Last Top Stories: Geelong's Daniel Menzel is ready to go

• Geelong's Daniel Menzel is ready to go

  

  Geelong's Daniel Menzel.Photo: Pat ScalaAfter starring on his return to football after a four-year absence, Geelong's Daniel Menzel says his main goal in 2016 is to be available to play consistently.Menzel, who has had four knee reconstructions, finally returned late last season against Collingwood, having not played a senior match since the 2011 qualifying final.Menzel, 24, said on Wednesday he was targeting the Cats' first-round clash against Hawthorn, having put in a solid pre-season with the..

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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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• Geelong could build a stand-alone soccer stadium, chasing David ...

  

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• Former Geelong star Steve Johnson already having 'huge influence ...

  

  Steve Johnson in his new colours. Picture: Phil HillyardSTEVIE J has hit the ground running at his new club and is already having “a huge influence”, according to Giants teammate Phil Davis.Johnson, 32, was released by the Cats at the end of last season after 253 games and three premierships, but decided he wasn’t done yet and made the move to Greater Western Sydney.And it’s already paying dividends, Davis said, with Johnson wasting no time in putting his flag-winning experiences at Geelong to g..

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• Just Open: Eastern Spice, Geelong

  

  Paan kulfi flavoured with betel leaf.Photo: Gail Thomas Gail ThomasAfter migrating from India's Punjab region nine years ago with a diploma of hospitality and experience at five-star restaurants in India under her belt, Manpreet Sekhon set to work at Geelong eateries to become familiar with the local scene before recently opening a restaurant of her own, Eastern Spice."I have drawn on my Punjabi heritage and lifelong love of cooking to create a short regularly changing menu that's beyond end..

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• Besart Berisha believes Victory have turned corner, now to prove it ...

  

  Turned the corner: Besart Berisha believes there are better times ahead for Melbourne Victory.Photo: Getty ImagesOne swallow does not make a summer, but Melbourne Victory are confident an overdue win against Newcastle last Sunday, when they snapped a run of five winless games, is a harbinger of better times ahead in 2016.Certainly star striker Besart Berisha believes the corner has been turned. The Albanian forward contends that the champions can use that success to reboot their second half of t..

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• Christmas joy for retailers after bumper season

  

  Laura Dreher, Taya Murray, 8, and Sarah Jenson from Point Lonsdale show off their shopping haul in Geelong CBD. Picture: Nigel HallettGEELONG’S retailers may have experienced one of the best Christmas sales seasons in years.Huge numbers of people flooded shopping centres in the city during the festive season and retailers are hoping for record-breaking numbers when figures are released later this week.Market Square shopping centre saw a massive surge in people during December.“Boxing Day was hug..

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• Holiday hoons horrify cops

  

  MORE than 400 driving offences were detected on Geelong and Surf Coast roads over the Christmas-New Year break, including 22 drink drivers.Horrified police have condemned the numbers and have vowed to continue their summer crackdown to ensure motorists arrive at their destinations safely, after the results of Operation Roadwise produced almost 20 law-breakers a day.Across Greater Geelong police nabbed four drug drivers, 20 without licences, 128 speeders and 38 motorists behind the wheel of unreg..

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• Tug boat strike to shut eastern ports

  

  Tug boat crews are set to strike in eastern seaboard ports.Photo: SuppliedTug boat crews in eastern Australia plan strikes next Tuesday and Wednesday for 12 hours, halting all coal carriers, fuel carriers and bulk container vessels into the ports of Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Botany, Melbourne and Geelong.The strike action will effectively shut down Australia's eastern ports for 12 hours from next Tuesday, January 12, in the first of a series of planned strikes.The strike threat is likely to b..

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• AFL High Five series: Melbourne's best wins since 1970

  

  The red and blue have enjoyed some famous victories, such as this one in 2005 against Geelong.Photo: Sebastian CostanzoNotwithstanding the plights of St Kilda, the Bulldogs, Richmond and Fremantle, it's hard to argue any group of supporters has been tormented quite like Melbourne's diehards. But for all the pain of the last five and a bit decades - and there has been plenty - there have been some wins to savour too. Here are five of the Demons' best since 1970.1. Footscray v Melbourne, Round 22,..

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