Club stretched to the limit

By Gus Underwood

Jun 27, 2024

Allan Bond played well in his 300th PDFL seniors game the first Rover to accomplish the feat.

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Kyabram Football Club’s depth has been stretched to the limit this season with a long list of long-term injuries.

Last Saturday, the Bombers had to dig deep to get numbers on the park against Echuca.

The reserves were forced to play a 16-man side and had to again recruit several players who had played in the thirds to make up the numbers.

A staggering total of 13 players who have all played at senior level this season were on the sidelines for the Echuca clash.

Key players in Kaine Herbert, Jason Morgan, Bailey Tome, Mick Mattingly, Charlie Barnett, Riley Ironside, Jake Torney and Brad Mangan were among them.

The Bombers had seven players who have played a total of only 26 games between and no more than six at senior level in their side on Saturday.

From last season’s runner-up side only eight players — Josh Dillon, Jake Parkinson, Brad Whitford, Anthony Depasquale, Cooper Vick, Liam Ogden, Will Golds and Aidan Robinson — were in the team.

Talks not ruled out

Although it is only a suggestion, two Goulburn Valley League club presidents have not dismissed the possibility of some open discussions on a merger of some GVL and Bendigo League clubs.

Kyabram president John Guinan said his club was happy where it is at the moment but for the bigger picture options needed to be explored and assessed.

‘‘It is not going to hurt to talk about it and to look at options,’’ Guinan said.

Echuca president Justin Hatfield said his club had no official approaches regarding the possible formation of a new competition involving GVL and Bendigo League clubs.

‘‘They (Bendigo League) are obviously in a bit of strife at the moment and something obviously needs to be sorted out,’’ Hatfield said.

Hatfield said given what’s happening there should be open discussions for the best possible outcome for the game in general but it was a very complex issue.

‘‘Netballers and age groups have to be considered as well and if anything is to be done by AFL Victoria it would be vital to have local input and not a dictatorial approach.

‘‘It just needs to have open and frank discussions on the best way forward, but there is no silver bullet.’’

Coach of Bendigo League club Eaglehawk Travis Matheson recently raised the idea of clubs from Bendigo and the GVL forming a central Victorian competition and also a second-tier competition.

Confusion in the rounds

It’s all been a bit confusing, but despite what appeared in the GVL official weekly publication GVL Weekender last weekend, it is misleading.

It listed as a full round of matches for this Saturday’s 12th round when in fact it’s a split round.

And Kyabram sits out this weekend preparing for its crucial clash with the competition’s big improvers Rochester at Kyabram on Sunday week in the second half of the split round.

The two clubs had an agreement to play their second round match this season under lights at Rochester, with the return game a Sunday fixture at Kyabram.

Record breaking player

Deniliquin Rovers have produced a record-breaking player in the Picola Football League.

When Allan Bond played against Berrigan two weeks ago he became the first Deniliquin Rovers player to reach the 300 senior game milestone.

He also spent two seasons with Jerilderie in 2014-15, which included a premiership with that club in his first year.

Quite the feat

The Kyabram District Football League’s leading sharpshooters were certainly on the job last Saturday.

Murchison-Toolamba’s James Lloyd helped himself to a lazy 19 goals in his team’s 161 points demolition of Undera while Shepparton East’s Jake Sutherland booted 15 in his team’s runaway win over Violet Town.

Lloyd has now booted 88 goals in nine games, an average of almost 10 a game.

Sutherland’s haul took him to 50 for the season.