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 areaContinueFacing VFL-side Sandringham led by a pair of goals from North Launceston duo Brad Cox-Goodyer and Brandon Leary Sandringham's Zac Greeves got the scoring underway toe-poking a ball in the goal-square through the big sticks The Devils were quick to reply through with Keegan Lowe kicking a classy 40 metre goal on the run They followed with a goal less than 60 seconds later who converted a tight snap to put the Devils in front Brandon Leary kicked two for the Devils against Sandringham Picture by Phillip BiggsThis time it was the Zebras who got a response Samuel Latreille burst out of a stoppage on centre-wing and kicked long to Oliver Moodie in a one-on-one The Devils and Zebras once again traded goals with Tasmania's Kai Cameron snapping a goal out of the ruck and Sandringham's Ned Maginness responded with a goal of his own after winning a high-contact free kick Scores were even at quarter-time with neither team playing with much fluency The second term was dominated by the Devils thanks largely to the efforts of Cox-Goodyer in the forward half Fletcher Hooker receives the ball for Tasmania Picture by Phillip BiggsHe kicked his first goal of the game after taking a juggling mark on the boundary His second of the day showed a lot more grit barreling in going for a loose ball and earning himself a high-contact free-kick Sandringham's lone goal for the quarter came from Flynn Gregor who reaped the benefits of disappointing Baxter Norton The Devils' pressure was a standout in their first-half performance not allowing the Zebras to have a lot of uncontested football Jack Dolliver scored a goal to close out the quarter for the Devils after he marked on the goal-line This goal gave Tasmania a 13-point lead at the main break Kingborough talent Mitch Brouwer opened the scoring in the third with 50m set-shot The Zebras were desperately in need of a reply and they got it from Robert Amendola who won a holding-the-ball free-kick and finished the set shot Devils players huddled together at three-quarter-time Picture by Ryan BentleyMuch like they did all day the Devils had an answer though This time time it came from Josh Wolfe who won a holding free-kick in the ruck and slotted the set-shot Sandringham's Charlie Richardson then got on the goal scorer's list a much deserved reward for his efforts throughout the day At this point the Devils had only allowed six scoring shots thanks largely to North Launceston defender Theo Ives who played as the spare for much of the day taking the Devils into three quarter-time as 29-point leaders Sandringham's Oliver Moody made it interesting at the start of the fourth kicking a goal from 50m to bring the margin back down to four goals The Zebras had much of the run of play in the fourth and were taking advantage of the Devils playing more conservatively But they couldn't put it on the scoreboard This made Baker Smith's first goal of the game all the more costly for the Zebras Smith would then go on to kick a second right on the full-time siren putting the finishing touch on the Devils' first senior win I was born and raised in Tassie and enjoy telling the stories that local sport has to offer. Contact me at ryan.bentley@austcommunitymedia.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 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 Footscray will field a league debutant and club debutant in its Easter Sunday clash with Sandringham Ted Middleton (23rd player) will make his VFL debut while recruit David Cuningham will play his first in the red The duo are two of seven changes for the 'Scray Caleb Poulter and Harvey Gallagher added to the line-up Cooper Hynes and Luke Cleary come out of the side after being elevated to the seniors Jarrod Gilbee and Phoenix Spicer will all miss through injury Diesel Moloney and Bailey Young will also sit out Footscray will be looking to keep its winning streak alive when it hosts Sandringham at Mission Whitten Oval The match will mark the second of a Bulldogs' Easter Sunday triple-header treat with the VFLW Dogs hosting Williamstown from 11:05am at Mission Whitten Oval The AFL Dogs will then go head-to-head with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium from 7:20pm Score updates will be available via @FootscrayVFL on X (Twitter), with the game to be streamed live via AFL.com.au. Defender Liam Jones will be sidelined for a number of weeks. The Bulldogs have enjoyed another clean sweep of the coaches’ votes. Keep your radios dialled into Nova all week to hear from your favourite Bulldogs players. A deeper dive into the stats from our win over Port Adelaide. The VFLW Bulldogs have submitted their Round 1 team. Chris Bell provides an update on Liam Jones and Jordan Croft. Lou Stephenson reflects on the day of activity with Fire Rescue Victoria. The Magpies and Bulldogs clash in round six. Backline coach Daniel Pratt reviews the round 8 victory over Port Adelaide in Ballarat. The Western Bulldogs Official App is your one stop shop for all your latest team News, Videos, Player Profiles, Scores and Stats delivered LIVE to your smartphone or tablet! Western Bulldogs acknowledge that we work, train and play on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. We offer our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. King Charles' Sandringham Estate in Norfolk was forced to close its doors to visitors on May 1. Due to an unexpected plumbing emergency, the visitors were left disappointed. As per the statement from the Sandringham team, the spokesperson said, "The Estate is currently closed all day to due an emergency plumbing issue. The includes The House, The Gardens, Sandringham Restaurant and Courtyard Facilities," as quoted by Mirror. "We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. The Royal Parkland is still available to visit, but there will be no toilet facilities open," it added. Notably, the Anglian Water also issued an update, "We're really sorry but some customers in Sandringham and surrounding areas may have either very low water pressure or no water at all. This is being caused by a burst water main in your area." It is worth mentioning that although King Charles and Queen Camilla often stay at Sandringham, the King was not present during the incident. King Charles is currently in London for a cancer support event at Buckingham Palace. King Charles attending a church service at Sandringham. King Charles's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk has been forced to close to visitors today due to an "emergency plumbing issue". The royal estate has shut its doors because the toilets are not working following a burst water main in the area. The closure comes after Anglian Water reported that customers in Sandringham were experiencing "either very low water pressure or no water". The closure affects the house, gardens, restaurant and courtyard facilities at the Norfolk estate. The Royal Estate Sandringham confirmed that while these areas remain closed, the Royal Parkland is still available for visitors to enjoy. However, those planning to visit the parkland should note that no toilet facilities will be open during this time. In a statement, the Royal Estate Sandringham said: "The Estate is currently closed all day to visitors due to an emergency plumbing issue. This includes The House, The Gardens, Sandringham Restaurant and Courtyard Facilities. We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding." Anglian Water acknowledged the issue, stating: "We're really sorry but some customers in Sandringham and surrounding areas may have either very low water pressure or no water at all." It comes as King Charles and Queen Camilla are marking the second anniversary of their Coronation with a special tree-planting ceremony at Windsor Castle today. The royal couple will be joined by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden for the engagement. The Swedish monarchs have travelled to Windsor Castle for the occasion. Together, they will plant a Swedish oak tree in the Home Park of Windsor Castle. The tree was gifted to the Royal Family by the King and Queen of Sweden. The ceremony marks the second anniversary of the Coronation, which took place at Westminster Abbey in May 2023. This anniversary holds particular emotional significance for the royal couple. The Casey Demons VFLW side fell narrowly short against Sandringham in a thrilling Round 2 contest at RSEA Park on Saturday, going down by just two points. Despite a spirited final-quarter surge, Sandringham held on to get the 4.2 (26) to 3.6 (24) victory. Sandringham controlled much of the early play, maintaining the lead at each breakthrough with their efficient ball movement and ability to capitalise on forward 50 entries. Casey showed strong intent around the contest, with the defensive pressure of Meg Macdonald and Megan Fitzsimon instrumental in restricting Sandringham to just two goals across the opening half. Zoe Mitchell found an important spark during the second quarter, capitalising on an opportunity in front of goal to kickstart Casey’s momentum. However, the Demons struggled to maintain that energy after half-time, with Sandringham regaining control in the third term and extending their lead. Despite falling behind in the third, Casey demonstrated tremendous resilience and fight in the final quarter. The Dees lifted their intensity across the ground, attacking forward with purpose and kicking two crucial goals through Alice Robinson and Mitchell to bring the margin within a couple of points. In a nail-biting finish, Casey battled it out but the Zebras’ defence held firm, locking the ball outside the Demons’ forward 50 and denying a late breakthrough in the final minutes.  While the result did not fall in Casey’s favour, the fourth quarter effort and ability to stay in the contest were clear positives as the group looks ahead to Round 3. SANDRINGHAM               2.0       2.0       4.1        4.2 (26)CASEY                               0.0       1.3       1.4        3.6 (24) GOALSSandringham: Shepard, Locke, Clarke, BrazzaleCasey: Mitchell (2), Robinson (1) DISPOSALSSandringham: Baskaran (21), Fowler (18), Forbes (15), Tregellis & Friend (14)Casey: Fitzsimon (32), Macdonald (17), Dethridge (15), Williams (14), Taylor (13) Max Gawn is sitting equal fourth in the race for the AFLCA Award Demons Pro Scout and AFLW List Manager Todd Patterson will join the Tasmania Football Club. A Max Gawn masterclass has powered the Demons home in the West. The Demons have powered past the Tigers to secure a second straight win Max Gawn produces a colossal performance against the hapless Eagles to collect a career-best 35 disposals Ally Kirkwood spoke to Melbourne Media following Round 3. Check out All the Goals from our clash against the West Coast Eagles thanks to Haymes Paint. Watch Melbourne’s press conference after round eight’s match against West Coast Jake Melksham and Daniel Turner will take on the Eagles. The Melbourne Football Club acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners of the land in which we are privileged to play our great game of AFL on throughout Australia. We recognise the continued connection our custodians have to the land and its waters, and respectfully acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging and their contribution to the broader community, as we work towards an equitable and reconciled Australia. The Sandringham Dragons will once again feature heavily on draft night with several players slated to be picked up once again The boys from Melbourne’s bayside suburbs have dominated the Coates Talent League in recent years winning the last three premierships and have had 26 players drafted during that time the Dragons have had a blistering start to 2025 winning their first three matches to sit equal top of the ladder The reigning premiers have several top line superstars such as Archie Ludowyke Jack Dalton and Xavier Bamert however there are some lesser-known gems that could find their way onto an AFL list One to keep an eye on from now until November’s national draft is St Kilda NGA product Kye Fincher The Saints were outspoken last year about the price clubs pay for academy and father son picks however Fincher will ensure they need to stockpile picks to match a potential bid The half back flanker has hit the ground running in 2025 averaging 23.3 disposals and was one of the best in Vic Metro’s under 18 trial match “As a half back he’s really strong overhead,” Harding told SEN’s Future Stars “We trained him as a midfielder but played him more at half-back now and I think that’s his preferred position particularly looking at an AFL career.” Harding also floated the names of a couple of Dragons who will feature heavily for the side throughout the year as well as some who could be eligible for this month’s mid-season draft 168cm small forward just does everything right all the time," he added “He played senior footy against men in the last couple of years sets others up and does a lot of good stuff Ricky will be a little cult hero if he makes it through onto an AFL list I think he’s one that progressed really well with us last year and has added a bit more burst to his midfield game “There’s a few 19-year-olds hopefully for the mid-season draft I’m excited about Charlie Rozene's been terrific in the last couple of weeks “He’s a high half forward that gets up the ground and gets back puts on pressure and finds the ball really well “Jhett Haeta who was a great story last year he’s on Richmond’s VFL list this year and back to us a 19-year-old “Jhett missed the start of the year with an injury played really well through the middle of the year then broke his arm “He was actually leading our best and fairest when he broke his arm and still finished third which is a remarkable effort in a premiership team that had 10 players drafted from it The Dragons were beaten by the GWS Academy by 14 points at RSEA Park on Sunday Crafted by Project Diamond Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Peter Geermans is willing to tie himself to a decades-old gum tree outside Sandringham Hospital as part of a fierce push from bayside locals to stop it being chopped down The 77-year-old is one of about 60 locals in a “Stop the Chop” group who believe Alfred Health’s plan to fell the towering eucalypt on the corner of Edward and Harold streets Bayside residents and the towering lemon-scented eucalypt outside Sandringham Hospital.Credit: Simon Schluter Alfred Health says two independent arborists found the near 50-year-old tree needed to be replaced due to branch failure But Bayside City Council’s arborists disagree with that assessment and locals believe proper pruning could stop the ageing lemon-scented gum from hurting anyone “It’s the most iconic tree in all of bayside,” Geermans said He said the “magnificent” tree had always been “a thing of wonderment” since he moved to Sandringham in the 1980s He believes the hospital’s decision to knock it down – which does not require council approval as it sits on state government land – is an administrative decision that has “gone out of control” Geermans said he was “gently protesting” the tree’s removal but would physically block anyone who tried to cut it down if need be “I’ve been brought up on things like the Franklin River protests “It’s either you make a stand or you don’t.” Peter Geermans (centre) and other residents on Friday.Credit: Simon Schluter A spokesperson for Alfred Health said the tree was a significant risk to community safety due to its condition and proximity to the footpath “This tree has been a much-loved part of our site for just under 50 years and we share in the community’s disappointment that it must now be replaced,” the spokesperson said it is essential that we ensure the safety of patients will soon become a part of our local environment.” warned “major branch failures” that knocked out nearby power lines “could be catastrophic to the hospital and surrounding areas” while any pruning treatment would be “very expensive” because of the high-voltage wires It found the tree was “probably planted in the late 1970s or early 1980s” and had five to 15 years of useful life expectancy left Although he acknowledged a tree branch had fallen previously Geermans was upset when he learnt of the chop down plans via a letter in March The hospital delayed the planned felling to allow for community consultation but after reading the arborist reports on Friday Resident Jason Graham described them as “inaccurate” as some details He was concerned no tree sampling or root structure analysis was done “I strongly feel there’s another reason for why they want to the tree to go,” he said but it just hasn’t been done professionally.” Geermans agreed: “If the hospital regards the tree as being a risk … then they should take appropriate action to prune it judiciously.” Acting director of city planning Kelly Archibald said Bayside Council understood the complexity of managing trees in open space “In this instance council arborists disagreed with the risk rating of the tree which does not require a permit for removal,” she said Sandringham MP Brad Rowswell backed the locals “Our community is defined by its tree-lined streets so I completely understand why residents are fighting to save this iconic tree,” he said Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter The 77-year-old is one of about 60 locals in a \\u201CStop the Chop\\u201D group who believe Alfred Health\\u2019s plan to fell the towering eucalypt But Bayside City Council\\u2019s arborists disagree with that assessment \\u201CIt\\u2019s the most iconic tree in all of bayside,\\u201D Geermans said \\u201CKnocking it down borders on criminal He said the \\u201Cmagnificent\\u201D tree had always been \\u201Ca thing of wonderment\\u201D since he moved to Sandringham in the 1980s He believes the hospital\\u2019s decision to knock it down \\u2013 which does not require council approval as it sits on state government land \\u2013 is an administrative decision that has \\u201Cgone out of control\\u201D Geermans said he was \\u201Cgently protesting\\u201D the tree\\u2019s removal \\u201CI\\u2019ve been brought up on things like the Franklin River protests \\u201CIt\\u2019s either you make a stand or you don\\u2019t.\\u201D \\u201CThis tree has been a much-loved part of our site for just under 50 years and we share in the community\\u2019s disappointment that it must now be replaced,\\u201D the spokesperson said will soon become a part of our local environment.\\u201D warned \\u201Cmajor branch failures\\u201D that knocked out nearby power lines \\u201Ccould be catastrophic to the hospital and surrounding areas\\u201D while any pruning treatment would be \\u201Cvery expensive\\u201D because of the high-voltage wires It found the tree was \\u201Cprobably planted in the late 1970s or early 1980s\\u201D and had five to 15 years of useful life expectancy left Resident Jason Graham described them as \\u201Cinaccurate\\u201D as some details \\u201CI strongly feel there\\u2019s another reason for why they want to the tree to go,\\u201D he said but it just hasn\\u2019t been done professionally.\\u201D Geermans agreed: \\u201CIf the hospital regards the tree as being a risk \\u2026 then they should take appropriate action to prune it judiciously.\\u201D \\u201CIn this instance council arborists disagreed with the risk rating of the tree which does not require a permit for removal,\\u201D she said \\u201COur community is defined by its tree-lined streets so I completely understand why residents are fighting to save this iconic tree,\\u201D he said Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories The Brisbane Lions VFL side have won consecutive games for the first time in 2025 defeating Sandringham by 49 points on Saturday A five-goal outing from Will McLachlan ensured the Lions would run out 13.15 (93) to 5.14 (44) winners After withstanding an early Zebras onslaught where the Lions conceding only four points, McLachlan booted back-to-back majors to take an early lead Despite losing the inside 50 count for the quarter, the Lions managed to keep Sandringham goalless as Conor McKenna kicked his first goal for the afternoon to hold a 15-point advantage at quarter-time Darragh Joyce was a standout throughout the game gathering 32 disposals and 18 marks to be one of the Lions best on the day Deven Robertson and Reece Torrent formed a nice one two punch in the midfield collecting 32 and 23 possessions respectively five marks and seven clearances to lead the midfield Draftee Ty Gallop got things underway in the second, grabbing the ball out of the ruck to boot his first as he shared the ruck duties with Brandon Ryan throughout the contest Curtis McCarthy bagged his first major at VFL level selling some candy on the way to slotting his only goal for the contest McLachlan kicked his third while Torrent nailed a running goal from just inside 50 before McKenna’s second saw the Lions lead by 42 points at the main break Luke Beecken rebounded nicely off half-back while Tom Doedee continued to build his confidence with a strong showing as part of a stingy Lions defence McLachlan’s fourth kickstarted the second half before two Zebra goals in a row gave the home side a chance to mount a comeback Darcy Craven booted his only goal for the afternoon to keep Sandringham at bay taking a 43-point lead into three quarter time. Three goals in the final term put the game beyond doubt as McLachlan bagged five before Ryan was rewarded for his hard work with a goal along with Youi Brisbane Lions Academy member Fergus McFadyen. The Lions return home next week to take on the Gold Coast SUNS for the first QClash of the year at Brighton Homes Arena. Brisbane 13.15 (93) def Sandringham 5.13 (43) Goals: McLachlan 5, McKenna 2, Torrent, Ryan, McFadyen, Craven, McCarthy, Gallop Best: McLachlan, Doedee, Ryan, Shadeau, Robertson, McKenna The Brisbane Lions are proud to launch their 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round guernsey. For the 2025 season, we're asking you to vote for the Brisbane Lions player that was the ultimate MVP. The player who stood up and put forward a performance that separated them from the rest of the pack. Brisbane is still king of the Queensland hill, storming to the top of the competition table with a 17-point QClash victory over Gold Coast at a sold-out Gabba on Sunday night. Watch Brisbane’s press conference after round eight’s match against Gold Coast Will Ashcroft delivers a standout performance and shares a special moment with his dad while accepting the Marcus Ashcroft Medal The Lions and Suns clash in round eight of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Watch the Lions celebrate their round eight win The Brisbane Lions VFL side have defended home turf with a late Harry Arnold goal sinking the Gold Coast SUNS by two-points at Brighton Homes Arena. Saturday 12 May 2012, at the Gabba, on a mild and fine spring Saturday evening, Dayne Zorko, an unheralded 23-year-old, overlooked four years in a row in the AFL draft and effectively given away for nothing by the Gold Coast Suns, made his AFL debut. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land the Yuggera and Turrbal people and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The page you requested could not be found There could be an error in the URL you entered into your browser why not take a look at some of the other great sections on the Express website: If it’s still a mystery don’t hesitate to contact us here order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive Daily Express uses notifications to keep you updated Flames’ Isabella Brancatisano produced 21 points eight rebounds and six steals over the weekend as Mount Gambier split their games against Sandringham (71-55 win) and Eltham (76-64 loss) In the spirit of reconciliation the WNBL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today Move reportedly came after drones over king’s residence sparked worries on weekend of Ukraine president’s arrival A no-fly zone order has been put in place over the Sandringham estate after drones were spotted flying in the area last month while Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the royal residence Security services requested the restrictions, which were put in place to protect “members of the royal family and other dignitaries”, days after King Charles hosted the Ukrainian president on 2 March at the Norfolk estate They came into force just over a week later on 10 March The move reportedly came after drones flying over the estate sparked a security scare on the weekend of Zelenskyy’s arrival. The Sun reported that one drone was traced to a man sitting in a car nearby and another to a photographer Other drones reportedly remain unaccounted for signed off on the order that restricts aircraft from flying below 2,000ft (600 metres) at Sandringham “for reasons of public safety” and to ensure the security of “royal family and other dignitaries staying at or visiting Sandringham House” The order states: “These regulations impose restrictions on flying in the vicinity of Sandringham House “In view of the need for security for members of the royal family and other dignitaries staying at or visiting Sandringham House and at the request of the security services it has been agreed by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport that flying should be restricted in the vicinity of that location for reasons of public safety and security.” visitors’ aircraft and police and emergency services are exempted from the order Zelenskyy arrived at Sandringham House by helicopter from London last month shortly after he attended Keir Starmer’s summit for European leaders Sources indicated the president was warmly received There were reports that the UK government agreed to the meeting after a request from the Ukrainian president The two heads of state had first met in 2023 at Buckingham Palace on the second anniversary of Russia’s full invasion the king issued a strongly worded message of support for Ukraine speaking of the “indescribable aggression” faced by Ukrainians and hailing the “determination and strength of the Ukrainian people” SANDRINGHAM Dragons are chasing a record-equaling fourth straight Coates Talent League premiership in 2025 boasting an even and deep squad of players Among them are five members of the Vic Metro hub and plenty of club-tied prospects We highlight them with help from coach Rob Harding “I’ve been really pleased with the Dragons’ preseason We have a really big preseason training squad I think there’s a number of guys that are going to pop up through the year and potentially push for Vic Metro selection.” Xavier BamertMidfielder | 185cm | 29/01/2007 so he’s elite at covering the ground and his real strength is powering out of stoppage and contest Last year we played him a little bit through half-back and outside the centre square hurt his shoulder in that game against the Rebels but he’s had a great preseason He has done virtually every session.” Jack DaltonMidfielder | 177cm | 05/04/2007 “Dalts is also a premiership player from last year and had a great 16s year as Metro captain and MVP He’s just continued to develop his game over the last couple of years so he covers the ground well and he’ll play a mix of wing He’s a real hard worker and one of the leaders in our program.” Kye FincherDefender/Midfielder | 184cm | 18/11/2007 We’ve trained him as a midfielder through this preseason so we’ll work through where we settle him down over the next couple of weeks but probably more likely to be half-back and reads the play really well Beautiful ball user and he’s a good one that the Saints have got sitting there.” Archie LudowykeKey Forward | 197cm | 19/11/2007 still pretty lightly built so very athletic takes the ball at the highest point and he’s a nice set shot for goal He just missed our grand final team last year he got injured the week before but played in the [AFL] grand final day game on the MCG I think Archie has the capability to play behind the ball as well Dragons and school footy at Brighton Grammar so has a pretty big year ahead of him.” Miles TyrerRuck | 200cm | 18/08/2007 He came in at 199.7cm so is bit unlucky to be a shade under 200cm but has beautiful tap craft and is a strong contested player We spent some time with him playing as a key forward last year as part of his development and in the game against Geelong late in the year he kicked a couple of goals and showed some good leading as well excited to develop him as a key forward and ruck but he’s primarily our number one ruck.” he’s hard to tackle and really good around goals.” “We’re really excited about our bottom-age crop at the Dragons. We think our 2026 crew is going to be very good. Arki Butler and Jack Surkitt were the two we were able to expose at 18s level last year but I think he’ll grow into being a midfielder We’ve got some really good talls that we like Albert Macgowan and Gus Teixeira as midfielders we really like a young man who’s come across from South Australia He’s a tall rangy midfielder that we think’s got good prospects as well We’ll look to expose quite a few of those bottom-agers through this year when we get the opportunity.” “We’ve brought back Sam Buck who played in the premiership team, had a shoulder injury through last year. He’s done all the preseason with us but spent a little bit of time with the Sandy Zebras as well in his VFL alignment. Charlie Rozenes who had a couple of hamstring injuries last year kicked five goals in a half in a Vic Metro trial and was pretty unlucky not to make the final squad last year He’s just been rehabbing through that hamstring injury and is back playing now :The other one we’re excited about is Jhett Haeata When he broke his arm he was actually leading our best and fairest off only eight games He’s done the whole preseason at Richmond VFL and come back to us a few times along the way His combination of speed and agility and his beautiful ball use by foot We hope these guys get looked at for mid-season draft if not they’ll be with us through this year and hopefully get looked at again at the end of the year.” “We do have a number of St Kilda Academy players that are in our program as top-agers this year an Indigenous small forward who’s at Scotch College who’s a strongly built powerful inside midfielder and we’ve got a few bottom-agers coming through as well who are NGA for St Kilda whose brother Lenny was drafted by Geelong last year “We really put a premium on contest first That’s the way I coach and that’s what I believe in That’s how I’ve been educated over the journey We provide in this program a window into what an AFL program looks like in the time that we have with our players We hope our training reflects that and what we value in contest and fundamentals I really have a premium on guys being clean over the ball and approaching their contest work well that’s always a starting point for me I love competitors and I know AFL clubs want that as well.” “Our job is to give guys the most opportunity to get drafted We’re really proud of the Dragons that the last three years we’ve had 10-plus players drafted each year This group is a very even group and we hope to get close to that number again But for us we just want to keep providing opportunities for these high level players and provide them with a high level program We don’t really focus on team results until the back-end of the year so it’s more about opportunity at the start and it’s going to take us quite a while to work out what the best team looks like for us this year because it’s such an even crop.” “We’re excited to play Western in Round 1 We didn’t play them in the home-and-away at all last year but we played them in Wildcard Round at the start of finals and they’ve got some really exciting players in their group I spent a little bit of time on the first Metro camp this year with Tom McGuane and coached Tom Burton last year as well.” AS THE Coates Talent League Girls competition returns for Round 3 over the long weekend the league welcomes four of the five Northern Academies for their first taste of action in the southern competition Both Queensland Academies (Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions) and New South Wales Academies (GWS Giants and Sydney Swans) begin their […] ALREADY one game down with reigning premiers North Melbourne producing a knockout blow against Carlton earlier today Rookie Me Central takes a look at the remaining 10 teams who some of the new faces are and names to look out for in season 2025 BOX HILL HAWKS: 2024 Record: 8-5-1 (3rd) The Hawks have brought […] the 2025 Coates Talent League Girls season will get underway this weekend Ahead of the 18-round home-and-away season commences on Saturday we take a look at everything you need to know >> SCROLL for club-by-club previews & predictions NEED TO KNOW The season will feature 18 clubs WESTERN Jets head into season 2025 on the back of key staff turnover but boast a pair of leading prospects which will allow their footy to do the talking We preview the region’s upcoming campaign with help from outgoing talent operations lead PRESEASON “It’s been a bit of a different pre-season SEASON 2025 will look slightly different for the Tasmania Devils who face an altered fixture and less travel throughout the year With two prospects among the Allies’ preseason squad and some former representatives returning we preview the Devils’ year with help from head coach Jeromey Webberley PRESEASON “It’s been really good PRESEASON “I’ve been really pleased with the Dragons’ preseason OAKLEIGH Chargers produced the second and third picks of last year’s AFL Draft but come into 2025 boasting a good deal of depth and club-tied prospects across each age group We preview their upcoming Coates Talent League campaign with outgoing talent operations lead PRESEASON “I think for us preseason is one of the […] NORTHERN Knights coach Anthony Rocca says his side is champing at the bit to get into competitive action boasting “a good blend of team attributes” and prospects across each age group He’s confident that Northern’s contested work will surprise a few teams and helped us preview the region’s season PRESEASON “The boys were training really […] THE MURRAY Bushrangers head into season 2025 with eyes on being fresh throughout the year having altered the region’s preseason program A total of six players are part of the Vic Country and Allies hubs while several over-agers have completed VFL preseasons Coach Mark Brown helps preview the year ahead PRESEASON “It’s a little bit […] If you like the content that Draft 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 AFL Draft Guide or sport-specific magazines as well as the option to sign up to a monthly newsletter The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The Fernhill Rd in Sandringham where Chris Judd’s have lived since 1997 is up for sale The parents of AFL great Chris Judd have listed the Sandringham family home where he lived before being drafted to West Coast is named on the title of the four-bedroom house at 54 Fernhill Rd It was purchased by Mr Judd for $440,000 in May 1997 RELATED: Hugh Greenwood selling in Melbourne home ahead of move to Gold Coast Ash Barty puts her Melbourne bolthole up for sale Unlikely celebs who spent millions on Aussie homes Chris Judd is widely recognised as one of the greatest footballers of all time playing 138 games for West Coast Eagles and 90 games for Carlton between 2002-2015 The dining space is filled with natural light He is a two-time Brownlow Medalist and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2021 and was captain of both AFL teams he played for with rooms adorned in footy memorabilia championing their son’s successes in the sport Buxton Sandringham senior sales consultant Scott Hamilton said the 760sq m property used to be opposite the Royal Melbourne Golf Course MORE: Ex-AFL player Shaun Higgins sells his Hampton home at triumphant auction US architect-designed Frankston South mansion could sell for $17m “It’s got a really nice veggie garden and it’s got a lot of old It’s got high ceilings and a formal lounge room,” Mr Hamilton said The upstairs space contains another bedroom and lounge area He added that Mr Judd spent about two hours a day tending to the manicured garden there’s a large home office which opens to a deck as well as a formal dining room its own private deck and a walk-in wardrobe The home also features an open plan meals and kitchen area fitted with Smeg appliances and Baltic Pine cabinetry Dine outside in the tree-covered barbecue area Chris and Bec Judd at a Piper Heidsieck party in 2025 the north-facing courtyard has an extensive vegetable garden and gated parking The property is scheduled to go to auction on Saturday 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: Victorian landlord and agency involved in legal stoush with tenant Keilor East: Home sets new suburb price record, and why buyers are paying more than ever Ash Barty and Gary Kissick hope for ace result after putting Melbourne base up for sale 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. Geelong’s VFL season has started off strongly with an impressive win against Sandringham on Sunday afternoon, closing out a wire-to-wire 31 point victory. A nine goal first half for the Cats cemented a solid lead against the Zebras, then carrying momentum into the final half with six more goals, proving too strong for their opposition. Oli Wiltshire (three goals, eight score involvements) lead the offensive charge after finding his groove during the third quarter, with support from Tobyn Murray (three goals, 16 disposals) and Paddy De Grandi (two goals, five marks) who both managed to capitalise on their opportunities. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Geelong Cats VFL (@geelongvfl) The leadership duo of Dan Capiron (14 disposals, eight marks) and Marcus Herbert (26 disposals, eight tackles) brought some much needed composure throughout the match, as well as some big defensive plays that nullified Sandringham's attack. In his first game as an AFL-listed player, ruckman Joe Pike (eight hit-outs) showed a lot of promise in combination with the experienced Rhys Stanley (23 hit-outs). Geelong put the pressure on early, conceding only two goals during the first half thanks to a standout performance from returning Cat, Nathan Kreuger (10 marks, four contested) who took a possible mark of the year over the Zebras’ forward line. View this post on Instagram A post shared by VFL & VFLW Official (@vfl.vflw) Mitch Duncan showed off his class by controlling the game and securing 16 disposals at the half with a goal assist to Jay Polkinghorne (one goal) along with the assistance of George Stevens (26 disposals seven clearances) and Patrick Retschko (23 disposals one goal) who were both strong around the ball The Cats doubled down defensively in the second half with Charlie McCartin (19 disposals six tackles) all giving the Zebra’s little chance to gain any momentum a fourth quarter effort from Shaun Mannagh (14 disposals five tackles) secured the round one win for the VFL Cats Geelong's next clash will be back at GMHBA stadium on Saturday afternoon where the VFL Cats will face Northern Bullants at 12:35pm AEDT SANDRINGHAM       0.4     2.6      6.9        8.12    (60) GEELONG CATS       3.1     6.8     12.12     12.19    (91) GOALS Sandringham: Said 2 Ollie Dempsey continues to go from strength to strength after another stellar display at MCG on Saturday night The AFL coaches votes are in for Geelong's thrilling win over Collingwood on Saturday night at the MCG Check out everything you can expect to see on the Cats channels in the build up to Sunday's clash with the GWS Giants Take an early glance ahead to Sunday's big clash with the GWS Giants at GMHBA Stadium Geelong Cats defender Lawson Humphries has entered the AFL concussion protocol following Saturday's game against Collingwood Jack Bowes joined 3AW on Sunday morning to chat through the big win over Collingwood at the MCG Following his sensational outing against the Magpies Patrick Dangerfield joined ABC Sport to talk through the incredible win on Saturday night Chris Scott praised the performance of Geelong's captain on Saturday night helping to steer the Cats to a brilliant victory Catch up on all the action from Saturday night's clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium Look back at some behind the scenes access after a huge win against the Pies at the 'G Ollie Dempsey spoke to Cats Media after a thrilling finish against the Pies After an importance performance down back in a thrilling win Watch Geelong’s press conference after round eight’s match against Collingwood Geelong Football Club acknowledges Wadawurrung as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Land on which our club our families and our communities work and play and those that will lead their collective future in Wadawurrung language is the place of the morning sun a place of deep cultural connection and significance a meeting place since the beginning of time We are honoured to walk with the Wadawurrung People respect and talk together on our journey on Wadawurrung Country by Brianna Boecker | January 28 An Australian sporting club has come under fire for their response to a woman requesting membership and access to its facilities.  then you can play’,” the woman told News Corp about The Sandringham Club in Bayside Melbourne where only men are allowed to become members.  “They said he would then need to be there when we played and that we wouldn’t be allowed on court without a male presence basically.” “My husband doesn’t even play tennis,” she added “I think it’s ridiculous that someone who doesn’t even play the sport would be allowed to join The Sandringham Club features tennis courts bars and access to some of Victoria’s best golf courses.  Their website says “partners and families of members are welcome at the Club” and that “members can use the sporting facilities with their partners and families whenever they are available.” On The Sandringham Club Instagram page women and girls are regularly shown in the photographs It’s been reported that many of the locals aren’t aware that the Club is classified as a private men’s sporting club as the public persona is that the facilities are open to everyone.  saying “I honestly couldn’t believe it when I saw it online “I think if the broader Bayside community knew about this there would be an uproar,” the person said.  Sandringham Club president Dr Ian Irvine defended the club’s practices saying: “The Sandringham Club has a long history as a men-only members’ sporting club established in 1912 with a strong focus on tennis and squash.” “While this tradition has been a defining feature of the club for over a century we are committed to evolving to better serve the broader community,” said Dr Irvine.  Private clubs in Victoria are permanently exempt from the Equal Opportunity Act with The Sandringham Club incident sparking debate over whether men-only clubs should be allowed.  Two months ago, a men-only club in Tasmania voted that women should be allowed in the club as long as their male partner accompanies them. There was much debate surrounding the incident, as men do need designated spaces to connect, however the  “conditional aspect of allowing women” into that space can work to perpetuate inequality Natalie Hutchins has said men’s only organisations are a “relic of the past” and “from a time when women were confined to the home and excluded from participating fully in society”.  this is a world that should stay in the past,” she said by Brianna Boecker Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Linda Reynolds has labelled her party’s election loss a “comprehensive failure” and said the Liberal Party needs to look at quotas or targets for women the Prime Minister didn’t hesitate: universal affordable early childhood education and care a sweep of female politicians took over safe Liberal seats in WA Donald Trump’s hate politics is finally doing some good It’s showing other countries what they don’t want their governments to look like The way forward for the Liberal Party isn’t to double down on reactionary politics Whoever wins will be tasked with leading the party after its worst result in history Women’s Agenda is published by the 100% women owned and run Agenda Media Advertising and partnerships support our independent journalism We acknowledge and pay respect to the past present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" King Charles has been spotted for the first time since Prince Harry's bombshell interview was seen smiling and waving to well-wishers as he attended a church service in Sandringham while he is staying at his royal estate in Norfolk over the weekend Charles, who was wearing a dark suit, was spotted in the back of a car as he was driven to St Mary Magdalene Church for the 11am Sunday service, but there was no sign of his wife, Queen Camilla It is the first time the King has been pictured since Harry complained in a BBC interview that his father 'won't speak to me' and that he was the victim of an 'Establishment stitch-up' In a widely criticised interview with the BBC, the Duke of Sussex also commented on his father's cancer diagnosis claiming he 'doesn't know how much longer he has left' Harry accused the Royal Household of interfering in his battle to have his UK police security reinstated - an allegation dismissed by both the Government and Buckingham Palace. It comes after the duke lost his legal challenge over his UK security arrangements at the Court of Appeal on Friday. He could potentially appeal the decision, which would then put it in the hands of the Supreme Court. After stepping back from official duties in 2020 and moving to California, Harry and his wife Meghan were no longer given the security provided for senior royals in the UK.  Harry said it was too dangerous to bring his family back to the UK without police protection and took the government to court.  In February 2024, the High Court ruled this was 'legally sound'. He challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal but lost again on Friday.  After the ruling, Harry told the BBC: 'I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.'  'There have been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family,' he added, saying he had now 'forgiven' them.  'I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.'  He said the dispute over his security in the UK had 'always been the sticking point'.  And speculating on his father's cancer battle, he said: 'I don't know how much longer my father has, he won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile.'  In an apparent show of support, Meghan today posted a photo of her husband Harry walking through a garden while clutching Archie's hand and carrying Lilibet on his shoulders.  Royal commentators have criticised Harry for speaking publicly about the rift and his father's health. Majesty Magazine's managing editor Joe Little found Harry's comments about the health of Charles 'quite alarming'. Mr Little said: 'From what Harry is saying, despite admitting that he has not spoken to his father for some time, I thought it sent out a bit of a mixed message, really. 'Is Harry suggesting that the King isn't as well as we are led to believe?' Alisa Anderson, the former press secretary to the late Queen, also branded his comments about the King's health 'unhelpful' amid continued treatment for an unspecified cancer. She told Sky News the Royal Family would be 'raising their eyes heavenwards', adding: 'That's going to cause real concern and more speculation in the media and the wider public about what his diagnosis is, which is incredibly unhelpful going forward.'  Mr Little described the overall situation as 'a very unfortunate state of affairs' and is uncertain if it helps repair tensions since Harry and Meghan stepped away from being working members of the royal family. He added: 'I think for somebody who is seeking reconciliation with his father, his brother and his family, his royal family as a whole, I think the very last thing that he should have been doing was talking publicly. 'He clearly feels aggrieved at the outcome of this legal action but there is a great deal to be gained by maintaining a dignified silence - sadly, as we know from from past events, this isn't Harry's way of doing things. 'Maybe lessons just haven't been learned from previous occasions where also silence would have been the very best thing to maintain.' On whether a reconciliation could take place soon, he added: 'It's hard to see how that would be possible, but never say never.' The rift between the Sussexes and the royal family opened significantly following their interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they alleged a member of the family was concerned about their son Archie's skin tone before he was born. Then the duke claimed in his controversial memoir, Spare, that William had physically attacked him and that the King put his own interests above Harry's and was jealous of Meghan. In a series of interviews to promote the book, Harry attacked the reputation of Camilla, saying her willingness to forge relationships with the British press made her 'dangerous' and he said she tried to rehabilitate her 'image' at his cost. Mr Little said: 'The fact that all this has been aired in such a public way would not fill any family member with confidence about the future, because you would never be 100% sure that whatever private conversations you had with Prince Harry might not appear in print or in a podcast at some point in the future. 'It's a lot of damage to be repaired. Is the damage irreparable? It is hard to see a way forward with this really.' Harry, who appeared emotional and close to tears through much of Friday's TV interview, said he could 'forgive my family's involvement', naming Charles, the Prince of Wales and his stepmother, the Queen, in events since he began dating his wife Meghan in 2016. Mr Little thinks that 'probably for them (the royal family), the situation is totally unchanged'. He said: 'This is Harry as they have seen him operate for the best parts of the last five years, with the Oprah Winfrey interview and then, or more recently, his book.' When asked in the interview if Charles had been approached to use his influence in Harry's legal problems, the duke appeared to imply the King was a hindrance, a comment likely to deepen the rift with his father and his brother, the Prince of Wales. He said: 'I've never asked him to intervene, I've asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their job.' Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... 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No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} buy-in and a hunger to be more competitive has the Sandringham Dragons ready to make an impact in the 2025 Coates Talent League Girls season Coach Martha Cantwell is pleased with how the preseason has gone and is excited about what the squad can accomplish this year “We’re really happy with preseason just overall We’ve got a couple new members to the squad that are very new to the program who have fit in really well The group itself feels really connected and just in terms of the vibes from a culture standpoint it’s really nice feel around the club and I feel like we have a lot of girls who have really bought in this year and probably just in terms of overall just like our bottom-end We have more girls with ability to compete overall which we’re pretty happy with.” Sienna SharpTall Utility | 177cm | 30/09/2007 but it was so strong the vote in her favour and again that’s just the relationship and the influence she has on the girls around her She’ll play as a key forward this year We had her down back last year and that was just due to other top-agers depth and then just getting a little bit of versatility to her game knowing that she would only play forward this year for us anyway so the way that she went about her rehab and getting back on track I just don’t think she’s missed a beat She’s been so consistent and it’s obviously paid off her We’re just hoping for continued growth throughout the season.” Macy WatkinsMidfielder | 172cm | 24/05/2007 even away from the club just to get better with her craft skill wise but even in the gym and all those sorts of things She’s trying to really take that whole complete look to try and get better She’s our vice-captain … she leads really She’ll play midfield for us this year The thing we’ve been working on is trying to get her play more of an offensive game I think last year when we brought her into the midfield she automatically went into the ‘I can do the defensive stuff I’ll tackle and let others shine’ but we’re really trying to encourage her to take the game on from the get-go From a skills point I think her work inside and her hands to get it out is what’s most impressive I think she should be really confident in her game and her preparation.” >> PROFILED: 2025 Vic Metro summer hub “Another one that I’ve spoken to everyone about that I’m just surprised she’s not amongst radars yet. There’s a girl called Amy Smith She’s done a bit of work in the off-season she’s had a couple of little setbacks like little niggles and injuries but I think she’ll be flying from Round 1 She’ll also be able to play off half-back Her kicking ability and her game sense and awareness are her best traits I’m super pumped what her season will look like “We’ve got Kera Galaminda Gellar but she’s recovering from an ACL so she won’t be on the track for a while She’s still going through her rehabilitation really hopeful in the backend of the year we can get her involved so she’s still going through that at the moment Last year we were super keen as an 18-year-old just based on her preseason and what she was showing overall but unfortunately she’ll be a few months out “But then we have Ash Patton She’ll start the year with us and then it will be an ongoing relationship with us and Zebbies (Sandringham Zebras) because it will be really good for her to play some senior footy too She’s only been at our club for a short amount of time and the way she’s transitioned in seamlessly with the group We’re looking at her inside because we know she played a bit off half-back and high forward but she’ll also rotate through the backline for us too I think the way she can open up the game and take the game on is her absolute weapon.” “There’s a girl called Chloe Williams goes about her business and she just competes so well on the field She played at the end of the year last year for us as a high-forward and I think with a game to go we chucked her on the wing We were so impressed with her on the high forward but for whatever reason we needed a wing and then we were like ‘oh my god’ and we were even more impressed with that too just so natural in the way she goes about it super big frame but she competes so well in the air but has really classy skills I would say that she’s up there with one of our best players and I’m super keen to see how she goes as a 17-year-old.” I know there’s a lot of teams looking top go fast We want to move the ball fast where we can but it’s more about finding space and getting the ball forward but we want to have the ability to pull the triggers and controlling the game from the back half and then putting a bit more speed on the ball Our biggest thing at the moment is just being able to go from fast to tempo footy and start to learn when’s the best time to learn that If we can open up the other side of the ground and get the ball moving fast we will but it’s all about controlling the ball from the back half and put some speed on it after that.” “I’m really excited because I think our preparations in terms of our last two practice matches we played Western Jets and we played Oakleigh I think that was a really good build-up into Round 1 and what that’s going to look like for us Oakleigh was a really good challenge for us in terms of what’s expected in terms of what its’ going to feel like and look like “Our biggest challenge is making sure we’re ready to go as soon as the game starts and sticking to our process and every five minutes is rechecking in and sticking to our process Overall it should be a really competitive match I’m actually really looking forward to it but if we can get it equally matched early I think it can go really well for us and be a really competitive game.” Nalu Brothwell is the forward half of the Dandenong Stingrays’ Brothwell twins having impressed as an athletic marking player inside 50 Sharing the field with sister Mizuki – often found up the other end – Brothwell is a newcomer to football compared to her peers QUEENSLAND has made it back-to-back Player of the Week nominations from the Coates Talent League Boys’ competition after Brisbane Lions Academy star midfielder Daniel Annable earned the nod in Round 5 Following on from Gold Coast Suns Academy’s Max Hudson last week Annable was a class above during the Lions Academy’s big win over Tasmania […] ALL FIVE Northern Academy sides – including the Northern Territory – were in action across Round 5 of the Coates Talent League Boys competition with a nail-biter to start the round and then mostly blowouts on the Sunday Catch up on how all the six games went down GIPPSLAND Power bottom-ager Ava Deszcz booted five goals in her side’s impressive 59-point win over Western Jets to earn our Coates Talent League Girls Player of the Week nomination for Round 4 Her five goal haul was second to only the previously nominated Bailee Martin (seven) as she proved a true force inside 50 GOLD Coast Suns Academy is not short on talent and while the National Academy members will – deservedly – earn plaudits the Suns have a host of players outside that core in draft contention One of those is smart half-forward Aleah Stringer who plays the modern day hybrid role between midfield and attack and has […] TASMANIA Devils will look to bounce back after their first game loss to Sydney Swans Academy when they welcome the Brisbane Lions Academy tomorrow morning in the first game of the Coates Talent League Girls Round 4 RECENT SANFL Women’s debutant Lottie Almond has always had a love for football so when her opportunity came around After biding her time through the local leagues got a second chance in the State Academy over the summer and on the weekend cracked in […] NORTHERN Academies were the talk of the town That chatter was not lost on the Rookie Me Central Medal vote-givers as club-tied talent swept the tallies across an elongated round All 15 vote-getters had not previously polled in 2025 THE GOLD Coast Suns Academy dominates our Coates Talent League Team of the Week for Round 4 The Suns ran rampant in a 62-point victory over Dandenong Stingrays ending with the weekend’s highest winning margin and four representatives in our 24-player squad >> CTL ROUND 4: Snapshot | Player of the Week | Scouting […] Photo: AP PHOTOThe Duke of York is to stay away from the British royal family's traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham this year amid the controversy surrounding his links to an alleged Chinese spy All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePrince Andrew will miss what was expected to be one of the largest festive events at his brother where 45 members of their family had been expected to spend Christmas Day The duke has hit the headlines once again this week after a High Court hearing revealed alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo was said to have been a "close" confidant of Andrew Duchess of York will also miss Christmas at Sandringham in what will be seen as a show of solidarity for her former husband The British royal family will hold their traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham Estate (EPA PHOTO)The pair are said to be preparing to spend the day together at Royal Lodge the home they still share in Windsor Great Park It is not yet known whether the duke will attend Charles' traditional pre-Christmas lunch for the extended family at Buckingham Palace on Thursday had already planned to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws this year for the first time who was named after an anonymity order was lifted on Monday has insisted it was "entirely untrue" to claim he was involved in espionage and that he has "done nothing wrong or unlawful" previously referred to only as H6 in the legal case was the founder-partner of the Chinese arm of the duke's Pitch@Palace initiative and twice visited Buckingham Palace in 2018 to meet with the late Queen's second son He is also said to have entered St James's Palace and Windsor Castle at Andrew's invitation It has been reported the King was briefed by the intelligence services about his brother's links to Yang who also goes by the name Christopher Yang The King was said to have been hoping the duke would make the decision to miss Sandringham to prevent Charles and the royal family facing any further embarrassment with Andrew urged by insiders to "to do the decent thing" the duke's office said Andrew "ceased all contact" with the then-unnamed businessman when concerns were first raised about him Andrew met Yang through "official channels" with "nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed" disappeared from public life since stepping down from official duties in 2019 but he carried on joining the royal family for Christmas Day Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy The Allan Labor Government is making it easier for locals in Sandringham and Melbourne's bayside to get the care they need with a major upgrade of Alfred Health's Sandringham Hospital complete Minister for Health Infrastructure Melissa Horne and Member for Southern Metropolitan Region Ryan Bachelor today visited the hospital to see the completed $5.62 million refurbishment of the Sandringham Hospital outpatients' facility Patients and staff are already benefiting from modern and upgraded consulting rooms clinical areas and public spaces to boost better health outcomes for locals Funded through the Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund (MHIF) this major upgrade has supported hard working health care workers at Sandringham Hospital to increase their capacity for specialist medical nursing and allied health care - helping reduce patient wait times for outpatient care New waiting areas and disability access features have made seeking care more comfortable and welcoming for all with the upgrades featuring modern building design and better service infrastructure for patients The upgrade will also see new facilities tailored more to providing care to children and educational facilities for staff The project was delivered administered by the Victorian Health Building Authority Established by the Labor Government in 2020 MHIF is now worth more than $265 million and has funded 110 projects across metropolitan Melbourne to date information and communication technology and other vital upgrade works to expand capacity and enhance safety and infection prevention and control measures Funding also enables health services and agencies to adopt new technologies and deliver contemporary models of care improving the quality and safety of care for patients and staff As stated by Minister for Health Infrastructure Melissa Horne "Not only is this upgrade set to benefit the hospital's dedicated workforce it also means local families will continue to get the world class treatment and care they need As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas "The upgrades at Sandringham Hospital will mean locals in Sandringham and across Bayside will have better access to high-quality care As stated by Member for Southern Metropolitan Region Ryan Batchelor seeking outpatient care at Sandringham Hospital will now be quicker A BIG double-double from Keli Leaupepe has helped the Knox Raiders to a 17-point win over the Sandringham Sabres to close out Round 3 of the NBL1 South on Thursday night The two sides locked horns in a Good Friday eve clash at Southern Basketball Centre with both sides enjoying contrasting seasons The Raiders came into the clash undefeated from three games while the Sabres were still looking for their first win and faced the prospect of a 0-5 start to the season with the home side leading by three points at quarter time in one of its more promising openings to a game The Raiders returned serve in the second period to tie up proceedings at the main break before blowing the match open in the second half Knox outscored the opposition by 12 points in the third quarter and sealed the match with a solid final term to emerge winners and remain unbeaten Leaupepe was the star of the show for the Raiders making an impact from long range to lead all comers on the scoring front and continue his team’s red hot start to the fixture The Sydney Kings forward was at his best in the win over the Sabres showcasing his ability to stretch the floor and how balanced his game is for a player in the frontcourt Much of Leaupepe’s performance was built on his three-point shooting although it has not been a prevalent part of his game previously One of the strongest players in the country the forward normally thrives using his physicality in the paint and although he did use this on a couple of occasions throughout the match it was his perimeter presence that proved vital The 24-year-old nailed six triples on 10 attempts from the field with most coming off the catch as he popped out to the perimeter to catch the defence sleeping He looked extremely comfortable shooting the ball and the defence could not slow him down His performance was balanced over the course of the match keeping the Raiders in the contest with a pair of triples in the first frame while his shooting was integral in getting Knox out to a match winning lead in the third period using his big frame to bully the opposition out from under the basket and getting first hands on the ball He looks at his best when he is throwing his weight around and although he did not need to on the offensive end it was still one of his biggest strengths on the glass Leaupepe has been a big reason why the Raiders have started the season 4-0 and delivered another exceptional performance against the Sabres showing just how dangerous this Knox team is when he is firing 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 our subscriber list where you can be emailed out the latest basketball-specific magazines An unexpected “emergency issue” has hit King Charles’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk GB News reported that the British Monarch’s one of the key royal residences has been forced to shut its door to visitors due to an “Emergency plumbing issue.” the royal manor’s toilets have not been functioning properly after a burst water main in the area and courtyard facilities at the Norfolk estate have been impacted The issue came to light after Anglian Water – a company that provides water supply and sewage treatment in the East of England – reported that the area's customers were facing the problem of “either very low water pressure or no water.” "The Estate is currently closed all day to visitors due to an emergency plumbing issue Sandringham Restaurant and Courtyard Facilities We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding." "We're really sorry but some customers in Sandringham and surrounding areas may have either very low water pressure or no water at all." Sandringham Estate has also confirmed that while all other areas will remain closed the Royal Parkland is still open for the visitors no toilet facilities will be available during this time Sandringham Estate is one of the private residences of the British Royal Family and is located in Norfolk It cover an area of more that 20,000 acres and included a grand house has been passed down through generations of the Royal Family North Melbourne's preparations for the 2025 VFL season have concluded with a narrow two-point defeat to Sandringham in wet conditions at Arden Street Oval Six goals from dangerous forward Cooper Harvey were almost enough for the Kangaroos to walk away with the victory but the home side ultimately fell 12.6 (78) to 12.8 (80) The Kangaroos led at the final change after clawing their way back into the contest in the second quarter following Sandringham's fast start but a late Zebras goal in the final term saw the visitors get over the line Young gun Cooper Harvey made the most of his opportunities in front of goal kicking six majors to keep North Melbourne in the game with three of them coming in the third quarter Harvey was also too quick on his feet for his direct opponents with his speed being a crucial factor in a number of his goals Finnbar Maley also made his presence felt inside the forward 50 He competed hard in the air and on the ground finishing with a goal and several strong grabs Defender Zac Fisher pushed his case for AFL selection contributing down back and in a handful of attacking chains The left-footer also chipped in with the Roos' first goal of the day as he sent one through from distance Ford presented well and pushed up into the contest He racked up the score involvements and managed to slot one of his own Primary ruckman Taylor Goad impressed in the middle and around the ground and was ably supported by fellow tall Brynn Teakle Young midfielder Luke Urquhart was solid in midfield along with Zane Duursma who booted one goal and saw time at half-forward and alongside Urquhart on the ball Toby Pink and Wil Dawson were the lockdown defenders allowing draftee Matt Whitlock to fly and find the footy as he patrolled the half-back line along with Riley Hardeman NORTH MELBOURNE    3.2  6.2  10.3  12.6 (78)SANDRINGHAM           5.0  7.4  8.7  12.8 (80) North Melbourne will kick its VFL campaign off at Casey Fields against the Casey Demons on Sunday Choose the membership package for you and become a North Melbourne member The North Melbourne Werribee Kangaroos have suffered their first loss of the season Wil Dawson's three majors have propelled North Melbourne to its third win in a row at VFL level A plucky North Melbourne has gone down to the Western Bulldogs by 16 points in the clubs' season-opening clash at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night Extended highlights of the Bombers and Kangaroos VFLW clash in Round 3 The Bombers and Kangaroos clash in Round 6 NMFC Media speaks to Tristan Xerri following the three-point loss to the Bombers Senior coach Alastair Clarkson speaks to reporters after Round 8's match against Essendon A scan on Friday confirmed the extent of Jackson Archer's hamstring injury Young defender Matt Whitlock and forward Robert Hansen jnr are the latest Roos to put pen to paper The North Melbourne Kangaroos acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation the traditional owners of our spiritual homeground at Arden Street We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia Sandringham Football Club has today announced the Southern Saints will compete as the Sandringham Zebras from the 2025 rebel VFLW season The decision to rebrand the Saints as the Sandringham Zebras will consolidate Sandringham's women's and men's teams under the same name and brand The team will wear the same playing jumper as the VFL side Sandringham's women's football team has competed as the Southern Saints in the rebel VFLW since entering the competition in 2018 Continue below to read the statement issued by the Sandringham Football Club The Sandringham Football Club is pleased to announce that as of November 1 the Southern Saints will become the Sandringham Zebras consolidating both brands under the one club After consultation with relevant stakeholders the decision was made to unite both teams as we celebrate the 95th year of the Sandringham Football Club The Southern Saints VFLW team was established by St Kilda Football Club in 2017 and this is a connection we continue to acknowledge through our alignment with the St Kilda Football Club The Sandringham Football Club co-managed the team from 2019 and took over the team license and full responsibility for the commercial and operational management of the team in 2020 the Sandringham Football Club has run the VFLW program there has been ongoing confusion about the connection between the two teams and this has created an external narrative of separation wearing two different brands and supporting what seems to be two separate football clubs there will be increased consistency and less confusion and the support from Sandringham FC supporters will be shared across both teams “This is an extremely exciting time for our club - the Southern Saints has been a massive part of our history and the Sandringham Zebras VFLW team will no doubt be an integral part of our future,” Sandringham FC President one of our strongest values is unity and that’s what this change represents however we are aware that externally the two brands have been a bit confusing members and supporters alike will feel a common sense of identity and allegiance to the Club” The Sandringham Zebras VFLW side will wear the same home jumper as the VFL side All Southern Saints social media will change to Sandy Zebs VFLW as of November 1 Gold Coast Academy’s Usher on her ACL injury rehab battles and best friend Havana Harris incredible misses and more in our look back on the April action of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse gives host Bharat Sundaresan the rundown on how Australian football began and how it became such a significant part of Australian culture With a challenging month of away clashes ahead Fremantle needs to find a way to win on the road if it's to seriously contend in 2025 One of footy's famous rivalries will kick off the AFLW season to mark the 10th season of the competition Check out all the action from the state leagues around the country Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd with the latest news and opinions from Round 8 The McClelland Trophy will be decided on the final day of the AFLW home and away season Footy Feed: Sarah Olle and Riley Beveridge with the latest news Check out the Rising Star for AFL’s Round 8 Will a hard tag from Jack Viney be the reason Harley Reid leaves the Eagles Vote now on your favourite marks from Round 8 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season The Match Review findings for Sunday's round eight games are in In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land The King has been forced to close his Norfolk home and estate after an emergency issue with the plumbing Sandringham House only opened its doors to the public on 5 April for the summer season and the visitor centre were told they were all temporarily closed after a water pipe burst in the nearby village of Dersingham An estate spokesman said Anglian Water was working to resolve the issue adding the issue "is not related to Sandringham itself" A spokesperson for Anglian Water said: "Our teams are on site repairing a burst water main near Sandringham "We’re using tankers to help get everyone back on water while we complete the repair [on Thursday] evening." It comes just weeks after flight restrictions were placed over Sandringham for the security of royals and visiting dignitaries The restrictions were requested by security services after drones were reportedly seen flying over the Norfolk estate on the weekend King Charles hosted the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky The estate is situated on 20,000 acres across West Norfolk and is a favourite retreat for the Royal family during the Christmas period Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know Outsiders to my suburb may scoff at its house prices and the name tying it to a royal residence They may see it as a sleepy and stuffy place with mostly well-heeled residents pushing 65 and over Somewhere stuck at the end of the train line But this isn’t the reality for life in the place that we affectionately call “Sandy” I live here because of my family’s happy connection to the place It’s a great place to get involved in community activities or simply be With a vast foreshore and cliffs down to the moody bay Sandringham is probably best known to outsiders for its summer vibes The warm months bring a horde of floating bathers Beachgoers often pause at what may be the suburb’s best-known landmark While there is less music played at the rotunda these days vibe-seekers can still find live music in the village Those who prefer a quiet moment can meander and discover the unique street art and murals a vulnerable turtle and the dogs of Sandy (thank you to the Sandy Street Art Project) My favourite time in Sandy is possibly dusk an Insta-worthy moment that rivals a tropical sunset Locals and visitors can take advantage of restaurants dotted around the village offering fare from around the world many locals join me in lament for the recent and permanent closure of the hot chicken shop Australia’s beloved King of Spin is celebrated at what was in 2023 renamed as the Shane Warne Oval It was here on Duncan Street where Warnie’s passion grew when he played for East Sandringham In a fortuitous Sandringham connection, Bob Hawke, our cricket-mad former prime minister, taught a young Warne how to bowl leg spinners on his tennis court but Warne spent a great deal of his childhood playing around on that grass while his mother worked as a cleaner in the Hawke house The cricketer and PM remained close long afterwards The sporting connections run deep in Sandy netball and soccer across the sports fields and hubs Many other legends have played at Shane Warne Oval including AFL captains Jobe Watson and Josh Kennedy who were all members of the East Sandringham Junior Football Club there’s a gravity that propels wannabe champions down to the sand calls for “home time” by parents are flatly refused Shane Warne made a brief cameo for the East Sandringham Boys Club in 2008.Credit: Michael Clayton-Jones If you’re feeling grateful for this salty heaven, a prayer to Mary MacKillop is in order Australia’s first Catholic saint had her own connections to Sandy – close to death in 1892 she recuperated by the sea at Ellesmere on Bridge Street The seaside is a remedy. In the Indigenous Resource Garden you’ll find the late Guy Boyd’s cast bronze sculpture The Swimmer which serenely conveys physical strength and a lyrical beauty I thought it odd to see this lady in bathers Now I can appreciate her burnished figure that glistens Poised with surrounding arms and downward gaze since 1988 (the same year of Boyd’s sudden death) she welcomes visitors to linger on the busy street corner A walk along the Bayside Indigenous Coastal Trail of art and story-telling is one way I celebrate the culture of the Boon Wurrung people Locals and visitors are welcome to a well-resourced library Sandybeach Community Centre and the Sandringham and District Historical Society Before my suburb was renamed after a royal estate in the 1880s, it was called The Gipsy Village for more than 30 years after a local fishing community in the north-west corner near Picnic Point and the sailing clubs a direct link to Victorian and Edwardian periods with charming homes It’s easy to picture horse-drawn carts delivering milk and bread around Queens Square and not all the housing developments have been appropriate for the community Beach Road dwellings are a mix of contemporary designs with a primary focus on capitalising their sea views But you won’t find any sign of the Big Build sky rail around here – only the original 1887 train station with its nearby 1915 heritage signal box and they built their family life and a modest red clinker brick home in Sandringham that still stands in a street lined with flowering gums just around the corner from where I now live returning World War I soldiers recovered from illness right on the beachfront in an ornate imposing building that is now the site of The Sandy Hotel These days I’m grateful for the essential services that are right in the heart of my suburb There’s Sandringham hospital providing around-the-clock emergency care and the Bayside police station with an impressive open design that makes locals feel connected to the work of the officers Genuine people who contribute to a vibrant place Caroline Baker is a speech pathologist and lives in Sandringham with her family The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Outsiders to my suburb may scoff at its house prices and the name tying it to a . They may see it as a sleepy and stuffy place with mostly well-heeled residents pushing 65 and over. Somewhere stuck at the end of the train line. But this isn\\u2019t the reality for life in the place that we affectionately call \\u201CSandy\\u201D. OK, I concede there is a bit of pomp about it. Sandringham was named after the then Prince of Wales\\u2019 house in Norfolk. In honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II, you might find a few low-tummed corgis (though far outnumbered by ) enjoying street walks and beach dashes by the harbour. There\\u2019s even Royal Avenue that connects Beach and Bluff roads. Halfway along, that was home to an eminent Australian family, the Hawkes, before their move to The Lodge in 1983. I live here because of my family\\u2019s happy connection to the place, our community, the village, birds, open parks, heathland and coastal environs. It\\u2019s a great place to get involved in community activities or simply be. With a vast foreshore and cliffs down to the moody bay, Sandringham is probably best known to outsiders for its summer vibes. The warm months bring a horde of floating bathers, polarising jet-skiers, hikers and paddleboarders. They fill the local cafes, pubs and bars. Beachgoers often pause at what may be the suburb\\u2019s best-known landmark, the concrete band rotunda, built in 1926. While there is less music played at the rotunda these days, vibe-seekers can still find live music in the village, at the pubs, bars and even on the street. Those who prefer a quiet moment can meander and discover the unique street art and murals, such as a sea goddess, a vulnerable turtle and the dogs of Sandy (thank you to the Sandy Street Art Project). My favourite time in Sandy is possibly dusk. Beyond the cloud-scraping date palms, the hot sun sinks into seawater, an Insta-worthy moment that rivals a tropical sunset. Locals and visitors can take advantage of restaurants dotted around the village offering fare from around the world. Despite being spoilt for choice, many locals join me in lament for the recent and permanent closure of the hot chicken shop. Inspiration is rich for lovers of sport, art, nature and history. Australia\\u2019s beloved King of Spin is celebrated at what was in 2023 renamed as the Shane Warne Oval. It was here on Duncan Street where Warnie\\u2019s passion grew when he played for East Sandringham. In a fortuitous Sandringham connection, Bob Hawke, our cricket-mad former prime minister, taught a young Warne . It sounds like urban legend, but Warne spent a great deal of his childhood playing around on that grass while his mother worked as a cleaner in the Hawke house. The cricketer and PM remained close long afterwards, as did Hazel Hawke and Warne\\u2019s mum. The sporting connections run deep in Sandy, whether it\\u2019s football, netball and soccer across the sports fields and hubs, or the weekend cyclists. Many other legends have played at Shane Warne Oval, including AFL captains Jobe Watson and Josh Kennedy, as well as Brownlow medallist Chris Judd, who were all members of the East Sandringham Junior Football Club. For less formal activities, there\\u2019s the sand and fun of the beach. At the Edward Street ramp, there\\u2019s a gravity that propels wannabe champions down to the sand, so that hours later, calls for \\u201Chome time\\u201D by parents are flatly refused. If you\\u2019re feeling grateful for this salty heaven, a prayer to is in order. Australia\\u2019s first Catholic saint had her own connections to Sandy \\u2013 close to death in 1892, she recuperated by the sea at Ellesmere on Bridge Street. The seaside is a remedy. In the Indigenous Resource Garden you\\u2019ll find the late The Swimmer, which serenely conveys physical strength and a lyrical beauty. As a child, I thought it odd to see this lady in bathers, cold and curvy. Now I can appreciate her burnished figure that glistens, even more alive in the rain. Poised with surrounding arms and downward gaze since 1988 (the same year of Boyd\\u2019s sudden death), she welcomes visitors to linger on the busy street corner. I\\u2019m curious about my suburb\\u2019s past, its place now and in the future. A walk along the Bayside Indigenous Coastal Trail of art and story-telling is one way I celebrate the culture of the Boon Wurrung people. Locals and visitors are welcome to a well-resourced library, Sandybeach Community Centre and the Sandringham and District Historical Society. Before my suburb was renamed after a royal estate in the 1880s, it was called for more than 30 years after a local fishing community. This precinct remains, in the north-west corner near Picnic Point and the sailing clubs, a direct link to Victorian and Edwardian periods with charming homes. It\\u2019s easy to picture horse-drawn carts delivering milk and bread around Queens Square. Sandy village, like much of Melbourne, has been growing upward in recent years, and not all the housing developments have been appropriate for the community. Beach Road dwellings are a mix of contemporary designs with a primary focus on capitalising their sea views. But you won\\u2019t find any sign of the Big Build sky rail around here \\u2013 only the original 1887 train station with its nearby 1915 heritage signal box, no longer functional, but a nod to the Victorian era. My grandpa returned from World War II, reunited with Grandma, and they built their family life and a modest red clinker brick home in Sandringham that still stands in a street lined with flowering gums, just around the corner from where I now live. In earlier times, returning World War I soldiers recovered from illness right on the beachfront in an ornate, imposing building that is now the site of The Sandy Hotel. These days I\\u2019m grateful for the essential services that are right in the heart of my suburb. There\\u2019s Sandringham hospital providing around-the-clock emergency care and the Bayside police station with an impressive, open design that makes locals feel connected to the work of the officers. Sandringham may sound posh, but the community is down to earth. Genuine people who contribute to a vibrant place, making this a special suburb. Caroline Baker is a speech pathologist and lives in Sandringham with her family. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. . The British royal family is set to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, with Prince William revealing a guest list of 45 attendees During a visit with soldiers from the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment typically always spends Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk The royal holiday season is a time of cherished traditions and family gatherings with customs dating back to the days of Queen Victoria. This year, William and Catherine, Princess of Wales are orchestrating a memorable Christmas experience for their children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in the wake of the future queen's "worst year yet." The "enchanting" festivities are set to commence on Christmas Eve at Anmer Hall the young royals partake in the German tradition of exchanging gifts a practice that became custom in Victoria's reign Adding a personal touch, their grandmother, Carole Middleton, presents each child with a special Christmas Eve box The Prince and Princess of Wales memorably visited Sandringham House to view flowers left for the late Queen Elizabeth II Christmas Day unfolds with the family joining the extended royal clan at nearby Sandringham The day begins with a traditional church service at St Mary Magdalene where the royal family is often greeted by well-wishers and the media they return to "the Big House" for a festive lunch featuring classic dishes such as roast turkey and Christmas pudding — a British delight A highlight of the afternoon is gathering to watch the King's speech a moment that underscores the family's unity and shared heritage Many of today's royal traditions were followed "to the letter" by the late Queen Elizabeth II, and reports suggest King Charles III is not set to change her patterns in his third Christmas as monarch the Prince and Princess of Wales are dedicated to creating personal traditions that resonate with their children's experiences watching holiday movies and playing board games at Anmer Hall foster a "sense of normalcy and joy," for their children The British royal family traditionally spends Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk These moments are particularly significant this year as the family navigates the challenges of the future queen's recent cancer recovery "There is a light at the end of the tunnel," highlighting the optimism that these personal traditions bring during a transformative period Of the family members expected to attend, including Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker-Bowles, who has been invited for the first time This inclusive approach signifies a modernized royal family embracing both traditional and contemporary family structures," an insider pointed out The Prince and Princess of Wales are reportedly planning a 'huge Christmas celebration' at Anmer Hall Powered by RedCircle Page Six reported on William's Xmas plans. GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. Link to XLink to InstagramOpt-out of personalized ads © Copyright 2025 THE ROYAL OBSERVER™️. A DIVISION OF MYSTIFY ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK INC. THE ROYAL OBSERVER is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Geelong's VFL team returned to action on Sunday afternoon, recording an impressive 31 point win over Sandringham to kick off their season.  A dominant first half set up the big win, with the Cats holding the Zebras to just two goals as they cruised to a 26 point buffer at the main break.  Within the Geelong team there was en exciting blend of youth and experience, as a number of emerging talents put together brilliant four quarter displays.   See five standout performances from Sunday's victory over Sandringham.  In his first official hit-out for Geelong, 2024 draftee Patrick Retschko put together an impressive performance to help lead the Cats to victory.  Doing a little bit of everything on Sunday, the athletic midfielder finished with 24 disposals and four clearances, while also pushing back to pick off six intercept possessions.  At one stage in the match Retschko found the footy on the far wing, before working hard across the ground to lay a smother just moments later, highlighting his phenomenal work rate.  With the Cats looking to make a strong start, the youngster accumulated a game-high nine disposals in the first quarter to help set the tone for the rest of the day.  Retschko also showed poise in front of the big sticks, booting a terrific goal in the second term in a brilliant first outing for Geelong's new recruit.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Geelong Cats VFL (@geelongvfl) Lively up forward and classy with ball in hand, Oli Wiltshire was terrific on Sunday as he looks to build consistency in his second season with the Cats.  The main standout from his performance was the impact on the scoreboard, finishing the afternoon with three goals and eight score involvements.  But Wiltshire was also able to push up the ground, finding 18 disposals and three intercept possessions against the Zebras in a solid showing to kickoff the new year.  Geelong's vice-captain picked up where he left off in 2024, putting together an influential display to help lead his side to an important win.  Herbert accumulated plenty of the football finding 27 disposals, but was also able to do plenty of work inside the contest laying nine tackles and winning six clearances.  While his work heading forward was sensational finishing with eight inside 50s, Herbert was also able to have an influence behind the ball picking off numerous intercepts.  In a game where the pressure was intense and clean passages of play were hard to come by Mitch Duncan's experience and class shone through The veteran Cat collected 24 disposals and eight marks on Sunday but most impressively he rarely wasted a possession going at 83.3% disposal efficiency Duncan was able to use his run and carry to set up numerous attacking forays Another player looking to primed to build in his second season with the Cats George Stevens impressed on Sunday with his contested work and ball-winning ability The midfield bull accumulated 26 disposals 14 of those contested along with eight clearances in a dominant on-ball display After putting together a very solid pre-season Stevens will be one to watch as he progresses in 2025 Take a first look ahead to Saturday night's clash as the Cats prepare to take on Brisbane at the Gabba The Weekly SOURCE is published by DCM Media Princess Anne is seen with a young Prince William on Christmas Day 1990 The Queen's own daughter had to seek alternative sleeping arrangements While the estate boasts numerous cottages on its approximately 20,000 acres of property the main house has 29 bedrooms—which sounds like a lot until you have close to 50 people coming for Christmas "One year, there were so many people, Princess Anne pitched up with a caravan that she used at horse shows and she stayed in that," the royal editor revealed a gorgeous country house on the Sandringham estate Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends if you weren’t where you were supposed to be at the correct time The King is less rigid so there’s more fluidity with timings." With another full house this year (minus Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson) it sounds like Anne might have to keep that caravan at the ready Kristin ContinoSenior Royal and Celebrity EditorKristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world SANDRINGHAM Dragons high flyer Archie Ludowyke is a spring-heeled key forward primed to explode in his top-age campaign The National Academy member missed out on the Dragons’ third consecutive premiership last year but is looking to kick some short and long-term goals to get back to the top models his game off a trio of gun goalkickers and has identified his areas for improvement heading into 2025 We sat down with the 17-year-old at the recent Coates Talent League preseason testing event where he ranked highly in the jumping events >> MORE Q&As: Jack Dalton | Harley Hicks | Thomas McGuane talk to me firstly about some of your earliest football memories AL: I played at East Sandy Zebras for juniors until we merged with the Rovers in about Under 15s Probably my best memory from juniors would be the Under 12s flag for East Sandy Just playing with all my best mates from primary school and being able to get the premiership was really good you unfortunately missed out on Sandringham’s last year I was playing quite poorly at the end of the year and I was on the cusp of selection the week of I got an injury to my coccyx bone so that was pretty hard because I knew that I had to train well on Wednesday but I just couldn’t run I ended up having to sit out of the game and watching on the sidelines was tough… watching them get the win was so good though I loved it for all the boys and just like celebrating with them was great Q: How was your recovery and lead-in to preseason otherwise AL: The next week I ended up being able to play in the Futures match which was pretty special Since then I’ve just kept on recovering and preseason’s been quite strong lately Just building back form since the end of last year Q: What kind of learnings did you take from the Futures game and being part of the National Academy and Vic Metro program AL: The Futures match is the best [players] from all around the country It was really great to play with them and just see the talent that I wasn’t really exposed to from around Australia It’s was a bit unfortunate I had to sit out the Metro camp because I got another knee to my coccyx But still just being there with all the boys having good connections with them from the 16s and 17s year it was really good building on those connections even more Q: How would you describe your strengths as a player AL: My main strength’s probably marking Just the aerial contesting and also athleticism the jumping and agility for a taller player Last year I kind of struggled with that a bit but with a big preseason I’ve been improving that a lot It’s always been a bit of a [strength] of mine but I want to make that quite good in my game Q: Will you still be nailing down that key forward role or mix it up a bit AL: Key forward’s probably my main position this year For school I might go down back a little as an extra man But basically key forward and maybe a chop-out of ruck every now and again I’m not a player that turns it on every match I’ll watch the key matches and the key players that I really model my game off to watch how they move Then also just the stars like Nick Daicos and players like that >> MORE: Which AFL clubs do this year’s CTL prospects support? Q: Which club do you support and which players to you model your game on AL: I go for St Kilda and the three players I model my game on are Jeremy Cameron Q: What do you take from them in particular For Cameron it’s the running up and back down the field Then Cadman’s just a very similar player to me but has a great jump and great running as a key forward Q: Do you have any teammates you think we should look out for to have a big year >> MORE: Which CTL players are set for a breakout year? AL: I guess the main goal is to be drafted but a couple of shorter-term goals would be to kick a few goals in the National Academy games A no-fly zone order has been put in place over King Charles’ Sandringham Estate after drones were reportedly spotted last month during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit The Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers discussed this with Sky News host Caroline Di Russo nobody flying any light aircraft over the palaces as a security issue and you can imagine why that has been put in place,” he said HAVING burst onto the scene as Vic Metro’s captain and MVP in the title-winning Under 16 side of 2023, Jack Dalton is perhaps flying under the radar heading into his top-age campaign A syndesmosis injury at the start of last year couldn’t stop him from helping Sandringham take out a third straight flag and now the midfielder is going from strength-to-strength following a “really positive preseason” Dalton has had plenty of mentors to lean on along the way Paul Briglia played alongside the great Bob Skilton at South Melbourne from 1959-61 while a growing number of teammates have already realised the dream of being drafted to AFL level We sat down for a chat with Dalton during the Coates Talent League preseason testing where he equalled the all-time Yo-Yo Test record (22.4) what are some of your memories from starting out in football JD: I started playing in Under 8s at East Melbourne Knights Junior Football Club I played all my juniors from Under 8s to Under 15s there Had heaps of fun with my good group of mates always had a close friends group that played there from primary school all the way up to senior school That was good fun and we had some good memories no flags or anything but some pretty solid wins in the finals and whatnot I obviously had the navicular stress fracture injury last year but been all good this year so far and tracking along well Q: You ended up coming back to win the Coates Talent League flag last year how has that experience set you up for your top-age campaign JD: It was an amazing experience playing in that flag Learning off some of the best; Levi Ashcroft Just learning the professionalism of how they go about it has really put me in good stead for this preseason and the upcoming season Q: Do you keep in touch with some of those draftees and former teammates ‘Murph’… they’re always all ears so I can always reach out to them JD: Strengths-wise I’m very clean at ground level with my hands My work rate and running ability are definitely my strengths Just being able to bite off some kicks and open up the game Q: Are there any things you’re looking to improve on My first three steps out of the contest is the main one for me I’m looking to get back inside and probably stay predominantly inside JD: Sydney Swans… my grandfather [Paul Briglia] played 16 games for South Melbourne in about 1960 Q: Are there any players you look up to and try and mould your game on He’s the same size as me so I look at him with how he goes about it Also Errol Gulden with his work rate and his kicking.  Q: Which teammates do you think we should look out for to have a big season JD: I want to say Ollie Griffin… he’s been killing it in the intraclubs We’ve probably played  three intraclubs and he’s kicked about 10 goals a bottom-ager – he’s gone pretty solidly… Oh Q: What kind of goals have you set up for the year JD: Just to play all the National Champs games and to play consistent footy throughout the whole year Then hopefully we can bring a flag home to Sandringham again