By KATH GANNAWAY
DO FATTER goalposts mean players hit the post more often?
It’s a much debated question up Warby way that may well be answered when the stats are gathered at the end of Warburton-Millgrove Football Club’s 2015 season.
The club’s new $10,000 ‘skinny’ goalposts went in last week, replacing the iconic former SEC concrete posts that have served the club well over the years.
Casey MP Tony Smith came through on his $10,000 pre-election promise of new posts and was at the ground last week with Yarra Ranges Councillor Jim Child, club president Rodney Woods and football manager Rodney McKail to test out the theory that skinnier posts are harder to hit.
While the concrete electricity pylons have their supporters (Woods said there had been some discussion on the club’s facebook page decrying the loss of the famous/infamous goalposts), they didn’t comply with current league regulations and were potentially costing the club the opportunity to host finals and other major games.
Woods said the club would be looking at attracting more of the high-profile games in the future.
“I’m very thankful we’ve got the new ones, but it has created a lot of chatter about the heritage aspect … the old goal posts at Warby had become a bit iconic,” he said.
He’s sceptical however about the fat versus skinny conundrum. “There’s still the same width in between the posts and if you’re going to hit one, you’re going to hit it,” he said.
Jim Child, who played for Yarra Junction, and who may or may not have put one through the middle of the SEC towers in his day, and McKail who definitely put a few through, point out that circumference doesn’t matter in this case.
They point out that both teams are aiming for the same gaps.
Another positive according to Woods is that skinny posts equate to less bulky padding.
“It used to be an eight-man job just to put the posts out and put the covers around them, now it’s a one-man job … so no need now to go missing before the matches,” he joked.
Then there’s the question of how to celebrate the new posts when the home and away season starts with a round two match against Monbulk on 18 April.
McKail has played all his life at Warburton, so he could be a candidate!
But Woods has put in an ambit claim, saying talent rather than longevity should be the determining factor, answering McKail’s suggestion with “Yeah … but I was probably better than him.”
The banter seesaws around who won the most B&Fs, and who should have won the most B&Fs.
“I could have if I’d wanted to,” Woods shoots back.
In the end, they both have some club legends in mind for the honour, but that’s another story.
Right now, the club is focused on making further improvements, including new lights.
“There’s one reason behind these improvements and that’s to better our facilities, which we need to do to keep people coming here, playing here and enjoying the game here,” said Woods.
Keeping young players in the game is another focus and the club, in conjunction with Wesburn Junior Football Club, will run a football clinic for junior players at the Warburton ground on 15 February.
It’s open to any junior players and Woods said they were working with the senior league to get some high-profile players along on the day.
In the meantime, what is the go with fat and skinny posts? If there’s a mathematical genius out there who can settle the argument with figures as well as logic, or anyone with a view on the matter, the Mail would be interested to hear. Post on the Mail Newspaper Group facebook page, write to The Editor, Mail Newspapers, PO Box 470, Healesville, 3777, or email editor@yvnews.com.au .
