It’s organising a reunion to celebrate its thirds football team winning one game in particular in the 1990s.
But that one game was fairly significant.
When Tongala under-18s beat Tatura on June 29, 1996 it was the team’s first win for nearly four seasons.
It was the young Blues’ first since August 22, 1992.
A.J. Smith was a member of that drought-breaking side, and, always the entrepreneur, he got to thinking it was an occasion worth celebrating.
‘‘I know Kyabram is celebrating a GVL premiership win 30 years ago this year so I thought the Tongala thirds team’s feat to win its first game for four years that year was also a milestone that should be recognised and celebrated,’’ A.J. said.
A.J. said the planned celebration was likely to take place in June and all players who played in that drought-breaking win and during that losing streak hopefully could get to the reunion.
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And while on footy reunions, Kyabram and Merrigum are celebrating flag-winning teams this year.
And there is a coaching connection with both clubs.
Legendary coach Peter White coached both the Bombers and the Bulldogs to their premiership wins.
White was playing coach of the Merrigum side in 1986 and also 1987 when it won back-to-back flags in the Kyabram District League against Avenel and Lancaster, respectively.
White was the non-playing coach of Kyabram in 1996 when it staged one of the bravest wins in GVL grand final history.
After Kyabram‘s star defender Brendan (I.Q.) Ryan was banished to the sidelines on a striking charge at quarter-time for the remainder of the game, the Kyabram players under skipper Tony McDonell rallied to land the flag despite playing one man short for three quarters.
The striking charge against Ryan was later thrown out after video evidence had cleared him of the charge and also forced welcome changes to the send-off rules of that time.
Kyabram’s reunion is planned for round 17 on August 15 in the second last home-and-away round for the season when it hosts Shepparton, while Merrigum’s celebrations will take place on June 20.
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Another Carver has a coaching role with the Kyabram Football Netball Club this season.
Barty Carver, brother of senior premiership co-coach Corey, has been appointed to co-coach the Bombers’ reserves side with Sean Dillon.
Corey is once again co-coach of the seniors.
The popular Scott Hearn has been in charge of the Kyabram reserves for the past three seasons. They have been finalists every year, reaching the grand final last year when beaten by Seymour.
Barty has been an assistant of Scotty’s for the past three seasons.
Scotty said he loved his role as coach and wished Barty and Sean all the best for the coming season.
He said ‘‘family reasons’’ were behind his decision to step down.
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Plenty of Kyabram interest in Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield’s individual awards for the 2025-26 season.
Redbacks pace bowler Sam Langley hit the front in the Haisman Shield award with seven wickets in the penultimate round against Mooroopna on Saturday.
He now heads the aggregate wicket takers’ list with 30 wickets, slipping past the previous leader, Ramadan Yze, who has 27 victims.
They look the only two bowlers in line for the award going into the last home-and-away round, starting this week.
In the award for the most runs, St Brendan’s Central Park skipper Tyler Larkin reached 500 runs last Saturday when he made 19 not out against Shepparton Youth Club United and holds a handy lead over Nagambie’s Mitch Winter-Irving (431), CPSB’s Connor Hayes (427) and Kyabram gun Kyle Mueller with 424.
Mueller has won this award for the past two years.
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Shepparton Golf has appointed Brad Orr as its head lawn bowls coach for 2026-27.
It will be a homecoming for the Victorian representative after two seasons with Essendon in Melbourne's Premier Pennant competition.
Orr previously led the Golfers to multiple finals over a decade and succeeds Kris Ferguson, who delivered premierships for the club in both weekend and midweek divisions.
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