TA: There is another side to the Russell story. Rusty is leaving Warrnambool this week and heading to Western Australia with wife Debbie. They will head off in the motor home and going on reports they might call Western Australia home. Back to the Hampden league, it'll be interesting to see if there's a Guru doing a column in the Hampden league record next year.

AT: As most of us know Charlie Farley was the Guru and he was revealed as such on a radio footy show Hampden league grand final morning by Matty Monk and Matty Stewart. Monkey did a bit of a song about the Guru and Charlie took exception. That led to the radio running apologies and there was an apology in this paper last Saturday. I hear that Charlie may continue with his legal proceeding.

TA: Looks like it is going to be pretty fierce on the local cricket fields this year going on the comments of Warrnambool and District Cricket Association head honcho Keith Ellerton this week. The bottom two sides at the end of the season in division one will be relegated. Some of the clubs are all pretty nervous about what's going to happen. Do you agree with the theory to drop two sides out of division one for next year?

AT: I'm backing the association. There's no doubt something has to be done to strengthen local cricket. I noticed a couple of comments from cricket columnist Shane Fowles after the Ellerton story appeared. Seems that Fowles might think the standard of cricketers is just as good as it has been in the past. I'm not so sure.

TA: Things are pretty ordinary for lots of people including your's truly with the stock market crash. How has the Thomson household handled the crash ?

AT: Christmas is off and The Bride has been in full swing organising daughter Rebecca's wedding. You wouldn't be able to lend me a couple of bucks because I'm a little short?

TA: I've got a simple answer to the financial worries of the world.

AT: This'll be good. If my memory is right you failed form two at school and was asked to leave in form three. What's your answer anyway?

TA: Just print more money. There's nothing stopping them from starting up the printing machines again and printing another few million notes.

AT: Super night at the dogs with the opening of the new $2 million track Wednesday. It was like another May Races cup night with about 1000 people on trackside. General manager Matty Ansell told me they did 280 meals, on course TAB turnover was $40,000 and off-course about $40,000 up on a normal meeting.

TA: Well give up an opinion on the new circuit.

AT: It's cleaner faster racing. The one thing that did cause a lot of comment was the new camera angles head-on out of the boxes and head-on down the home straight. From a punting point of view you can clearly see what each does out of the boxes.

TA: What difference would that make?

AT: When some dogs exit the starting boxes they angle one way or the other. That makes a huge difference to what greyhound receives interference in the first few metres. After seeing the cameras in action I have no doubt the Melbourne city tracks will have cameras in the very near future. Ansell said there is another camera being installed this week which will give a view from above the 450m boxes. The general manager and the committee have to be congratulated of their initiative that provide an enormous amount of information to punters. Ansell said it was hoped that Sky Channel will show some of the angles and the camera down the home straight will be zoomed in a bit after the first night.

TA: What else is happening?

AT: The whisper is there could be some changes at the Warrnambool footy club and not just a change of coach after Dustin McCorkell stood down.

TA: I hear the activities after the grand final got a bit willing and the Chirnside twins and Leigh Niklaus could have got in a bit of bother. Simon Perry and Parkinson's names have been linked to Nirranda with expected new coach Mark Inia. Young Fitzy has taken over from Phil Parkinson as the club's secretary/administrator. Adam Dowie is a certainty to get the Warrnambool coaching job.

AT: The other talk is that former super Blues backman Kurt Niklaus could be returning to the Hampden league but in a shock move the whispers have him joining Koroit. I also hear that Bushrat Bushell could be putting up his hand to take over as president at the Saints.

TA: What about the district league?

AT: Allansford is still looking for a coach with Brad Yewers overseas and now seen as unlikely to do the top job. East Warrnambool coach Joey Chatfield wants some recruits while the coaching positions at Merrivale and Kolora-Noorat are still up in the air. Timboon Demons have apparently narrowed down the field to just a couple of candidates. Until next week, hooroo.