Last Top Stories: Geelong's bold plan: Beckham-style academy, new stadium

• Geelong's bold plan: Beckham-style academy, new stadium

  

  Ambitious Geelong mayor Darryn Lyons wants to turn his city into "the regional capital of soccer for Australia" but reckons he needs help to build a new 15,000 stadium.Lyons labelled football "a boom sport" in Geelong but he concedes Victoria's second-largest city do not have the facilities to meet demand, especially if they are ever to become a target for A-League expansion.A new boutique rectangular stadium could be the flagship for football in Geelong but Lyons has warned he cannot make it ha..

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• Geelong's Billie Smedts suffers yet another serious injury

  

  Geelong's Billie Smedts will be unable to play until round six at the earliest.Photo: Sebastian CostanzoGeelong utility Billie Smedts has suffered a serious shoulder injury and will be unable to play until round six at the earliest.The Cats released a statement on Wednesday saying the 23-year-old had dislocated his left shoulder at training on Monday and scans later showed the damage was bad enough to require surgery.General manager of football Steve Hocking said Smedts was likely to be availabl..

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• Our public schools all miss target

  

  Geelong College had the region’s best overall VCE result for 2015.ALL  of Geelong’s government secondary schools recorded VCE results below the state ­median in 2015.The median VCE study score for Victorian schools was 30 out of 50.Geelong Advertiseranalysis shows none of the ­region’s 11 public schools scored above 30 last year.But almost all of Geelong’s independent schools achieved median scores of 30 or higher.SCROLL DOWN TO SEE HOW YOUR SCHOOL PERFORMEDDeakin University’s Jillian Blackmore ..

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• Geelong Star back in Bermi waters?

  

  Recreational fisherman spot what they believe is the controversial super trawler back in Bermagui waters after its fishing ban expires.Back for more?: The super-trawler Geelong Star. Photo supplied by Small Pelagic Fishery Industry AssociationRecreational game fishermen off Bermagui on Wednesday sighted a large fishing vessel they believe was the controversial super-trawler Geelong Star.The vessel had been banned from Far South Coast waters for six months after dolphins were killed in its nets o..

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• Woman who bashed ex had history of violence

  

  AN Ocean Grove woman, who bashed her former partner following a drunken argument, had a history of violence, a court has heard.Gail Tarrant, 26, of Sunset Strip, pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to a charge of recklessly causing injury.Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Ian Kerin said that on September 9, 2015, Tarrant and the female victim drove to Swan Hill to visit a relative..He said the pair started drinking about 7.30pm and an argument developed and they be..

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• Accused thief threatened cancer patient

  

  A  GEELONG man allegedly threatened a leukaemia ­patient with a tyre lever after the victim asked if he owned the car he was trying to get into, a court has heard.Troy Fox, 41, of no fixed ­address, appeared in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with offences including armed robbery, theft from a car and assault with a ­weapon.Senior Constable Simon Keogh told a bail hearing that about 5.20pm on Tuesday Mr Fox was seen looking into parked cars in Bellerine St near the hospital.“He appr..

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• Got a spare couple of million?

  

  Who wouldn’t want a glass lift in their multi-million dollar beach house?DOES your dream house consist of ocean views, a swimming pool and luxurious features?Well there are plenty of these multi-million dollar properties available.Beach houses have come a long way since the days of small beach shacks with the bare necessities.Now they are multistorey, architect designed and full of luxury.From swimming pools, to large balconies with ocean views and state-of-the-art technology, these houses have ..

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• Historic grandstand burns in late night blaze

  

  The Flowers Family grand stand and time keepers box was on fire on Wednesday night. Picture: Erin Pearson.A HISTORIC grandstand and timekeepers’ box at the Western Oval has been damaged by fire, with detectives probing the cause.Firefighters were called to the ground after multiple emergency calls reporting fire shortly before 10.30pm on Wednesday.Corio firefighter Nick Callan said crews spent a number of hours of scene extinguishing and securing the area with the timekeepers’ box, change room c..

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• The Optus guy hailed as a 'legend'

  

  OPTUS receives complaints from customers on social media daily. But it’s the way their Facebook guy replies that’s got people talking.The man known as Dan, who lives in Melbourne, regularly replies to customers on the Optus Facebook page.His polite manner has been impressing the page’s 272,000 followers as he addresses customers’ grievances with the Australian telco.Dan’s informative reply to Virgil Tracey on Facebook.Dan replies to Roshan’s comment about the Arabic signs.Dan’s reply which is no..

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• Release the hounds… from the car

  

  Gasper tried to keep cool inside a car. The pooch is available for adoption at GAWS. Picture: Nathan DyerANIMAL lovers are being warned not to leave precious pets in cars, with the barometer set to rise this weekend.The weather bureau expects Geelong to hit 30C but in cars temperatures can easily more than double or triple.Geelong Animal Welfare Society chief executive Adrian Buckley pleaded with owners to be careful.“It’s similar to children in cars — never do it,” Mr Buckley said.Mr Buckley sa..

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