Plays of the Past

Captain coach of the club was Mike Ryan, who also finished runner-up in the best and fairest award. The team had a poor season, but attracted 160 people to the presentation evening.

The Russ Howell junior award was won by Ken Gill, for the best and fairest player, while Gerard Farrow was runner-up in the vote count and Bruce Bebbington the most improved player.

⋅ Kyabram district league secretary Neil Lanyon became the latest life member of the league at its annual dinner, presented with his award by president Keith Whitford .

Lanyon had been involved in the sport for 25 years, having started playing with Merrigum in 1954. After 400 games in 20 years he joined the league executive.

He was a member of Merrigum’s 1957 premiership side and twice won the club best and fairest. He was also a winner of the league’s reserve grade league medal in 1970.

1989

Kyabram ended the Goulburn Valley league season in disappointing fashion when it lost both the reserves and Under 18 grand finals.

The reserves lost to Shepparton United by 36 points, Bomber coach Mick Walsh explaining the opposition was “just too good”.

Darryl Lucas was a star, along with Danny Hindson, John Hone, Brad Gale and Alan James. Veteran Gavin Ludeman kicked seven of the teams 13 goals, with Daryl James and Dixon kicking two apiece.

Kyabram led Shepparton by 21 points at quarter time of the Under 18 grand final, but were outscored six goals to none in the second quarter.

By three quarter time there was only two points in the game, but Shepparton kicked four goals to two in the final term to win the title.

Gino D’Angelo kicked four goals and Matt Carver two, while Matt Elliott, rover Damon McCormick, Benny Gugliotti and Tony Depasquale were good players.

⋅ Stanhope’s best and fairest winner for 1989 was ruckman Col Robinson, ahead of former Tongala and Kyabram star Mick Lovison.

Col Barrett and Mark Patten were next in the count.

Jon Varcoe won the Lancaster best and fairest award, beating Steve Sharp for the title and with Andrew Smith, James Nation and Trevor Goode also featuring. A special trophy was awarded to Corey Carver for manning the scoreboard during the season.

⋅ A Kyabram district cricket tribunal turned down the appeal of star batter Matt McMaster-Smith to cross from Kyabram to Lancaster-Wyuna as captain coach.

The tribunal ruled the 20-year-old star still owed the Kyabram club some playing time, but did clear another Kyabram player and association secretary Rob Asplin to Merrigum as captain of its A Reserve team and coach of the club. The tribunal was Chris Salter, John Adams and Ted Flanagan.

⋅ Tongala centre half back Shane Cameron won the club best and fairest award, ahead of ruckman Craig Gemmill. Craig Connelly, Barry Nexhip, Brendan McConnell, Russ Byrnes and Mark Harmer were other winners, along with leading goalkicker Mick Souter.

Steve Vick won the reserves best and fairest from Tim Walsh, while Jason Cox was Under 18 best and fairest from Jason Moon. Life memberships were awarded to Peter Dawson, Haydn Aldous, Leo Connally, Mick Shanahan, Peter Tinning and Paddy Harris.

⋅ Three Kyabram runners completed the Melbourne Marathon, Greg Shilling and Alan Gibbon competing for a third time and Gary Hawking for the first occasion.

Alan completed the marathon in three hours and 54 minutes, while Greg recorded a time of three hours and 22 minutes. Gary finished the course in three hours and 59 minutes.

1999

Three Kyabram fitness enthusiasts were named as finalists in the Men’s Health Magazine Physique Transformation Challenge.

Fiona Job, Meredith and Jeff Howard from Body Parts Health and Fitness were among 500 participants in the competition, just 31 named as finalists.

⋅ Kyabram motocross rider Dean Arnel won the Northern Region Series competition on his Honda 125cc motorcycle, finishing first in seven of the 15 races.

⋅ Lancaster ruckman Andrew Thomas was named best and fairest of the club at its presentation night, winning the award from Corey Carver. David Owen completed a hat-trick of reserve grade best and fairest awards, while Jake Thompson won the Under 17 best and fairest.

In the A grade netball Sandy Hayman was named best and fairest for the first time, having finished as a five time runner-up in her eight years with the club. She won the award from Tara Sansom, while Natalie Cox was B grade winner and Lisa Wade the C grade winner.

⋅ Two Kyabram netballers, Hannah Wills and Tamara Coote, were part of a talent squad being considered for selection in the state Under 17 squad.

⋅ Several club records were established at the Kyabram Little Athletics Centre’s first meeting of the year, with Bradley Mangan throwing the shot put 7.53 metres to claim the Under nine boys title.

Ashlea Mangan set a new mark in the Under 11 girls long jump (3.77 metres), while other record breakers were Maddi Crow, Celia Boyle and Breanna Thompson.

2009

Kyabram mid-fielder Chris Atkins polled 240 votes in the best and fairest count to beat 17-year-old Liam Ogden (ironically the 2024 winner of the award) in the count. Nathan Beck was third, while Michael Croxford won the reserves award ahead of Brenton Thomson and Andrew Ciavarella was the thirds winner from Jack Young.

At Lancaster Paul Burnett won the best and fairest, with Troy Mitchell the team’s leading goalkicker. Renee Warren was A grade netball best and fairest, with Sandy Carver runner-up and Kerri Campbell was named the Wombats best clubperson.

⋅ Paul Newman bashed a breathtaking 134 from just 60 balls for Fire Brigade in a Twenty20 game against Moama. He and his brother David (who was 47 not out) shared in a 175 run stand where century maker Newman struck six sixes and 12 boundaries.