Martin Flanagan's story in today's Age evokes some great memories of when Melbourne was the alignment partner of the Sandringham Zebras and that team had a very successful run of premierships. It was a lot easier for me personally to head down to the venue rather than to faraway Casey and I miss some of the great characters who used to frequent the place (and posted on Demonland) like jczebra and the Pig.

The Scorpions are due to play there soon and if the roaring wind isn't blowing cold off the bay I might even turn up to see them.

Footy's just Dandy at Sandy

Those were good times to watch when Sandy were winning all those premierships.

They had some gun players like Chad Liddel, Ezra Poyas, Nick Sautner, David Gallagher, Sean O'Keeffe (who is now a teamate and a good friend of mine), Peter Summers as well was a good midfielder.

We also picked up Danny Hughes, Mathew Warnock and Shane Valenti through the Zebras too so you would say our alignment worked well between the two.

Guy Rigoni and Chris Lamb played a big part in the premiership years after they left the Dees as well.

I would always attend big games there in the Golden Era of the VFA . Sandy versus Port or Dandy were always blockbusters and entertaining . I particularly remember such a large crowd on the beach wing that the crush caused a large section of fence to fall flat to the ground . Lord knows how many footballs over the years had to be replaced having been kicked into the tea-tree scrub to the delight of lurking urchins .

Those were good times to watch when Sandy were winning all those premierships.

They had some gun players like Chad Liddel, Ezra Poyas, Nick Sautner, David Gallagher, Sean O'Keefe (who is now a teamate and a good friend of mine), Peter Summers as well was a good midfielder.

We also picked up Danny Hughes, Mathew Warnock and Shane Valenti through the Zebras too so you would say our alignment worked well between the two.

Guy Rigoni and Chris Lamb played a big part in the premiership years after they left the Dees as well.

You can see why Sandy was so successful in those days. Their VFL affiliated players were strong types and could really play good footy and they had solid support from the MFC contingent. The alignment lasted from 2000 to 2008 and in those nine years, produced four premierships.

Here are the winning grand final teams during the period of the alignment:-

Sandringham Football Club - VFL Premiers 2000

Crowd: 8,652 @ Waverley Park

B: M Grant A Coghlan H Tregear

HB: T Broadbridge R Hayward C Liddell

C: A Gehling D Macgeorge © R Maloney

HF: S Pitt C Templeton M Febey

F: B Beams N Saunter M Haynes

FOLL: J Shanahan S Godfrey C McKellar

I/C: S Chisholm D Lynch B Oakley L Williams

COACH: G Yeats

Sandringham 4.6.30 8.10.58 11.14.80 15.18.108

North Ballarat 0.5.5 3.5.23 5.8.38 11.11.77

Goals Saunter 6 Beams Pitt Templeton 2 S Febey Haynes Williams

Best Liddell Pitt Maloney S Febey Haynes Macgeorge

Norm Goss Medal: R Maloney

Sandringham Football Club - VFL Premiers 2004

Crowd: 8,196 @ Princes Park

B: D Bell R Ferguson N Carroll

HB: T Broadbridge C Lamb P Walsh

C: D Gallagher G Rigoni C Liddell ©

HF: L Williams R Crowe T Conroy

F: S Armstrong N Sautner C Sylvia

FOLL: M Jamar S O'Keeffe A Fisher

I/C: A Biddlecombe A Bishop M Gadsden M Warnock

COACH: M Williams

Sandringham 3.3.21 7.7.49 9.11.63 9.13.67

Port Melbourne 2.3.15 6.5.41 7.7.49 9.9.63

Goals Sautner 4 Williams 2 Crowe Gallagher Sylvia

Best Rigoni Sylvia Bell Crowe Sautner Fisher

Norm Goss Medal: G Rigoni

Sandringham Football Club - VFA Premiers 2005

Crowd: 9,000 @ Princes Park

B: C Johnson M Warnock A Biddlecombe

HB: D Ward C Liddell © M Gadsden

C: D Gallagher S Godfrey G Rigoni

HF: L Williams R Crowe C Heffernan

F: P Johnson N Saunter S Armstrong

FOLL: M Jamar S Motlop S O'Keeffe

I/C: M Bate P Kennedy E Poyas P Summers

COACH: M Williams

Sandringham 2.4.16 4.6.30 9.12.66 11.17.83

Werribee 3.1.19 4.6.30 5.7.37 11.8.74

Goals Armstrong Motlop Poyas 2 Gallagher Heffernan P Johnson Sautner Williams

Best Ward Poyas Warnock Biddlecombe O'Keeffe Gadsen

Norm Goss Medal: D Ward

Sandringham Football Club - VFL Premiers 2006

Crowd: 6,000 @ Princes Park

B: A Biddlecombe M Warnock A Nicholson

HB: C Bizzell R Ferguson C Liddell ©

C: D Gallagher P Read P Wheatley

HF: E Poyas R Crowe S Motlop

F: L Dunn N Sautner N Smith

FOLL: S Neaves P Summers G Rigoni

I/C: C Johnson N Jones C Lamb S Valenti

COACH: M Williams

Sandringham 4.3.27 6.4.40 11.9.75 13.13.91

Geelong VFL 2.2.14 4.4.28 6.5.41 11.7.73

Goals Sautner 3 Biddlecombe Motlop Smith 2 Dunn Gallagher Liddell Wheatley

Best Read Motlop Gallagher Wheatley Summers Nicholson

Norm Goss Medal: P Read

Three current day Melbourne players - Lynden Dunn, Nathan Jones and Mark Jamar have played in Sandringham premiership teams.

Michael Predl was my neighbour for about 10 years

Excellent bloke for a Carlton Supporter!!!

Hard to believe Nick Sautner never played AFL - a goal kicking machine.

Martin Flanagan's story in today's Age evokes some great memories of when Melbourne was the alignment partner of the Sandringham Zebras and that team had a very successful run of premierships. It was a lot easier for me personally to head down to the venue rather than to faraway Casey and I miss some of the great characters who used to frequent the place (and posted on Demonland) like jczebra and the Pig.

The Scorpions are due to play there soon and if the roaring wind isn't blowing cold off the bay I might even turn up to see them.

Footy's just Dandy at Sandy

and Beach Road Barry

Hard to believe Nick Sautner never played AFL - a goal kicking machine.

I knew his brother who could barely kick a football,which was odd also.

He ( Nick)seemed to dominate for over a decade in VFL .

Martin Flanagan's story in today's Age evokes some great memories of when Melbourne was the alignment partner of the Sandringham Zebras and that team had a very successful run of premierships. It was a lot easier for me personally to head down to the venue rather than to faraway Casey and I miss some of the great characters who used to frequent the place (and posted on Demonland) like jczebra and the Pig.

The Scorpions are due to play there soon and if the roaring wind isn't blowing cold off the bay I might even turn up to see them.

Footy's just Dandy at Sandy

Those were good times to watch when Sandy were winning all those premierships.

They had some gun players like Chad Liddel, Ezra Poyas, Nick Sautner, David Gallagher, Sean O'Keeffe (who is now a teamate and a good friend of mine), Peter Summers as well was a good midfielder.

We also picked up Danny Hughes, Mathew Warnock and Shane Valenti through the Zebras too so you would say our alignment worked well between the two.

Guy Rigoni and Chris Lamb played a big part in the premiership years after they left the Dees as well.

they were the days when we tried to Win !!!!! & not lose, before finals.

....... a day Pre rotations floods, zones, & way toooo many stats; & congested footy, where players play oorrff one another... & development, was largely up to the players themselves.

Note Troy Broadbridge there in 2004 team. Would have been his last game i guess.

Note Troy Broadbridge there in 2004 team. Would have been his last game i guess.

yes indeed WWS