth Elizabeth Demarte led the way with 149 goals in the Lions return to Division 8 Nunawading Maroon though were the most successful side Finishing in fourth by two and a half games ahead of Montrose Raptors the Lions would then go down in what would be their only final to Chirnside Park Black by just one goal Outside 193-195 Springvale Rd in Nunawading INVESTORS are circling 18 new apartments that are back on the market in Nunawading after their original buyer hit a financial roadblock The two-bedroom apartments at 193-195 Springvale Rd are the last remaining in a six-storey development called Atrium There were 88 apartments built in the complex 18 apartments have just been listed at Atrium The 18 empty units were previously purchased but have returned to the market under a mortgagee sale Savills director Julian Heatherich said the open-plan apartments were being sold at a “more affordable” price point than usual for Nunawading “It’s a fantastic opportunity for small investors,” he said “It offers affordable living and quality in a market where housing is so expensive.” Mr Heatherich said the apartments were “more affordable” than usual They can be purchased individually or as a package The apartments have individual price guides that range between $290,000 and $506,000 They are well below the median unit price for Nunawading of $648,000 The apartments are being offered for sale individually or as a package deal A communal central courtyard at the development Mr Heatherich said syndicate buyers had shown interest in purchasing all apartments in one parcel large balconies and modern stainless-steel appliances,” he said “It’s also across the road from Nunawading train station and there’s potential of a restaurant or cafe being built on the ground floor.” The Atrium building was a popular choice for buyers when it first hit the market with a rooftop barbecue area and central courtyard built into its environmentally-friendly design A 1970s time capsule in Nunawading will go to auction for the first time next month after being owned by the same family since it was built The four-bedroom house at 6-8 Heather Grove has “barely changed” since it was architecturally designed and built in 1973 It is built on one side of a rare 1338sq m double block Anne Flockart was six years old when the house was built and said she remembered visiting the architects with her parents to see the plans drawn up The kitchen features neutral colours and timber cabinetry “The house itself has barely changed since then — but in many ways “My father was much older than my mother and he was very conscious that he wanted a good quality house where eventually my mother could live by herself.” the gardens were even more significant than the home with a large part of the block becoming a “very sizeable” vegetable patch There are well maintained parquetry floors throughout much of the home “The home was built along one side of the block so the second part could be turned into a large garden,” she said you didn’t just get in a landscape gardener so my father spent hours establishing the vegetable garden and digging composite into the soil “My mother looked after the more aesthetic part of the garden which proved to be an almost lifelong project that she loved.” Ms Flockart said she had plenty of good memories of growing up in Heather Grove from working in the gardens with her parents to attending Nunawading South Primary School She now has mixed feelings about a developer possibly snapping up the property “It’s has been hard to maintain the garden with as much love and care as my mother did,” she said “But just as my parents made it their own to meet their needs at the time maybe it’s time for someone else to follow that path too it could again be a wonderful family home with space for children and pets “And it’s in a great location close to the station.” The leafy gardens are a feature of the 1338sq m double block McGrath Blackburn director Grant Lynch said the 1970s time capsule was as “original as they come” with a flat roof and parquetry floors “Developers are looking at it as at that price bracket the land is worth more than the house,” he said “And developers might subdivide the block.” The home will go to auction at 3.30pm on Saturday with a price guide of $1.8 million-$1.98 million SUBURB PROFILE: NUNAWADING A man and a woman found dead on a quiet street in Melbourne's east had recently separated The 36-year-old Blackburn woman was found deceased in a white Audi SUV in Nunawading just after 6pm on Saturday The 40-year-old Nunawading man died at the scene shortly after emergency services arrived An eight-year-old boy was found uninjured in the vehicle and a man died shortly afterwards at a Nunawading property on Saturday night.Credit: Goya Dmytryshchak Police taped off a block of units on Mount Pleasant Road and forensic officers and SES volunteers combed the area late into Saturday night as residents and passersby gathered on the street A neighbour who lived in the units said the man and woman were husband and wife who had recently separated "They [lived] here about 10 years ago They bought a house in Blackburn and had this place rented out Then recently they had separated and he had moved back in last Sunday," he said Another neighbour said she saw three ambulances and multiple police cars arrive on Saturday evening Channel Seven reported the car had arrived at the property only a short time before emergency services were called we are very much a quiet little community particularly at our end of the street,” the neighbour said A police spokeswoman said it was believed the man and woman knew each other "The female was deceased when emergency services arrived," she said "The male died at the scene a short time later "A child that was also believed to have been in the vehicle was not physically injured." A resident of the street said he was in shock "The street itself is normally very quiet,” he said “Nothing normally happens in this street and it’s a bit of a shock “Normally you see things on TV thinking something’s never going to happen in your neighbourhood.” Another man said he walked his dog along the street every night “It’s just a quiet residential street with lots of units,” he said “We live a suburb away so we were just doing a night walk A police spokeswoman said the exact cause of death was yet to be determined and police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident Police will prepare a report for the coroner A man and a woman found dead on a quiet street in Melbourne's east had recently separated Then recently they had separated and he had moved back in last Sunday,\\\" he said we are very much a quiet little community particularly at our end of the street,\\u201D the neighbour said \\\"The female was deceased when emergency services arrived,\\\" she said \\\"The male died at the scene a short time later \\\"A child that was also believed to have been in the vehicle was not physically injured.\\\" \\\"The street itself is normally very quiet,\\u201D he said \\u201CNothing normally happens in this street and it\\u2019s a bit of a shock \\u201CNormally you see things on TV thinking something\\u2019s never going to happen in your neighbourhood.\\u201D \\u201CIt\\u2019s just a quiet residential street with lots of units,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe live a suburb away so we were just doing a night walk SYDNEY OPEN: Exciting Aussie Teenager William Petric Rockets Into IM Contention For Paris Exciting Victorian teenager William Petric has tonight rocketed into contention for this year’s Australian Olympic Team producing a world class 400IM time of 4:12.21 on the final night of the 2024 Sydney Open UniSport Nationals meet The 19-year-old from Nunawading’s time would have won bronze behind New Zealand’s 2024 Doha World champion Lewis Clareburt who won tonight’s final ahead of Petric at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre – the flying Kiwi clocking the fastest time in the world this year of 4:08.71 Petric’s time ranks him 11th on the 2024 World Rankings and was faster than Doha bronze medallist Japan’s four-time world champion Daiya Seto’s Doha time of 4:12.51 Seto was third in tonight’s final in in 4:17.36 LEWIS CLAREBURT SPLITS: 57.09; 2:01.08 (1:03.99); 3:11.59 (1:10.51) 4:08.71 (57.12) WILL PETRIC SPLITS: 57.54; 2:03.47 (1:05.93); 3:13.80 (1:10.33) 4:12.21 (58.41) William Petric clocking his second fastest time ever just 0.01 outside his best time of 4:08.70 swum when he won the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham The trio have been battling it out all summer in Australia – including a seres of thrilling races at the Australian Open Championships on the Gold Coast last month which  have continued in Sydney over the past three days Both Clareburt and Seto have already swum their respective Olympic Trials with both swimmers 24 and Seto 29 punching their tickets for Paris – Clareburt’s winning time of 4:09.72 in Doha sealing his selection They have also played a crucial role in pushing the Australian teenager as he prepares for next month’s Australian Trials in Brisbane from June 10-15 under experienced international coach Jol Finck at Victoria’s premier club Not only was Petric’s 4:12.20 a personal best -it catapulted him to the third Australian of all time behind fellow Nunawading product Brendon Smith (4:09.27) who is the Tokyo bronze medallist in the 400IM and two-time Olympian Thomas Fraser-Holmes (4:10.14) Smith is now with Michael Bohl’s Griffith University group on the Gold Coast where Fraser-Holmes is also coaching in Bohl’s Griffith program Petric had swum a personal best of 1:58.05 in the 200IM after last month’s PB of 1:58.43 to win the Australian title -ranking him seventh on th Australian All-Time list Petric beat Clareburt and Australian Tokyo Olympians Se Bom Le (SOPAC NSW) and Smith – who along with another Tokyo teen QLD) will provide some stiff opposition for the top two places on the plane to Paris Meanwhile Tokyo Olympic champion in the 200m breaststroke Zac Stubblety-Cook (swimming for Griffith University QLD at the UniSport Nationals) has again produced an impressive performance in Sydney winning his pet event in 2:07.89 from Chandler training partner Bailey Lello 2:11.27 with Joshua Collett (Bond Stubblety-Cook saying he was personally happy with the time although I would have liked to have gone a little bit faster but that always keeps you itchy,” said Stubblety-Cook “It was a good swim and I put it together better than Nationals although it was a bit slower we were not as fresh as we were for Nationals but mentally it’s always a sticky period before Trials.” Stubblety-Cook will spend the next two weeks on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane based out of the University of Sunshine Coast pool (home of the USC Spartans) before returning to Brisbane for the 10-day taper period with the Trials meet at his home pool It’s thrilling to see William Petric, a young Australian swimmer, making waves in the swimming world with his recent performance at the Sydney Open. His time not only shows his potential but also positions him as a strong contender for the Australian Olympic Team. It’s impressive how he held his own against seasoned athletes like vbet giriş Lewis Clareburt and Daiya Seto Petric’s dedication and skill are clear and it will be exciting to see how he fares in the upcoming trials This kind of young talent brings a fresh excitement to the sport In the mid-1970s a Nunawading dentist named Gaven Oakley took a holiday in England and found himself captivated by the country's community gardens This was the era of Tom and Barbara pursuing self-sufficiency in downtown London in the TV series The Good Life began agitating for a British-style allotment in what is now the City of Whitehorse It took some persuasion and a great deal of negotiation but a chunk of council land opened as Australia's first community garden Tomorrow it celebrates its 40th anniversary with an open day with fellow gardeners at Nunawading Community Gardens With 127 plots and a current waiting list of 12 years the Nunawading Community Gardens is a vibrant There is barely a vegetable you can think of that isn't grown here Margaret Rackham has been a plot-holder from the start She was in her 30s and the mother of three young children when she came across a request in the local paper for residents to phone the council if they liked the idea of growing vegetables on public land A tomato seedling emerges out of the soil.Credit: Justin McManus Rackham was already trying to grow food in her Forest Hill backyard "But with the shade from the house and all the trees I wasn't doing very well." She rang the council and was one of many to attend a meeting held in June 1977 By September a site had been secured and a $5000 grant provided the land had been ploughed and fenced and individual plots marked out and allocated People didn't even wait for water to be connected before they started planting It would be a much more lengthy process today Rackham says they were lucky that – with the site having been used for agriculture since it was first cleared – there were no concerns about soil toxicity She credits the "forward-thinking" John Brandenburg who was then the council's director of parks and recreation saw the garden as a way of encouraging people to grow food and Rackham says many of the first plot holders were young and everyone agreed to avoid herbicides and pesticides "We started in the days when people were learning about the dangers of using chemicals and a lot of people came in with the idea they wanted to be organic." While the garden is still chemical-free and those who use herbicides or pesticides lose their plot Rackham says that in the intervening years not all plot-holders have been on board with this line of thinking Margaret Rackham was one of the first gardeners to line up for a community plot.Credit: Justin McManus It is just one of the shifts she has noticed in the ever-changing culture of the place She says most plot-holders are now aged over 70 but are from a more diverse mix of backgrounds and growing vegetables (bottle gourds sweet potatoes) that were never cultivated in the early days of the garden "It was very English and Australian to begin with Cyclone fencing supports a crop of peas.Credit: Justin McManus "When I first came here all I could think of was being able to grow vegetables but the thing that has come out of it is mixing with lots of other people." who has an Indian background and has had a plot for about a decade grows most of her family's food and says the garden has allowed her to meet people she would "never have met otherwise" Climbing peas embrace the sunshine at Nunawading Commuunity Gardens.Credit: Justin McManus There is much swapping of seeds and seedlings Rackham and fellow plot-holder Mary Taranto drive to Ballarat to buy 200 kilograms of certified seed potatoes to on-sell to other plot holders and in the 40 years since this site was established other gardens have taken off across Melbourne is celebrating its 40th anniversary with an open day on October 22 In the mid-1970s a Nunawading dentist named Gaven Oakley took a holiday in England and found himself captivated by the country's community gardens a chunk of council land opened as Australia's first community garden There is barely a vegetable you can think of that isn't grown here \\\"But with the shade from the house and all the trees I wasn't doing very well.\\\" She rang the council and was one of many to attend a meeting held in June 1977 People didn't even wait for water to be connected before they started planting Rackham says they were lucky that \\u2013 with the site having been used for agriculture since it was first cleared \\u2013 there were no concerns about soil toxicity She credits the \\\"forward-thinking\\\" John Brandenburg who was then the council's director of parks and recreation \\\"We started in the days when people were learning about the dangers of using chemicals and a lot of people came in with the idea they wanted to be organic.\\\" \\\"It was very English and Australian to begin with \\\"When I first came here all I could think of was being able to grow vegetables but the thing that has come out of it is mixing with lots of other people.\\\" grows most of her family's food and says the garden has allowed her to meet people she would \\\"never have met otherwise\\\" the National Basketball League (NBL)1 South Conference has been cancelled this year while Draft Central intended to do a preview on all teams leading up to the delayed start it will instead be a team summary from last season and what they might look to improve on for 2021 Today’s edition looks at Nunawading Spectres There was not too much to fault for the eventual NBL1 South men’s premiers as Nunawading took the title after bouncing back from a qualifying finals loss to Frankston Blues The hard road to victory cemented their journey as one to remember and eventually saluted against Bendigo Braves thanks to a 24-14 third term to win The likes of Dain Swetalla (Grand Final Most Valuable Player) and Simon Conn (All-Star Five) led the team superbly throughout the season as they proved hard to beat and were deadly on the road with an 8-1 record Even though the Spectres dropped their first final to Frankston away Offensively they were dominant with top five finishes in each of the major scoring categories They were the best defensive rebounding unit in the lead Throw in the fact they rarely turned he ball over (second least turnovers in the competition) and the Spectres were a clear title contender long before the final game of the season the season is a success and you cannot really look too harshly on a season But every team wants to maintain its dominance by getting better the following season Statistically it was just blocks and steals that were ranked in the bottom two in the competition though that is hardly surprising considering the Spectres dominated possession led the defensive rebounds and rarely turned the ball over It could mean the side looks to add an extra player to the roster to try and pick-pocket opposition players more often Making the NBL1 All-Star Five is a clear indication of the kind of season the veteran 206cm center had He is like a fine wine and showed he is just as dominant off the boards as he has been in the past averaging 31.1 minutes on court and putting up numbers of 19.5 points Conn was the consistent star of the show throughout the season He also averaged 87.1 per cent from the line when a defence dared to foul him thanks to his 55 per cent two-point accuracy as well offensive rebounds and total rebounds and was deserving of his season honour The Grand Final MVP did not just have a performance out of the box when he picked up 28 points and nine rebounds Swetalla averaged nine rebounds in season 2019 to go with his 17.2 points and 2.1 assists He finished his attempts off at a high rate with 58.5 per cent from inside the arc and 44.6 per cent from outside the arc as one of the most damaging long-range shooters in the competition Swetalla teamed up with Conn well and the pair caused all sorts of headaches for the opposition There were a number of players who could have slotted into this spot though Wright was the next highest in terms of his points He averaged the most minutes on court with 31.3 per game and also took home 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists for his troubles He might not have won the plaudits that the other two did but Wright was another player who just kept applying the scoring pressure across the court and was a key playmaker on transition offence They did not have the youngest list coming into the 2019 season with just four players aged 23-years-old or younger and we start with the oldest of that quartet given he had the most game time of the lot Saunders averaged 13.4 minutes on court for 7.2 points and 1.2 rebounds giving the starting guards some rest time as he came on and could be relied upon to have an impact Saunders showed he could step up for a starting role if required and he was particularly damaging from long-range averaging 38 per cent and sinking the second most triples of any player despite the lack of court time There is nothing glaringly obvious the Spectres need though with effectively two years moving on since the start of the 2019 season players are entering a couple of years older and with the majority of the Nunawading list set to be the wrong side of 30 the Spectres need to firstly retain the list The Nunawading Spectres had a memorable first season in the NBL1 and took out the 2019 title They get to be reigning champions for two seasons now and no doubt their hunger will be increased to go back-to-back in 2021 when they can get back out on the court MELBOURNE Tigers star Jack Purchase has etched his name in the history books posting a record-breaking 55 points in the loss to the Eltham Wildcats in the NBL1 South Men’s over the weekend Purchase’s total is the most in a single game in NBL1 history shouldering the offensive load for the Tigers unlike anything seen […] ELISSA Brett led the Ipswich Force to a thrilling win in the opening round of the 2025 NBL1 North Women’s season holding off a late charge by the Ipswich Force to run out six-point winners last night Thursday night’s clash at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium marked the first clash of the fixture BOSTON Mazlin was the star of the show as the Gold Coast Rollers conjured up a 10-point win over the Ipswich Force to open the 2025 season in style in the NBL1 North Men’s competition on Thursday night The Rollers and the Force opened the Men’s division at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium last night YOUNG gun Ethan Elliott is enjoying a tremendous start to the 2025 NBL1 West Men’s season delivering another strong performance for the Joondalup Wolves in their win over the East Perth Eagles over the weekend winning three of five games to start the year and most importantly 19-YEAR-OLD Elliott Brown has continued his strong start to the 2025 NBL1 South Men’s season leading the Sandringham Sabres to a seven-point win over the Ringwood Hawks to close out the ANZAC Round in style over the weekend It had been a disappointing start to the fixture for the Sabres EMERGING talent Carla Pitman was the star of the show as the Norths Bears produced a massive 44-point win over the Sutherland Sharks in the NBL1 East Women’s over the weekend Pitman and the Bears have enjoyed a tremendous start to the 2025 season coming into Sunday’s clash at the North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre […] PLAYING 35 minutes of National Basketball League (NBL)1 action can be tiring on any given day but doing it after a full game of SANFL Women’s football But that is exactly the case for Jasmin Fejo who after finishing for the Double Blues just after 11 IT MAY not have been the result that the West Adelaide Bearcats were hoping for falling to the Central Districts Lions in the ANZAC Round of the NBL1 Central Men’s over the weekend but the performance of Keanu Rasmussen was a shining light The Lions came into the clash as the favourites AN ENORMOUS double-double from Diamond Valley Eagles’ skipper Jock Perry helped guide his struggling side to a massive come-from-behind overtime win against NBL1 South Men’s title contender Casey Cavaliers on the weekend The Eagles – who entered Round 4 with a 1-4 record – picked up two wins across the weekend If you like the content that Rookie Me Central provides and don’t want to miss any of it then sign up to receive our newsletter today then sign up to our subscriber list where you can be emailed out the latest basketball-specific magazines as well as the option to sign up to a monthly newsletter Nunawading’s three new signings include Western Sydney Wanderer Jason Trifiro ex-Melbourne City star James Brown and one-time Newcastle Jet Mitch Cooper who all played A-League last season Nunawading's previous two campaigns in the NPL2 East saw them finish on the bottom of the table winning only two games out of 52 with playing style and development the focus rather than results But now that NPL2 clubs face relegation to State League 1 should the team finish bottom of the table the club has stregthened it's squad and Cooper is hoping to inspire his new team to victory “There is nothing better than the feeling of knowing that you have won playing the way you want to play football,” the 22-year-old said “I’m so hungry to play football at the moment "There is so much potential in the kids in this club they have such bright futures Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City wanted to sign some of these kids but they are choosing to stay here and playing football it’s an addictive feeling so I want to help them get that feeling back.” Brown had short playing stints with Avondale and in South Africa He said the possibilities of undertaking a mentoring role drew him to the NPL club “I’m excited about playing with the squad of 2017,” said the 26-year-old “I hope to help the younger players in the senior squad and I may even try my hand at coaching juniors I would love to start something that would support and develop potential indigenous footballers This has been on my mind for quite a while and it is close to my heart I know Nunawading City is keen to support this initiative.” Trifiro said after consulting with one of Nunawading City coaches he was keen to add some top-level experience to the fledgling NPL team  “I liked what I heard about Nunawading City and their technical development and support of building upon young players,” said the 28-year-old “I was also attracted to the opportunity to support the younger players in the team and I can definitely help players with my on-field leadership." While Nunawading’s new signings signify its intent to improve the club is still focused on continuing their development program and maintaining culture “The philosophy will not change." said a club spokesperson “The new signings have the prerequisite traits to complement the Nunawading City philosophy in 2017 We are proud of providing senior opportunities for approximately 30 players aged 16 up to 20 to develop Seventeen players have gone onto careers in other senior NPL clubs while our successful development program has also culminated in four players from 2016 squads offered positions at A-League clubs “Watch this space because we expect to see the continued emergence of many younger talented players into our senior ranks in 2017.”