Life at Bomberland after club legend Paul Newman is now in the hands of new co-coaches Corey Carver and Kaine Herbert.
They are looking forward to trying to uphold the Bombers’ feat of making seven of the last 10 grade finals with four premierships, three under Newman’s guard and the first with another GVL legend Dave Williams in command
The Bombers have lost forward stars and goalkicking power in Kyle Mueller (Congupna), Tom Holman (Moama) and Kaye Pettifer (retired) but have recruited for a new game plan which Carver and Herbert intend to introduce next season.
The return of 2019 premiership player and Morrison Medallist Mick Mattingly and a former club junior Eamon Ogden, brother of Kyabram’s multiple premiership star Liam, are expected to add to the team’s pace and running power.
Young Queensland recruit Jake Torney comes with a reputation as a fast rebounding defender and his Mt Gravatt teammate Bailey Tome is expected to add more grunt to the Bombers midfield.
But none of these new faces will be at Monday’s training session and are not expected to join in training till the New Year.
Ollie Watt is returning from Tongala and along this season’s thirds skipper Bohden Learmonth, Liam Francis and Miller Griffiths are among several promising younger players expected to push for senior selection.
Scoble joins the Blues
Tongala Football Club will have one of the district’s most promising younger players in its ranks next season.
Adam Scoble has departed Kyabram to play with the Blues.
Scoble, who is still eligible to play GVL thirds was a standout in the Kyabram side this season.
He was promoted to make his senior debut with Kyabram’s senior team in its preliminary final win over Euroa at Deakin Reserve and gave a sample of his ability in that clash.
Brothers impressive, but record stand remains
Kyabram cricketing brothers Kyle and Cade Mueller’s recent third wicket partnership of 230 in Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield competition would probably be a strong candidate for a club and possibly association record between siblings.
But it was well short of the Kyabram Cricket Club’s record partnership.
There is a strong chance no-one is around today who witnessed it because it happened nearly 100 years ago.
Kyabram historian Eileen Sullivan has discovered in the 1926-27 Kyabram and District Cricket Association season Kyabram’s (Hughie) Carroll and Roy Outram posted what then was not only a club or local association but a Victorian country record opening partnership.
Carroll made 236, which is still the club’s individual record, and Outram 120 in a 326 runs opening stand in Kyabram’s score of 7/457 against R.S.A.
This was in a period just prior to when Kyabram won six premierships in succession, equalled only by Rushworth’s all-conquering teams from 1960 to 1965.
Rose blooms in Cup triumph
Tongala is certainly boxing well above its weight at the moment in regards to capturing sporting headlines.
Harley Reid of course has hugged national headlines for the last couple of years with his sublime football skills and as expected was the number one pick in Monday night’s AFL draft.
Although not enjoying quite that status, apprentice jockey Rose Hammond is certainly doing her bit to keep Tongala in the sporting spotlight.
Hammond has struck up a winning streak with galloper Equine Philosopher whom she rode to win the feature event at the recent Benalla meeting.
It is the fourth time in her 24 career wins that she has piloted the Bendigo-trained galloper to victory.
Bush Bash League season underway
Defending titleholder Hurley’s Hotel Hounds has suffered a narrow first round defeat in the Goulburn Valley Bush Bash League’s opening round on Sunday.
The new team in the four team competition, the Bendigo-based Sporties Spitfires edged out the Hounds with seven balls to spare in the clash at Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo.
Kyabram Fire Brigade’s Paul Newman equalled top scored with Moama’s Anthony McMahon for the Hounds, both with 44, as the Hounds scored 7/165 off its 20 overs.
Newman was at his well known aggressive best facing 41 deliveries with seven fours.
Former Tatura player Michael Archer was the most successful bowler for The Hounds with his spinner yielding 3/30 off four overs.
Vale Nola Ryan
The Goulburn Valley League lost a highly respected long-time stalwart and servant with the passing of Tatura’s Nola Ryan.
Nola, 75, holds a special place in the league’s history, being the first female to serve on the board.
He husband John (JR) Ryan is well known league observer, commentator, coach and selector and their son Travis is a former Tatura and GVL coach.
A daughter Karlie is a former star netballer with the club and all four family members are life members of the Tatura Footrall Netball Club.
The respect for Nola was evidenced at her funeral last week which was attended by an estimated 600 mourners.
Active Avenel
Kyabram and District League club Avenel has been one of the most active clubs in the competition in rebuilding its ranks for 2024.
Heading a long list of recruits is Broadford captain Liam Lucas, a winner Broadford Football Club’s last three best and fairest awards and a regular member of the AFL Outer East Team Of the Year.
Avenel’s recruiting officer Nathan Woods describes Lucas as a ‘gun’ and will set the Kyabram League alight from day one.
Pitt’s superb Saturday night
Not a bad effort from Stanhope trots driver Mark Pitt at Melton on Saturday night.
Pitt drove six winners, five of them for premier trainer Emma Stewart in Breeders Crown semi-finals.
In his other win, he deprived Stewart of training an incredible nine of the 10 winners at the meeting, driving the Freddy Taiba trained Nathan Street to beat the Stewart trained and David Moran driven favourite Kingman.
But as good as that feat was it wasn’t Pitt’s best meeting in the sulky.
Two years ago he drove an unbelievable nine winners, all for Stewart, at a Launceston cup meeting.
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