The Bayside Vipers represent the areas located on the Eastern fringes of Port Phillip Bay stretching from Elwood to Frankston. Although with many of its players coming from all over Melbourne wanting to be part of Vipers Sports Club Inc. it makes for very strong teams.
2008
Vipers Men’s team will come under the guidance of the experienced & wily Stewart Dracup. Stewart will bring years of coaching experience to the team with a recent appointment in assisting the Queensland Men’s Open team in the 2008 State of Origin series fresh in his mind. Last season the boys from Bayside struggled for consistency although still managed to make the final and finish runner up.
Vipers Women’s team will follow a similar path to the Men’s with Shauna Hammond announced as head coach and having recently lead the all conquering Victorian Women’s 27′s team to the National title in March will be looking to emulate that success in the 2008 VT League.
Vipers boast an enviable playing roster in the Men’s – securing the state’s best junior talent as a shrewd means of staying under the cap, and pairing them with the likes of Australian All Nations representative, Michael Carter, and NTL representatives Clinton Burke, Stephen Young and Dallan Kahui. Keep an eye out for Viper’s “young-guns” Chris Casey, Gerhard Brown and Ash Davine. Certainly on paper, Vipers Men’s are one of the teams expected to be there come November 29th 2008.
The Viper’s Women’s side is also littered with Crusaders and Victorian Open players. Their roster, which includes Australian r All Nations representative Suzy Barrett, also boasts the likes of Brooke James (MVP W27′s – NTL’s 2008), Nicole Doig, Carmen Deane, and Melissa Ashmore – more than enough firepower to prove a force in the 2008 VT season.
Many have tipped Vipers to be the teams to beat in 2008 as they did in 2007, although this was not the case with both team finishing runners up and the club finishing second by 1pt. in the club championship.
Season in review
Vipers VT team both performed exceptionally well throughout the season with some hard fought victorious and heart breaking losses. Both teams finished within the top four teams and with all teams eligible for a finals berth it was only a matter of the path to the final which had to be decided.
The Women’s team lead by a host of State players looked for redemption in 2008 after such a heart breaking defeat in last years final in drop off. The ladies from the Bay knucled down early and looked set for another stellar year. The season did not go all their own way with some narrow defeats to old foes the Lions but the ladies stuck to it and continued to show the class form such talented players. At the end of the regular season they found themselves on top of the ladder again and another shot at a VT title. The ladies would line up agsinst last years premiers once agin in the Lions in the final. Luckily the ladies showed the skills accustomed to this team and never looked like losing the final and eventually defeat their boggie team and redeem last years loss and be crowned VT Womens Premiers 2009.
The Men’s team played some outstanding touch early in the season but with injury and other player commitments the team never really lived up to the potential of the line up. Although finals does bring out the best in most of the players as it did the previous year with a shock finals place only to be narrowly beaten. 2008 provided the same opportuntit with the team being denied a second finals birth by just 4 secs as their opponents the Western Dodgers scored a touchdown with just seconds left on the clock to advance and end the boys season.
Congratulations to Mick Carter on yet another stellar year as he collected the VT Men’s Most Valuable Player award for season 2008.
The Vipers licence is proudly supported by Heinz Australia, Harcourts Real Estate, Promolab, Cyclespeed, Underarmour, Tropical Gaze Pty Ltd. and Sandringham Sports Medicine, and the club have also set up a junior link with Haileybury College as it starts building strong junior links for the future of the club.
