When Liam Ogden played his 200th game for the Bombers on Saturday, he joined a much larger club in reaching the milestone.
I named Tony McDonell, Chris Atkins, Jason Morgan, Bob Vick and Herb Prior as 200-game players for the club.
But others to have reached the milestone are Bernie Harlen, Chris Salter, Lawrie Casey, Bill Fry, Steve Kerwin, Roy Outram, Paul Newman and Josh Vick.
I’m now declaring this as the official list. If there is any player I have missed, let me know on 5852 1533.
Eastern Hill bid fails
A bid by Eastern Hill Cricket Club to join Cricket Shepparton in the coming season has failed — for the time being, anyway.
Last week, Cricket Shepparton clubs voted against admitting the Seymour District Cricket Association club with concerns of extra travel and intentions by Cricket Shepparton to explore the possibility of creating a roadmap into the future of cricket in the region.
But not all clubs were against Eastern Hill’s bid, which leaves the door open for the Seymour-based club to press for admission in the future.
New Cricket Shepparton president Narelle Claney and its executive have expressed a desire for a total review of cricket in the region and a structural plan for the future which no doubt will be a hot topic for debate and a lot to ponder over.
Unluckiest footballer
I think I have discovered the unluckiest footballer in the GVL.
Shepparton Swans’ Nathan Hrovat was credited with having 45 possessions — 30 kicks and 15 handballs — in the side’s recent win over Shepparton United.
But impressive as those stats are, the Swans couldn’t fit him into the team’s six best players on the day.
His disposal efficiency of 66 per cent would have been a slight negative, but the number of possessions surely would have counteracted that.
Incidentally, fellow Shepparton Swans player Zac Banch, who had the second-most possessions behind Hvorat in that game with 29, also failed to make it in the six best players for his team in the game.
Medal a one-horse race?
Is this year’s Morrison Medal a one-horse race?
Some league observers are already declaring Euroa’s star onballer Will Hayes over the line in GVL’s most prestigious individual award.
The former Western Bulldogs and Carlton player has had a huge first year in terms of possessions with the Magpies, but there are plenty of other players who have also stood out.
Another first-year former AFL player, Rochester’s Joe Atley, has to be attracting a lot of votes, but being in a struggling side may go against him.
Echuca coach Sam Reid is also enjoying a big season, while Kyabram’s Kaine Herbert, a noted vote catcher, and Zac Norris should also be piling up the votes.
So voting for the GVL’s most prestigious individual award may be a little tighter than some people think.
Rose’s 17th winner
Tongala apprentice jockey Rose Hammond’s star is rising rapidly after she rode her 17th winner last week.
Hammond produced a top ride to win on the Seymour-trained Mythical Magnus on the Ballarat synthetic track. It was a very popular win with punters as the three-year-old was a $2.30 favourite.
The win on the Charmaine Barnes-trained son of Magnus means Hammond needs only three more winners to outride her 3kg claim on provincial tracks.
Kemp a Blue until 2026
Brodie Kemp will be a Carlton player until the end of the 2025 season.
He has been given a two-year extension to his contract after recent good form in defence in a Carlton team that has won its past four games to be back in finals reckoning.
Kemp has a Kyabram connection, being a son of Grant Kemp, a former Kyabram schoolteacher, footballer and cricketer.
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