Finals Round 3 - SportingPulse

DEE TRADES KILOS FOR GOALSBy Daniel CencicPatience, persistence, and morepatience.Those three ingredients wereessential to the development ofGeelong’s Tom Hawkins, whosinglehandedly took the 2011 AFLGrand Final by the scruff of theneck to lead the Cats to a third flagin five years.In essence, Montrose’s Billy Schilling is the EFL equivalent.Add the three ingredients together and the results besttypify Schilling’s 2012 season.Much like Hawkins, Schilling had been a much celebratedkid amongst the junior ranks, booting over 100 goals atUnder 19’s level in 2010.Last season was yet another stepping-stone in the youngDemon’s journey, when he placed seventh on the goalkicking table with 47 majors to his name.Parallel to Hawkins, the expectation had loomed large,and the moment beckoned for his arrival.Enter season 2012, and cometh the man, cometh the hour.It has been this season, and the Division 2 ‘Choose Tap’finals series, where Billy has announced himself ‘TomHawkins-style’.Schilling has booted 71 goals to date, currently sittingsecond behind Mooroolbark’s Kire Talevski.With the Mustangs eliminated, a bag of goals thisweekend will ensure that Schilling finishes the year atopof the goalkicking table.Rising to the occasion against a much-fancied Rowvillein the second semi-final two weeks ago, Schilling provedthe difference.He booted four goals in the Demons’ 24-point win to booktheir place in the 2012 ‘Choose Tap’ Grand Final.Playing-coach Brett Johnson praised the youngspearhead’s performance, but recognises the time andeffort afforded to develop the forward.‘I thought Billy was really good against Rowville,’ he said.‘We’ve been working with him to improve his game incertain areas.He’s starting to improve in his strength inmarking contests.He’s very good on the lead and got agreat set of hands.’The pre-season of 2011-2012 seemed the turning-point inSchilling’s rise up the senior EFL ranks.The EFL Media Team’s very own Dyson Baker declaredon EFL TV earlier in the season that he had ‘lost 20 kilos,gained 20 goals.’Johnson has seen the transformation first-hand.‘Billy’s lost a lot of weight. He’s a different player to whathe was last year,’ Johnson said. ‘He arrived first day ofpre-season training 10 kilos lighter and continued to loseweight over the course of the pre-season and ever since.’And it has been a transformation which has kept theopposition guessing.‘He’s got a lot more tricks up his sleeve now,’ Johnson said.And if Schilling can emulate his form of two weeks agoagainst formidable Grand Final opponent Rowville thisweekend, the resemblance between the two respectivestars will border on the uncanny.‘He can move around a lot, he’s a lot fitter,’ Johnson said.‘I thought he did that really well against Rowville,moving all over the ground and making the most of hisopportunities that he had.‘It was a real polished performance, in terms of the setshots he nailed and the marking opportunities he took.‘He made sure he took them.’Much like the 2011 Tom Hawkins on that last Saturdayin September, Billy Schilling will be looking to take theopposition by storm this Saturday afternoon as he looks toguide his Demons to premiership glory.SURREY PARK FOOTBALL CLUB INC.PLAYERSWANTEDAREYOUAKEYPOSITIONPERSON?SurreyParkFChashadsomeextremelyleanyearsoverrecenttimes.Wehavealarge&successfulJuniorClubandinthenearfuture want to provide a family orientated, successful Club in a higher Division of the EFL.We are looking forkey positionplayerstoaddtoouryoungandenthusiasticplayinggroup.Ifyouhavewhatittakesandwanttobeacatalystforourclub’sfuturesuccess–wewantyouin2013!Ifyouwanttocontributeto: aclubwithagoodplayer&familyculture thedevelopmentofleadershipwithayounggroupofplayerssuccessontheplayingfieldforourseniorteamsWeneedYOUin2013!RemunerationNegotiable&ConfidentialIfyourequirefurtherinformationpleasecallRodonM:0418151446orAndrewonM:04020128865 THE EASTERN FOOTBALLER 2012