ALBANVALE'S SUPER SEVEN
BY: KIRSTIE FITZGERALD
One of the great things about our game is the way club environments can nuture young players in our junior ranks, teaching them not only the skills of football but important life skills along the way.
The success of this nurturing process can often be seen in the progression of junior players through to senior football at their club. This development of players not only creates the essence of team bonding but the culture of the club as a whole, giving it the strength to enjoy the good times and survive the various challenges that present themselves over the years.
The true value of this bonding or club loyalty can never be undersold, and according to Albanvale senior co-coach Adam Borg, it comes by the barrel full at Cobraland with seven of its current senior players having played over a combined 2,100 club games.
“This year we have seven players still playing in our seniors team have chalked up 300 games or more, which is an outstanding effort considering the majority of them are still under the age of 30.”
Coming up through the club’s junior programs, John Sirianni, Dean Formosa, Michael Spatolisano, Jamie Sirianni, Jarryd Formosa, Michael Bassi and David Azzopardi have known only the blue and white stripes when it comes to football.
“All seven of them bring a lot of experience, leadership and club loyalty to the side each week and the club can’t speak highly enough of them,” Borg said.
The most recent member to join the 300 club is David Azzopardi, who chalked up his milestone game last Saturday with a win over Sanctuary Lakes at Featherbrook Reserve.
“It’s definitely an honour to play 300 games for the club you love, and it’s especially nice to reach this milestone and join the other boys, most of whom I’ve been playing with since I was a junior,” Azzopardi said.
“Most of us have been playing together since we were eight years old and we just enjoy playing footy together each week.”
While it’s clear the bond between the seven men is a close one, it’s none more so the case for brothers Jamie and John Sirianni and Dean and Jarryd Formosa.
Kicking a combined 400 career goals, the Sirianni brothers have been playing for the Cobras for close to two decades, achieving a number of individual accolades including the 2012 Senior Best and Fairest medal (John) and an Under 18 premiership (Jamie).
The talent from the Formosa duo is also a formidable act with 673 matches between the pair with Dean the team’s vice captain.
Making up the rest of the seven are the two Michael’s in Bassi and Spatolisano, who have earned a number of credentials over their careers, including winning the leading goal kicking award (Bassi) and WRFL senior team of the year member as well as the role of captain for the last four years (Spatolisano).
Despite achieving so much in their careers to date, the seven are yet to win that elusive senior premiership and are doing everything they can to do so this year.
“All of the boys have been part of the club’s high and low times but all love the club and really want to be part of a senior premiership,” Borg said.
“The competition is really fierce this year with the third division coming into place after round 13 and we are working really hard to stay in division two.”
In round 10, the Cobras will look to secure their second win in a row this week when they face North Sunshine at Dempster Park.
Last Modified on 18/06/2014 11:04