Stumps have been drawn on one of Kyabram and district’s premier batsman of the modern area with the recent death of John Hill.
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John lost a battle with cancer at Koondrook, where he has been living and working since leaving Kyabram in the early 1990s.
The man they call “Hilly” made a massive impression on the Kyabram District Cricket Association scene when he moved to the town with his wife Jill and young family in the early 1980s from Castlemaine after a shift in employment with the SEC.
He was only in the town a few years, but left with the reputation of being one of the best batsmen the club, and district, has had in the modern era.
Hill was a member of two Kyabram Cricket A-grade premiership sides in 1985-86 and 1989-90, and its runner-up in 1986-87.
He was a technically correct high-order right-handed specialist batsman with a penchant for making centuries. He was also a fine slips fields man.
In his first full season with Kyabram, Hill made three centuries and two 50 plus knocks, totalling 700 runs for the season.
In his seven seasons and 76 games with Kyabram, he compiled 2200 runs at an average of 34.
Hill’s proud father Jack was always on hand to watch his son play throughout his career and recorded the numerous centuries he made.
Apart from the premiership wins, a highlight for Hilly during his time in Kyabram was captaining the KDCA representative team to its first division one premiership at the annual Bendigo Country Cricket Week series in 1990, a feat over 60 years in the making.
He represented the KDCA in Melbourne and Bendigo County Week series in his time in Kyabram.
Upon moving to Koondrook in 1991, Hill made an immediate impression with a century in his first appearance for the local club, then competing in the Kerang District Cricket Association.
After retiring from the game he became an umpire in this association for many years.
Rather appropriately, his funeral took place yesterday at the Koondrook oval where he spent a lot of time at the end of his cricketing life as a player and umpire.
An innings well played Hilly.
Tiger twins depart
An early blow for Rochester’s bid to play finals in the GVL next year.
The Hamilton twins, Cooper and Hugh, have signed on to play with their home club Colbinabbin in the Heathcote District Football League in 2027.
Along with their brother Will, both were members of Rochester’s 2025 GVL grand final side which lost to Kyabram.
Hugh is a goal-kicker who booted 66 last year, while Cooper boasts playing eight games with AFL club Greater Western Sydney after being picked up by the Giants in the 2022 rookie draft.
He has since spent time playing games with VFL sides Carlton and Southport over the past two seasons.
Colbinabbin is hopeful the Hamiltons can take them a step further next year after reaching this year’s preliminary final.
In another significant move in the GVL, Shepparton’s classy on-baller Adam De Cicco is returning to his home club Cobram for next season as its assistant coach.
Top gongs announced
Echuca and Moama Football Netball Club’s best-and-fairest winners for 2026 have been decided.
Tom Evans has won the Echuca award, while Tobias Thoolen took out the award for Moama.
Seymour’s top award was won by Dylan Cook, with Nic Quig runner-up.
Ally Black won the club’s top netball award.
Millie a life member
Former Stanhope sportsman Mark Millthorpe was recently the recipient of a life membership of the Finley Football Netball Club.
The presentation was made by a former Stanhope coach and football journeyman Noel Langley at Finley’s awards night.
Millthorpe, who has lived in Finley for over 20 years, has been heavily involved with the club, particularly its junior program, in that time.
One of Mark’s claims to fame is coaching a Murray League junior side 2024 number one AFL draft pick, Tongala’s Harley Reid, played in.
Noel said the standing ovation Millie got when presented with his award showed how much he was respected at the club and around the township.
Rokahr rules again
Shepparton premiership player Nik Rokahr has added to his treasure chest of football accolades.
After winning a Sandover Medal in the Western AFL in 2024, Rokahr won this season’s Sandover Medal in the South Australian National Football League playing for Norwood.
He is the first player to win the league medal in both leagues.
Norwood recently beat Sturt by 14 points to claim the flag before a crowd of 38,000.
Norwood was down by three goals at three-quarter time, but ran over Sturt in the final quarter.
Rokahr was able to share his latest flag with former Shepparton premiership teammate Harry Boyd for a second time.
Boyd played one game with St Kilda last year, but was delisted at the end of the season, returning this year to play with Norwood, where he was recruited from after playing his junior football in Shepparton.
He also won a Magarey Medal in 2024 playing with Norwood.
It’s Nik’s second flag with Norwood after enjoying a premiership win with the club in 2022.
He is also a Margery Medallist, taking out the award this year.
Money Talks for Railton
A couple of weeks ago in this column, I inferred Stanhope reinsman Mark Pitts’ feat of driving four Group 1 winners on the same program at Melton recently was a first.
But that was not the case.
In 2022 he drove six Group 1 winners at a Melton meeting, also for premier trainer Emma Stewart.
Pitt also established an Australasian driving record in the same year, when he partnered a staggering nine Stewart-prepared winners at a meeting in Launceston, Tasmania.
The world record for driving the most winners on a single harness racing card belongs to Prince Edward Island (United States) legend Joe O'Brien, who drove an incredible 11 winners on a single program at Truro Raceway back in 1942.
While on harness racing, Kyabram trainer Paul Railton landed a winner at last week’s Kilmore meeting.
Railton produced trotter Money Talks for his third career win with a last-to-first performance over the last 1000 metres.
With four top-three finishes in his last six starts, Money Talks was ready to win again.
Punters, who sent him out a $2.40 second favourite, agreed.
Money Talks has faced the starter 39 times for his three wins, but has also been placed on 13 other occasions, including 11 third placings.
Gate taking correction
My informant got it slightly wrong — the claim the recent GVL grand final gate takings of $79,940 was a record for the league.
Well, it almost was.
In 2010 and 2011, gate takings were both $80,000, pipping this year’s taking by $60.
But in both years, the admittance prices were cheaper than 2026.