PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Josh having a great time in Geelong.

THE ROUND BALL vs BREAKWATER EAGLES PHOTOSTORY

Anthony Pham looks on as The Eagles prepare to start the second half

Matt Pilven goes in for the tackle

Round Ball players head back to kick off after Kourmouzis adds to the score sheet

THE ROUND BALL vs NORTH GEELONG PHOTOSTORY

Alex Bissell leading The Round Ball

Ante Skoko addresses North Geelong Warriors


The Round Ball and North Geelong under 18s

THE ROUND BALL SHINES

The Round Ball senior squad

The Round Ball under 17 squad

Mount Gambier's Community Football Project The Round Ball concluded its summer training program with a stunning result in their final hit out for the summer against the under 17 Geelong Champions The Breakwater Eagles at Whitehorse Park, Geelong on Sunday. The emphatic result has set tongues wagging in Geelong with talk that the Mount Gambier outfit was so exceptional it could be competitive in the metropolitan Melbourne under 18 competition.

CEO of the Round Ball, Scott Dickson was impressed with the result however he was not surprised by their performance. "This is an exceptional squad, and without a doubt one of the strongest I have worked with" said Dickson. "This group of players is exceptional and the great thing about them is they still have so much to learn." Dickson added.

"It was a great win on Sunday morning but I was more impressed with our 2 1 loss at the hands of North Geelong Warriors under 18 squad on Saturday."

The Round Ball led for the majority of the game against a very strong North Geelong outfit after taking the lead through a Alex Bissell header from a corner take by Alex Sims. the game played over three, thirty minute thirds saw The Round Ball hold their own against one of the strongest teams in the Melbourne competition and take the lead at the 35 minute mark when Bissell nodded home from just outside the six yard box. the Round Ball went close to extending their lead minutes later when Mark Judd's free kick from 30 yards out grazed the roof of the net. With ten minutes to go The Round Ball conceded a goal from a corner and minutes later fell behind when Matthew Pilven conceded a penalty with a rash challenge just inside the box.

In the final minutes both Tom Lloyd and Tom Weedon both had chances however it was not to be. "The boys were fantastic and deserved at least a draw." Dickson added. North Geelong Warriors under 18 coach Ante Didiluca was full of praise for The Round Ball and how far they have progressed in such a short time, "They really shocked us, I expected scott's boys to be good but never that good, they were exceptional. I havn't worked with The Round Ball for over 12 months and i cannot believe what scott has done with them. The last time I saw them they were okay and as a result of that game we signed Callum Ferguson, Tom Weedon was only 12 and Bissell was just developing. Now they know how to play the game, they pass and move, hold and press and dictate the tempo like metropolitan teams which is a huge testament to Scott's ability as a coach." Didiluca added.

"I was very pleased with the boys, North Geelong were physical and know how to play the game. They are well drilled and have great coaches that we can learn from, for me though the most important thing about this result as it is the first time that we have really been competitive with a strong metropolitan side of the same age cohort. For years when we have played the same age group we have not been able to compete, in fact several years ago I can remember teams playing against local sides and over age players being required, this squad has shown we can compete at the highest level."

The result on Sunday goes even further to stress Dickson's point. "On Sunday we played the current Geelong Champions and led 2 nil at half time. We gave 13 year old Jake Blackwell and 12 year old Sam Shoemark the opportunity to have a run in our under 16's and they showed they were more than capable of playing at that level. Jake scored a cracker in the first half from outside the 18 yard box and Sam scored two in second half. The score is not important", Dickson added, "we pushed the ball around very well and tore them apart in the second half. Alex Sim's was outstanding as was Dylan Murray and Cody Chapman from Portland and Josh Kourmouzis was an absolute rock at the back"

The Round Ball will now break for the winter and the players involved in the project will return to their local clubs. "i am looking forward to seeing the mark they make on the competition, it has been along summer which has included triumphs at the South West Games and a recent win over Gambier Centrals senior squad. I am very excited about next summer and can't wait to see what this squad can achieve in the future." Dickson concluded.

SQUAD UPDATE

We can confirm that both Matt Weistra and Norton Fuller will not take part in the under 18 game tomorrow. Cody Chapman and Mark Judd have been added to the line up.

The under 16 squad will be without Will Circelli and Blair Ferguson, however Jake Blackwell and Sam Shoemark have been called up.

SKOKO TO MEET THE SQUAD

It has been confirmed today that both Ante and Josip Skoko will spend time with the under 18 squad on Saturday during their visit to North Geelong.

THE ROUND BALL IN THE MEDIA

Fantastic article in The Border Watch today on The Round Ball's up and coming trip to Geelong this weekend.

UNDER 16 SQUAD NAMED FOR BREAKERS CLASH

Alex Sims

Jay Jay Breuker

Luke Pitson

Josh Kourmouzis

Jake Blackwell

Sam Shoemark

Dylan Murray

Monique Ianella

Anthony Pham

Max Donaldson

Tom Weedon

Cody Chapman

Matt Pilven

SENIOR SQUAD NAMED

The senior squad has been named for Saturdays clash against the North Geelong Warriors.

Alex Bissell
Cameron Saint
Matt Pilven
Josh Kourmouzis
Luke Pitson
Mafta Bope

Alex Sims
Max Donaldson
Mark Judd
Dylan Murray
Tom Lloyd
Anthony Pham
Jay Jay Breuker
Cody Chapman
Luke Harris

Tom Weedon

Callum Ferguson

ROUND BALL MEDIA RELEASE

Mount Gambier's Community Football Development Program, the Round Ball will take on one of the highest regarded clubs for junior development in the nation when they head to Geelong this weekend. The Round Ball will lock horns with North Geelong Warriors and will take on their under 18 squad in a testing encounter.

CEO of The Round Ball program, Scott Dickson is very excited about the trip to Geelong and the opportunity that it will provide for his squad. "Our side has been training hard all summer and is keen to be challenged. we have some very talented juniors in our program and we are looking forward to taking on the Warriors". North Geelong will take part in the newly formed Metropolitan Melbourne Under 18 competition and will be a difficult challenge for the local outfit. "We are very realistic when it comes to this fixture. North Geelong are a very strong club and have developed some of the finest players to have played the game in Australia. Four Socceroos have come from the club and it was the only Australian club to have players from the club in the squad for two National teams at the 1996 Fifa World Cup. We all know that Josip Skoko developed as a player in North Geelong and in recent years both Cameron Hart and Callum Ferguson have both left the WBSA to join North." This will be the second time that The Round Ball has travelled to Geelong to take on The Warriors and the third time that they have visited Geelong."Last time we visited North Geelong we took on an under 17 side and we got over the top of them, this time we have a much younger side and it will be harder, however, this side has played together for quite a while now and I am quietly confident that they will do well. Vinko Buljubasic will coach the Warriors on the weekend and he played for Perth Glory and was a Socceroo and if we are fortunate Josip is keen to catch up with the boys"

On Sunday The Round Ball will field a younger under 16 side to take on the Breakwater Eagles, last seasons under 15 Geelong Champions. " We hosted the Eagles a fortnight ago and did very well. We beat them both times in Mount Gambier, but at home they will be a different prospect. They are keen to have another go at our side and we look forward to taking them on on Sunday. We are keen to give several of our younger boys a run and Jake Blackwell and Sam Shoemark will feature in our under 16 side"

The Round Ball has named Alex Bissell as captain of the under 18 side and Alex Sims to captain the under 16's.

BREAKWATER EAGLES SAY HI

The Breakwater Eagles squad has said hi prior to Sundays return leg in Geelong. The Round Ball was too strong at home a fortnight ago and the Eagles are keen to take a scalp this weekend.

TOM LLOYD SET FOR NEW CHALLENGE

Round Ball Star Tom Lloyd will be under the microscope this weekend when he lines up The Round Ball against North Geelong. Lloyd is set to play for Surf Coast under18s against North and this game will provide Lloyd with an opportunity to see the competition first hand.

BREAKWATER EAGLES SQUAD SET

With only a few days to go before the visit to Geelong the under 16 squad to take on Breakwater Eagles will be announced tomorrow with Alex Sims set to captain the squad and Josh Kourmouzis named as vice captain.

TRB SUNDAY SQUAD

The Round Ball has named its squad for the Sunday fixture against the Breakwater Eagles with youth high on the agenda.

BREUKER

FERGUSON- KOURMOUZIS - CIRCELLI

PITSON - SIMS - MARCH - DONALDSON - HARRIS

WEEDON - PHAM

*KOURMOUZIS - SPEHR - ADAMS - OBERER

ROUND BALL JUNIORS PUT THROUGH THEIR PACES

16 under 14 players from The Round Ball attended the training session this morning with coaches from the Breakwater Eagles. 4 coaches worked with the squad including a specialist keeper coach who worked with Round Ball keeper Matt Sykes.

EXCLUSIVE COACHING SESSIONS

Coaches from the Breakwater Eagles and The Round Ball will be on hand this morning to put juniors through their paces at Grant High School. The sessions begin at 10am.

BISSELL SET TO LEAD THE SQUAD

Alex Bissell will captain The Round Ball 17 and under squad against the Breakwater Eagles tomorrow. The Round Ball will field a strong side however they will be without Mark Judd and Cody Chapman due to injury.

BREUKER/PHAM

KOURMOUZIS - O'CONNOR - PITSON

PILVEN - MURRAY - BISSELL - MORONY - MARCH

SIMS - LLOYD

* HARRIS - MICHEAL - WEEDON - CIRCELLI - DONALDSON *

BREAKWATER EAGLES ARE COMING!

We are delighted to announce that the under 16 2010 Champions the Breakwater Eagles will be visiting Mount Gmabier next weekend as guests of The Round Ball and will play two matches at The Den, the home of Gambier Centrals. We thank them for their support.

CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED TUESDAY

The Round Ball will name representative captains on Tuesday after training for both TRB u18 White and TRB u17 Red Squads.

UP AND COMING TRB CLUB FIXTURES

The Round Ball will be competing in several friendly fixtures against high quality oppostion over the next few weeks. North Geelong Warriors, Breakwater Eagles, Gambier Centrals and the Warrnambool Wolves will take on our sides. We will form several u17 squads and one u14 squad to take the field.

u18 trb white vs north geelong warriors

u17 trb red vs breakwater eagles

u18 trb red vs gambier centrals

u16 trb white vs warrnambool wolves mash-up

u14 trb red vs warrnambool wolves mash-up

Stay tuned for more details