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- 28 February 2001
Wollongong Wolves Soccer Team
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Page: 12087
Mr CAMPBELL (Keira) [5.51 p.m.]: This evening I to speak on a very positive issue and extend my congratulations to the Wollongong Wolves soccer team, the reigning National Soccer League champions and newly crowned Oceania champions. In January the Wollongong Wolves travelled to Port Moresby to participate in the Oceania qualifiers for the chance to represent the Oceania region in the World Club Championship in Spain in July and August this year. Although the conditions were not ideal, they were the same for all teams competing in the World Club Championship qualifiers. The Wollongong Wolves coaching staff and players realised that the conditions could not be changed and that they would have to overcome the conditions to be successful. In the end they had a hard fought 1-0 victory over Tafea, the team from Vanuatu, in the final.
I want to make special mention of coach Ron Corry and assistant coach Stuart Beedie. These two men physically prepared the players for the tournament and kept them focused on the task at hand. Ron and Stuart are great tacticians and both recognised that variable and questionable refereeing standards and playing conditions could play a major role in the outcome of the tournament. Ron and Stuart prepared the players mentally for these challenges. In return for this careful planning and professionalism the players came through with the on-field results.
Each player has his own story to tell, but perhaps the story of Sasho Petrovski becoming an instant hero with seven goals in the first half of Wollongong's first game in Port Moresby is one that should be mentioned. The Port Moresby locals worshipped Sasho from that moment. The story of Jay Lucas is another that is remarkable. Jay turned 16 while in Port Moresby, and recently completed his school certificate. He has also signed a lucrative contract with Southhampton to play in the English Premier League. Some very good judges have huge wraps on this young man. Jay is, of course, a product of the local soccer system, having started his playing career with the Corrimal Rangers Junior Soccer Club, a club that I once played for as a junior—very poorly I might say.
Other local players to perform well at the tournament were Scott Chipperfield and Matt Horsely. Both played all their junior soccer in Wollongong and both have gone on to represent Australia. Scott Chipperfield scored the winning goal in the final that sent the Wollongong Wolves to Spain. Matt Horsley has been an inspiration for the Wolves for more than 10 years and he thoroughly deserves the success he is presently revelling in.
Players such as Paul Reid and David Huxley who work very hard for the team often do not get the recognition and praise they deserve. The role of these players within the team is to protect the defence and move forward to join attacking movements. These two players in particular deserve an enormous amount of credit for their hard work and dedication to the team. The Wollongong Wolves defence deserves a great deal of credit also. In the seven games played, the Wolves conceded only two goals. That is an amazing performance considering the playing conditions, and the skills and speed of some of the opposition.
In particular George Souris—not our George Souris, but Wollongong's George Souris—is noted for his outstanding play and legendary sense of humour. George is a real team player and is always willing to give just that little extra effort to ensure success. The players were confined to the hotel when not playing. George Souris is the team clown and a practical joker. He kept people well entertained. George also started his own barber shop and shaved off the hair of a number of players. George was joined in defence by Alvin Ceccoli, Ben Blake, Paul O'Grady and David Cervinski. Together those players proved to be a miserly defence that gave nothing away to the opposition.
On the rare occasions that the defence did make a mistake, they could be confident in the skills of the goalkeepers, Grant Barlow and Daniel Beltrame. These two men were rotated during the tournament with Daniel Beltrame making what has been touted as a five million dollar save by Illawarra Mercury soccer writer Phil Murphy. Goalkeeping is a skill based very much on confidence and with the strong showing of those two young goalkeepers in Port Moresby their confidence is sure to be sky high.
The Wollongong Wolves camp was very much aware of the problems players could encounter in the humid conditions playing in Port Moresby. One player in particular, Stuart Young, had severe problems with dehydration and heat stress, but the management of the team ensured that those problems were overcome. With a full squad of 22 players at his disposal coach Ron Corry employed a policy of rotating his players. The major reason was to give players a break and a rest period, and also to expose some of the younger and less experienced players in his squad to the standard of football being played in this tournament.
Players such as Beren Sullivan, Stephen Dimitrievski, Andrew Smith, Daniel Aldridge, George Nohra and Scott Whalan were all given the opportunity to tour and gain first-hand experience of exactly what is needed to become a regular first team player in the National Soccer League. Dino Menillo and Robbie Stanton also made significant contributions to the win. Once again I take the opportunity to congratulate the Wolves on their recent success and wish them well in the World Club Championship in Spain in August.
Ms NORI (Port Jackson—Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Tourism) [5.56 p.m.]: It would be difficult for anyone not to have noticed the pride with which the local member spoke about this team. We should congratulate him for the enthusiasm he has displayed, and not only as a former junior. I do not believe he told the House that he is a former member of the board of directors of the club. Obviously, he has supported the club and shown a great deal of interest in it. I join with him in congratulating the Wollongong Wolves, the coach, the assistant coach and the players. Honourable members may not have thought about it but there is a bit of a tourism angle here. It is terrific to know that a team from Wollongong will play in Spain. They will highlight and profile that wonderful part of New South Wales known as "The Gong" and, hopefully, a few more people will visit as a result of their success, not only as players but also as ambassadors.
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