The comment was referring to the all or nothing approach of the Magpies to their AFL season.
It brought to mind a season of extremes for Kyabram’s under-18 team.
And while the comparison may not receive such damning reviews, the team has certainly experienced extreme highs and narrow defeats during the season.
In all but one of its 10 victories this season, the Bombers kicked 15 goals or more and finished with five 100-point plus wins.
The only margin in its favour, which was comparatively close, was 30 points against Seymour in round 14.
In the team’s other seven matches of the season, they have a draw (against Mansfield in round 10) a one-point defeat to third ranked Shepparton Swans, another loss by less than two goals to second ranked Shepparton and four defeats at the hand of the remaining top four ranked teams.
This is the story of the under-18 team’s season:
Round one: Kyabram faced the team that would end the home-and-away season winless in the opening round of the year, Tatura. The 23 goals from 40 scoring shots was reflective of the gap between the top and bottom teams in the league, Kyabram winning by 147 points.
Round two: Mitchell Dodos, Bailey Pyke, Liam Francis and Miller Griffiths were all multiple goal-kickers as the team scored a 129-point win against Rochester. Bohden Learmonth, who finished the season with five senior appearances, Adam Pulsoni and Tom Bruhn were among the Bombers’ best.
Round three: Trailing by just nine points at quarter-time and by 17 points at the final change, Kyabram kicked only one minor score in the final term against Echuca and ended up a 44-point loser. Dodos was outstanding, doing much of his work well out of the attacking area, while Learmonth kicked two goals and Jordan O’Neill was among his team’s best.
Roud four: Dodos, Pyke and Griffiths were supported by Rueben Stranger, accounting for 12 of the Bombers 17 goals in a 91-point win against Benalla. Jack Millar and Ben Railton offered support to the goal-kicking quartet.
Round five: Trailing by 15 points at the final change of ends, Kyabram kicked four final-quarter goals to finish just a point behind the third ranked Swans. Darcy Backway and Oliver Watt created late opportunities for the Bombers to produce an upset.
Round six: Watt continued his form with three goals as Dodos loomed large in the key forward post with five majors. Tom Bruhn and Cooper Fawcett played their best matches of the season in the 102-point win against Seymour.
Round seven: Samuel Campbell started a month-long stretch of great football as the Bombers beat Euroa by 130 points. Fawcett was again among the Bombers best as Ethan Hart kicked three goals and Oskar Shortis played his best game of 2022.
Round eight: Kyabram was never in the hunt against top two team Shepparton United, kicking just one first half goal and losing eventually by 30 points. Campbell and Riley Gallivan were the team’s best.
Round nine: Leading by seven points at the final change, Kyabram managed just two scoring shots in the final term and finished a 10-point loser to Shepparton. Apart from the regular names, William Campbell played his best game of the year and Fawcett kicked three goals.
Round 10: A thrilling draw with Mansfield saw the Bombers trail by five points at quarter time before recovering to lead by eight points at the long break. At the final change it was all square and both teams kicked three goals in the final term for the score to remain unchanged. Bailey White kicked three goals in the draw and Fawcett kicked four, finishing with 16 for the season.
Round 11: Kyabram kicked 16 first-half goals against Rochester, but managed just three in the second half to win by 96 points. Learmonth was best afield in the win, with Francis and Luke Smith both kicking three goals.
Round 12: A 123-point win came on the back of 13 players kicking goals for the Bombers. Watt was one of those in his best afield display.
Round 13: Bailey White’s 18-goal season was highlighted with four goals in a 92-point win against Mooroopna. William Burnett kicked two goals, as did Pyke, Smith and Fawcett. Charlie Mason’s three goals was among only five for the season.
Round 14: All the hard work was done by the Bombers in the first half, leading by 30 points at the long break. That margin didn’t change after half-time, Francis, Miller Griffiths and Pulsoni the team’s best players.
Round 15: Only two points separated the Bombers and top of the table Echuca at half-time. Echuca kicked six goals to one after the long break to continue its domination of Kyabram. Pyke kicked two goals in the defeat.
Round 16: Seven final-quarter goals for Kyabram allowed it to extend its winning margin to 73 points. Benalla managed just two minor scores in the opening half, but outscored Kyabram in the third quarter. Burnett (six goals, 15 for the season), Griffiths (four, 17 for 2022) and Pyke (four, 26 for the year) accounted for all but two of the team’s majors.
Round 17: Kyabram trailed from start to finish against Mansfield in a 22-point loss, Francis continuing his outstanding season and Pulsoni leading the goal-kicking with two majors.
Round 18: Trailing by just a point at three-quarter-time the Bombers were beaten by 12 points at the final siren, Shepp Swans piling on 10 scoring shots to three in the final term. Backway and White both kicked two goals, while Learmonth was the team’s best.
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