The Bombers led by 24 points at quarter time and by two goals at the major break. By three-quarter time there was only a goal in the contest, but Echuca finished the stronger of the teams.
Rod Bray kicked two goals in the defeat and was the Bombers best player, while Tom Devlin, Lindsay Wickham and winger Peter Lloyd’s match also rated highly with GVL pundits.
This was the lead up to the grand final loss.
Centreman Rod Bray had 22 kicks in the qualifying final loss to Tatura, a match which had 68 shots on goal.
Tatura won the match 126 to the Bombers 116, with Rob Newton in outstanding marking form — taking 13 for the match.
Trevor Coulstock kicked four goals and Peter Warburton three and ruckman John Lilford was the Bombers’ best player.
A week later, in the first semi-final Warburton kicked five and Coulstock four as the Bombers won by a goal against Seymour.
Lindsay Wickham had 25 kicks and Tom Devlin took 12 marks as the Bombers moved through to the preliminary final.
Magnificent finals series for Coulstock (five goals) and best-on-ground Warburton (four goals, 22 kicks and nine marks) allowed the Bombers to earn a place in the grand final with a 21-point win against Tatura.
Tatura kicked an inaccurate 10.27 in the loss.
– Wayne Lappard and Gary Baker were announced as the Kyabram Apex Club’s Sportstar of the Year nominations for July and August.
Leppard won his seventh Kyabram Squash Club championship, beating Baker for the title.
He also finsihed second in the Murchison professional 10,000 metres event.
Sixteen-year-old Baker won the Victorian country junior squash championship and also defended his state country junior breaststroke in the Victorian swimming titles.
– Tongala finished on the bottom rung of the Goulburn Valley league ladder, losing all 20 of its matches.
Days later the club announced it intended to continue playing in the GVL, despite rumours to the contrary. It even went to the length of announcing it would be chasing former Melbourne star — and ex-Shepparton United coach — Des Campbell as its coach.
The club did eventually land Campbell, who was a dual premiership coach with the Blues.
– Merrigum coach Ken Chapman finished runner-up in the Kyabram District League’s McNamara Medal, while Stewart Leaf was Lancaster’s highest-rated player.
Girgarre’s Maurie Varcoe was runner-up in the reserve grade Wade Medal and another Kangaroo, Greg Halls, polled 11 best on grounds to win the Under-17 Inch Medal.
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