He’s Ryan Nyhuis, a utility who played 17 games between 2017 and 2019 with Fremantle and is currently playing in the Darwin-based Northern Territory Football League.
He played for Peel Thunder in the West Australian Football League and Fremantle's reserves team during the 2016 season and was a member of the club’s first ever WAFL premiership team.
Nyhuis, who stands 188cm, made his AFL debut for Fremantle in round 16 of the 2017 AFL season against North Melbourne playing as a forward, despite having almost exclusively previously played as a defender.
He kicked a goal with his first kick in AFL football and then slotted a further three goals, including the last two of the match, to help the Dockers win by four points.
He was delisted from Fremantle at the conclusion of the 2019 AFL season.
Tongala coach Jordan Souter said he hoped Nyhuis would play six to eight games during the season along with the club’s other Northern Territory marquee players, veteran star Cam Ilett and goalkicking maestro Darren Ewing.
Tongala has three pre-season games arranged in the lead-up to the Murray League season, which starts on April .
The first two games will be Friday evening fixtures against Katandra at Rumbalara on March 4 and Lockington at Lockington the following Friday (March 11).
Blues coach Jordan Souter said a midweek evening game was planned against Girgarre on Wednesday, March 15.
Tongala hosts Echuca United in the Murray League season opener on April 2.
Pre-season games cancelled
Two of Kyabram Football Club’s pre-season matches have fallen through, which will leave the Bombers with just one game and an intra-club game to prepare for the start of the Goulburn Valley League season.
Games against Aspendale-Edithvale this Saturday and Albury at Albury the week after are longer on the Bombers’ pre-season agenda after both those clubs pulled the pin last week.
Now the only serious workout against another club will take place on March 19 when the Bombers will meet Bendigo League powerhouse Strathfieldsaye at Colbinabbin.
Kyabram coach Paul Newman wasn’t too fussed about the cancellations.
‘‘We would struggle for players this week with summer sport still going and the trip to Albury would also be hard to arrange as well,“ he said.
‘‘We might have an intra-club game in the lead-up to the game against Strathfieldsaye and providing we pull up well from that might get another intra-club game up before the season starts.“
Kyabram meets Tatura in the first round of the GVL at Tatura on April 9 and hosts Rochester in a night game at home in the second round, on Good Friday, April 15.
Whistle while you work
Interested in becoming a football umpire?
Well, he’s your big chance — and to get the rundown you won’t have to leave Kyabram.
The Goulburn Valley Football Umpires Association, which has been serving local Australian rules football in and around the Goulburn Valley since 1958, have introductory ‘come and try’ sessions coming up for anyone interested in umpiring, whether it be central, boundary or goal.
One of these sessions will be held at the Kyabram recreation reserve on Tuesday, March 8, between 6pm and 7pm.
The other sessions are on Thursday, March 3, and Thursday, March 17, at Kialla Recreation Reserve, Reserve St, Kialla, from 6pm to 7.30pm.
Participants will get to wave flags, throw a boundary throw-in and practise the umpire’s bounce prior to the information session.
New GVFUA president Simon Walsh said the sessions were a great way for any potential umpires to experience different aspects of field, boundary and goal umpiring.
‘‘Whatever your reason for umpiring may be, including fitness, bit of extra cash or to keep involved in the game, our team of coaches and support staff will assist you on your way to umpiring to the best of your ability,“ he said.
The sessions are free and are sure to be great experiences for anyone who wants to learn more about Australian rules football.
Benalla bounces back
Things are looking brighter for the Benalla Football Netball Club after an SOS was issued five weeks ago.
Numbers, which were at a critically low level on both the footy and netball scene, have improved since then.
Some former players have returned including Josh Marchbank, a member of the club’s 2015 premiership side, and Brody Webster and Riley Johnson.
There has been off-field action too, with newcomers joining the committee to run the club.
Fond memories of race caller
The recent death of legendary race caller Jack Styring revived a lot memories for me.
Styring, who was 92, called a record 60 consecutive Gunbower cups, 40 Deniliquin cups and 38 Hanging Rock cups in his time behind the microphone.
He was known for his colourful race calls, which were performed like an academic with a plum in his mouth. But with crystal clear clarity, wit and compassion.
Sayings in his calls became legendary such as:
‘‘Baring his molars to the breeze.’’
‘‘No use looking over your shoulder, son, you will only see the ambulance.’’
‘‘He has raised his whip but only to brush the flies away.’’
‘‘Going home as straight as a gun barrel.’’
‘‘Mouth open like a mother cod calling for its young.’’
‘‘The are strung out like Monday’s washing’’
I first heard Jack Strying call a race at the Moama racecourse when I was teenager. Growing up then with callers such as Bert “He’s going like last week’s pay’’ Bryant and Ken “London to a brick on’’ Howard, Styring’s eloquent calls were something else to enjoy.
Styring was also an authority on breeding and wrote thought-provoking articles on the thoroughbred industry.
Styring started his race calling in 1950 at Kaniva and his last call was in 2011.
Watt comes up trumps
Tongala trots trainer Mick Watt has dished up his share of winners over the past few months but none quite as juicy as the one he saluted with at last week’s Echuca meeting.
The Watt-prepared Trumpys Legend, a 50/1 shot, upstaged the more fancied runners in delivering a knock-out blow to most early quaddie punters.
A colt by American Ideal out of a Grinfromeartoear mare, Trumpys Legend was having just his seventh race start and had not placed in his previous six starts, hence his generous price.
Five-year-old gelding Junior Warfare continued his current hot form to win at Echuca.
The win came after the five-year-old Village Jolt gelding had won at his previous start at Shepparton on February 16.
Trained by Girgarre East mentor Greg Lewis, Junior Warfare has now won three of his past six starts.
Junior Warfare’s win deprived Tongala trainer Gary Merkel of a double at the meeting, as the pacer Junior Warfare ran down in the final stages was the Merkel-prepared Argy Bargy.
In the following race the Merkel-trained mare Roslyn Gaye finished all over her rivals to claim her fourth win from eight starts this season.
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