When your father is a four-time league medallist and a legendary figure in three widely renowned football leagues, anything you are able to achieve will always draw an immediate comparison.
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That is the life Michael Shiels lived from the time he debuted for Nagambie as a teenager until he retired in his 30s having seen the club his father played with as a junior go from a 21-year premiership drought to a competition powerhouse.
Eddie Shiels was a member of the 1977 Nagambie premiership team and only missed out on being involved in the 1998 grand final-winning team due to a shoulder injury.
He won Kyabram District League best-and-fairest medals in 1984, 1986, 1992 and 1993 and in between became a star with Northern United in the Bendigo league and Seymour in the Goulburn Valley competition.
His son won the same honour, the KDL’s McNamara Medal, twice — in 2007 and 2014 — while a part of a golden era that brought five premierships in 10 years.
They are one of a few champion father-son combinations, another being Rob and Darryl Harrison.
Rob, who died well before his time, won a pair of Heathcote league best-and-fairest awards and also finished runner-up in the Morrison Medal in the Goulburn Valley League.
His son was recognised as the best player in both the KDL and Murray Football League, played in GVL and KDL premierships and is still playing senior football.
Jack Exell repeated the feats of his champion father by winning the KDL goal-kicking award last year, along with the McNamara Medal, after his father had kicked the most goals in three occasions.
Any footballer with a generational connection to the sport will have experienced the obligatory after-match conversation about just who was better, you or your dad.
If those experiences are anything like mine, it would have been a topic discussed on more than one occasion, not long after you had walked out of the changerooms and were en-route to your first after-match refreshment of the evening.
It was usually with one of the people you had caught a glimpse off mid-match, elbow tipped skyward, standing in the area between the point post and the bar on the clubhouse side of the ground.
That area of the oval was usually packed to the brim with former stars partaking in historic conversations while “supporting’’ the club from a location within walking distance of the members’ bar.
A few weeks ago, we took a glimpse into the father-son connections of the GVL. Today, we present the KDL version.
It started out as just a dive into the father-son history of Lancaster, Girgarre, Stanhope and Merrigum. It ended up being a league-wide investigation, one which went from what would have taken a couple of days to three weeks of lengthy catch-ups and comparisons.
Here is the result, club by club. And, before you read it, I am sure there are some names missing. Reach out and let us know, then we will respond accordingly.
Lancaster
Nick Ryan, son of Frances (Techie), spends a lot more time up the ground than his goal-centric father did during his time with Merrigum.
Brendan “IQ’’ Ryan, Frances’ twin brother, was a premiership player at Lancaster and his son Billy Ryan was at Lancaster two years ago.
Coby O’Neill is the son of Rod O’Neill, a 1991 premiership player at Girgarre who was also a member of its losing 1989 grand final team. He still recalls the early match dressing down he received from coach Mick Ryan after Avenel goal-kicker Bill Hannam had the better of him early in the match.
Riley O’Neill’s dad is Dale (Ardmona and Lancaster), a cousin of Rod, while Rikki Busch’s father, who retired last year on the back of another Wombats premiership, also played at Lancaster.
President Steve Elliott saw his son Jack become a senior premiership player last year, while former Girgarre half-forward Nick Cerrone is the father of Zac and Tanner Cerrone.
Lancaster under-18s coach Stuart Flemming has sons Shannon and Matthew in senior ranks and his youngest, Jarrad, is playing at under-age level
Warren Davies was assistant coach at Lancaster, while also playing at Girgarre as a ruckman-key position player. He has sons Tom and Luke playing at the club.
Jack and Luke Donnell’s father, Nick, played with Stanhope.
Stanhope
Daryl Harrison, who has pulled the boots on at senior level again this year, is the son of Rob Harrison.
Rob won back-to-back Heathcote league best-and-fairest medals in 1984-85 and was runner-up in the Morrison Medal count in 1987 while playing at Tatura.
Darryl and younger brother Simon both acquitted themselves well at Stanhope.
Modern-day defender Danyon Stockdale is the son of Brendan.
Mick Lovison played in a Stanhope premiership in 1986 and almost 40 years later his son Adam is assistant coach at the club.
Recent senior coach Mark Patten had son Jye follow in his footsteps and current coach Mark Adamson has son Jye and stepson Rhys Smith in his ranks.
Peter Keck, brother of former Merrigum, Stanhope and Rushworth star Shane, is the father of modern-day player Darcy.
Girgarre
The Varcoe family, up until last year, had consistent representation in the blue-and-white. Legendary figure Maurie, his son Jason and third generation representative Talbot were terrific players with the club
Phil Tomasini has his son Simon still playing at the club and modern-day umpire Jeff Turpin had son Ben playing there last season. Turpin was arguably one of most decorated midfielders to play with the Kangaroos.
None of Wayne Cowley’s three sons, Connor, Mackenzie or Rhyley, played with the club, but their careers are not done with just yet.
There is also the historic connection of the McDonalds (father and son Athol and Gus) and the Myers family (champion ruckman Peter and sons Wayne and Russell).
And, as recently as this year, Adam Scoble played alongside his sons Angus and Isaiah.
Nagambie
Mini-me is the wrong term for the lanky Jonathon Moore, whose father Dean was a premiership ruckman with Nagambie. The breeding is strong as Dean’s father Dick was a legendary figure in the Goulburn Valley, Bendigo and Kyabram District leagues.
Will Dalton and father Adam are carbon copies of one another, while Tom Barnes’ father, former KDL leading goal-kicker Brett ‘’Barrell’’ Barnes, is another in a plethora of father-sons.
Nathan and Blake Fothergill are the sons of club games record-holder Brett and their uncle, Craig, was also a premiership player with the Lakers.
Trent Gladwin is the son of goal-kicker Brad and coach Tyrone Muir is a slightly less aggressive version of his hard-nut father Neil.
Brayden Biggs is the son of Andrew.
Shepparton East
Marcus “Jock’’ Spencer lived for some time in the shadows of his champion father Jock Snr (christened Thomas). Jock Snr booted 475 goals in 153 games for North Melbourne in the VFL from 1948 until 1957, including 86 in 1950 when he was runner-up to John Coleman.
Jock Jnr played in three successive flags at Shepparton United and three at Shepparton East among 12 grand final appearances.
His son Jamie is a two-time best-and-fairest and a premiership player with Shepparton East.
Jamie, now 31, is a right-footer, in contrast to the renowned left foot of his father.
Chris Keady, a former Shepp East centre half-forward, has his son Lachie at the club and Jim Pedretti’s sons, Benjamin and Tyler, are also at the club.
Jerry Barolli, who played at Ardmona, has son Adem in the team, while Adam Serafini (son of Bill), Brendan Corish (son of Greg), Mitchell Pottenger (son of John) also carried legacies into their careers.
Liam Trevaskis’ mother Nicole (nee Laws) has a long family connection to Shepp East.
Merrigum
At the Bulldogs, Connor Cowley is the son of former KDL goal-kicking star Wayne, while Travis Hocking has two sons still playing in the tri colours and club president Andrew Parkinson is the father of the captain.
While quick to point out that he spent more time in the earlier timeslot than he did as a senior footballer, Andrew and wife Kara have produced two sons who the president hopes will lead their club into the future. Jake is currently a key figure in the Kyabram defensive unit in the GVL.
Kellan Robinson, another Bulldog with a brother (Aiden) playing with Kyabram in the GVL, is the son of former champion ruckman Col.
Murchison-Toolamba
There is a long and proud father-son history at Murchison-Toolamba. None more so than that of club president Craig Thompson, who is the son of former Lancaster under-sized ruckman Col.
Craig has been president of the club for the past eight years, after playing most of his football with Katandra.
The three Lloyd brothers, 190cm-plus brothers Andrew and Aiden and elder brother James, are the son of Rushworth footballer Dean.
Paul Harrison was a close checking half-back who was recently made a life member of the club. He has sons Jed, 17, and Oscar, 11, playing in the under-age ranks.
While Charles McAdam’s father did not play in the KDL, former St Kilda and Brisbane Bears star Gilbert is a familiar name in football circles.
Jake Ewert, now 39, is back in senior ranks and is playing alongside brother Harry. The Ewert family history is strong, through Gordon, Jim and Peter.
Longwood
Former Rushworth and Longwood ruckman Bernie Groom has son Nathan rising through the ranks, while the three Formosa brothers have arrived at the club where their father Jason played in the mid-2000s.
Jye, Josh and Jordan Formosa have injected new life into the club, which has returned to the winners’ list for the first time in several seasons this year.
Club president Rikki Shiner, himself the son of 300-game KDL player Ian, has Harry as captain of the under-age team and already with some senior football to his credit.
There are several sons of former stars rising through the ranks, including Cooper Goodall, captain of Longwood’s under-14 team and son of Mark “Tatong’’ Goodall.
Harry and Tom Skinner’s grandfather was a Longwood legend and both play with the club two generations later, while Dave Walker has three sons, Cam, Reilly and Adam, in the famous colours.
Kyle Withers’ family goes back even further, while the president’s brother Justin has son Otto playing.
The Kilroy family (Seth and his dad Dan) and the Walls (James and father Jake) are also continuing the tradition.
Tallygaroopna
It is hard to go past the name Sidebottom name when it comes to families at Tally, with the five sons of Noel all making a name for themselves.
Trent, 42, is still playing and his 38-year-old brother Josh is also there.
Kyle Montgomery, a much smaller version of his star father Neville, is continuing the tradition his father started and Brad Steigenberger’s son Dion will be hoping to match the efforts of his 2005 premiership-playing father.
Zac Brett is the son of Michael and an on-field leader with the club.
Violet Town
Longwood captain Nathan Abley is the son of Violet Town legend Gary.
Last year he would have been a walk-up start in the team, but McNamara Medallist and leading goal-kicker Jack Exell this year ended his association with the KDL. He kicked 110 goals in 18 games last year and is the son of former leading goal-kicker Gavin.
Avenel
Lachlan Drummond is a “chip off the old block’’, his aggression similar to that of his ferocious half-back father David.
Alan and Helen Dawson, stalwarts of the Avenel club, have son Harry in the senior football ranks and Dale Smith’s son, Jack, is his third progeny to be playing.
Jack’s older brothers Alex and Jared both played senior football at the club.
Undera
The Campbell name has a long and proud history at Undera. It started with all-round champion sportsman Glen “Gringo’’ Campbell and has continued through his sons Brenton and Logan.
Brenton, the elder brother, remains president of the recreation reserve, continuing his family’s amazing link to the club.
Seriously talented Logan, despite the opportunity, has never stepped away.
Craig Cox, who played in the 2009 premiership, has teenage son Caleb already in the senior ranks.
Captain Keelan Mitchell is the son of Barry, who played 150 senior games with the club.
Riley Moon’s father Greg played more than 100 games for Undera as a rover in the 1980s before winning a club best-and-fairest at Ardmona.
Senior player Kyle McKenzie’s grandfather Ian played in the 1955 grand final and premiership ruckman Kevin Powles’ grandson Toby is playing in the under-18s.
• Apologies to Dookie United and Rushworth. Due to time constraints, I was unable to collate the necessary material to salute the father-son combinations of those clubs.
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