Former Kyabram players were dominant as the Nhulunbuy Saints Football Club broke an 18-year premiership drought in the Gove AFL competition in the Northern Territory at the weekend.
Kyabram locals Matt Elborough, Locky Dillon and Ben Shellie all played in the winning side which beat Djarrak 12.8 to 5.9.
In fact, all three had important roles with the club this year.
Elborough is the president, Dillon is one of the most dominant players in the league and captained the team while Shellie is one of the major sponsors, as well as a key on-baller for the team.
Known as the Saints, the club had a dominant year, only losing one game.
Echuca United Football Club premiership player Clint Starkey was also in the winning Nhulunbuy Saints team and his wife Shelley was a very good netballer for Kyabram back in the day.
Club of the Year
What great news it was for the Rochester Football Netball Club and the town.
The Rochester Tigers being awarded the AFL’s National Community Club of the Year was a popular choice given it was vying for honour with 29 other national finalists identified from 2500 AFL community football clubs eligible to win the award.
The award carries involvement in the AFL grand final week, including a spot in players grand final parade, a grand final breakfast and tickets to the grand final.
Tigers president Justin Cleary used one word to describe the number of initiatives and the work carried out by his club after last year’s disastrous floods — ‘‘amazing.’’
He’ll get no-one challenging that praise.
Big weekend for Hayes brothers
The Hayes boys, Will and JD, had a big weekend.
Along with their brother Ben they train the star galloper Mr Brightside, that won the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
It was their first Group 1 training success as a training trio.
To make it a memorable weekend Will and JD lined up for Euroa who bundled Mooroopna out of the Goulburn Valley League premiership race at Rochester on Sunday.
And JD and Will were the standouts for Euroa in the game.
Ky connection strong
The Kyabram connection was strong in Moama’s semi-final win over Finley in the Murray Football League on Sunday.
Former Kyabram premiership skipper Brad Edwards, Josh Pell, Sean Dillon and Tom and Jack Sheldon were in the Sam Sheldon-coached Moama team, which had a 21-point win over Finley to book a date with reigning premiers Mulwala in the preliminary final this weekend.
Congupna caused a surprise with a stunning come from behind win over reigning premier Mulwala to advance to its first Murray Football League grand final.
Davey re-appointed
Seymour Football Club has re-appointed non-playing coach Ben Davey for the 2024 season.
A dual premiership player and a reserves premiership coach at the club, Davey is recognised as one of the best in the business in the GVL.
Seymour has also stuck with Elle Fuhrmeister to lead the club’s A-grade netballers again.
Gold misses granny
St Augustine’s Gold footballers missed winning a spot in the grand final of the Goulburn Murray Under-14 competition by two points.
In the preliminary final two weeks ago, S/N Bears Maroon beat the Saints 6.7 to 5.11 in a tight battle which could have gone either way.
D Campbell, who kicked two goals, was best for the Saints who also had good players in M Stockdale, J Priest. A Depasquale and P Westerveld.
Bingham ‘road’ coach
Murray Football League club Congupna has named Ben Bingham as its coach for next season.
Bingham has shared role with non-playing co-coach Kevin O’Donoghue, who is not seeking the role for next season.
Bingham’s appointment come only a couple of days after former Girgarre mentor Billy Barnes was appointed to coach Murray league club Tongala next season.
Barnes has had injury-interrupted season with Kyabram in the GVL this season and has run out time to figure in the Bombers finals campaign.
Phillips misses trifecta
Heathcote District Football League’s best and fairest award, the Cheatley Medal, has been won by Heathcote’s Liam Jaques.
Jaques deprived Lockington-Bamawm United ruckman Tyler Phillips of a hat-trick of Cheatley Medals by two votes.
Phillips had taken the award in the past two years.