Adam Scoble’s 100th, and last, senior game for Girgarre almost overshadowed the Kangaroos second win of the season on Saturday when the 40-year-old walked from the ground victorious with his two teenage sons at his side.
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It was his second attempt at playing in a winning team with his sons after the experiment failed in 2023. In 2022, playing alongside a 15-year-old Angus, they were part of a Girgarre senior team that scored a one-point win against Nagambie when then coach Damien Cupido in the middle of a purple patch of goalkicking form.
Adam, now 17-year-old Angus and recently turned 16-year-old Isaiah Scoble played together for the first time in round five last season when the team lost by 67 points to Dookie United.
At the time Isaiah was just 14 and was playing Under 16 football for Kyabram, while Angus was 15 and playing with the Kyabram Under 18 team.
Isaiah is still playing under age football with the Bombers, but bringing the three together for Saturday’s game was made a little more complicated with the demands of Angus’ season.
The athletic teenager has played six games with the Bendigo Pioneers in the Coates Talent League this season and has also played five senior games with Tongala.
He had to seek permission from Tongala and miss the game against Moama in order to play the milestone game with his father. Fortunately it was a bye weekend for the Pioneers.
It all came together in fairytale like fashion for the Scobles, Girgarre leading by 10 points at quarter time against Violet Town, by 19 at the long break and then by 45 points at three quarter time.
The dream result for the highly respected sporting family had the Kangaroos kick six goals to two after half time for a 13.15 (93) to 7.4 (46) victory.
Adam and Angus kicked two goals apiece in the win, with dominant mid-fielder Josh Marino and Lancaster recruit Charles Lowe consistently winning clearances.
In a dream passage of play mid-way through the match Angus took possession in the backline, found his younger brother on the wing, who duly hit-up his father on the lead in attack.
Adam and Angus first played together at senior level in 2022, but the trio did register a win when they made a special appearance for Adam’s former team - Goondawindi Hawks - in another farewell game in the Darling Downs competition last season.
In that game Adam kicked two goals, Angus an amazing eight and Isaiah one. The Hawks won that game by 176 points.
Adam’s wife Jess said given the nature of the day, being her husband’s retirement game, Tongala was willing to release Angus for the game.
“Tongala has been amazing in making him feel so welcome. This game was only planned this week when we realised it was possible,” she said.
Girgarre lost its first three games of the Kyabram District League season, but then won by 57 points - on the scoreboard at least - against Rushworth in round four only to have the points taken from them.
Their first win of the season came three weeks later against Merrigum, a seven-point win that was followed by a seven-point loss to Longwood.
The victory against second bottom Violet Town on the weekend could be the launching pad for a strong finish to the year as the Kangaroos face Dookie, Undera (winless and bottom of the ladder) and Rushworth in the final six home and away rounds.
Dookie and Rushworth are only one winner better off than Girgarre and wins in those games could lift the 12th ranked team as high as ninth on the ladder.
Adam Scoble played his first senior game at Girgarre, also as a teenager, in 1999. He came to the club through a family connection of his uncle and cousins, having grown up playing football on the Mornington Peninsula.
He is the only player to have played in Girgarre’s last two senior finals, 21 years apart (in 2001 and 2022).
Adam and wife Jess, along with Angus, Isaiah and Regan, have contributed in several different areas to the club - from catering to running water, umpiring and playing.
Regan was a member of the 13 & Under premiership netball team in 2023.
For the record Isaiah also performed well on Sunday, playing for Kyabram’s Under 16 team in its win against Echuca.
Girgarre’s two leading goalkickers this year, Steve Phillips and Ethan Palma-Ludeman, matched the output of the Scobles and kicked four goals between them.
Vice captain Brock Pierce and Josh Temple chimed in to kick a goal each in the victory.
– Seven goals from defender turned forward Harley Constable was the key to Merrigum’s 87-point win against bottom team Undera on Saturday.
Constable, who played mostly in defence until a fortnight ago, has kicked nine goals in the last two games and was the focal point of the Bulldogs’ attack in its 16.15 (111) to 3.6 (24) result.
With ruckman Kellan Robinson dominant in the ruck and clearance king Brad Taylor at his combative best the Merrigum team won the ball consistently out of the centre and had 10 goalkickers for the game - the other nine all kicking one apiece.
Among those goalkickers was coach Darcy Collins, pushing forward from defence to kick his third goal of the 10-week season.
Jayd Gash kicked his first goal in senior football in the win, while another defender in Jordan Hutton also hit the scoreboard (his second goal of the year).
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor