Three night games in store
For a club that hosted only one night game last year, Kyabram Football Netball Club is set to kick off the GVL’s 2024 season with three games under lights this season.
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The Bombers will start the season with a night game against Mooroopna on April 13, the week after the Easter long weekend.
Kyabram is also listed to play a night game against Rochester at Rochester in the second round and then host Euroa also under lights in the third round.
Bombers president John Guinan is keen for his club to have night games which in monetary terms are up to three times more profitable than day games for hosting clubs.
‘‘They (Mooroopna, Rochester and Euroa) all agreed so that was good. We have an arrangement with Rochester that we play them in the return round in a Sunday game,’’ Guinan said.
Echuca and Kyabram fans will have to be patient to see that clash. It won’t be until round 11 when Kyabram hosts the reigning premier.
Round four will be the Anzac Round, while on May 25 interleague action returns with the GVL hosting arch-rivals, the Ovens and Murray League.
The Say No To Violence round will be held over round seven and the Indigenous rounds over rounds 12 and 13.
- The Kyabram District League has also launched its 2024 draw with defending premier Lancaster at home in the first round on April 13 against Stanhope.
In other first round clashes Merrigum will host Rushworth, returning to the senior competition after two years, while Girgarre will start its campaign at home against Tallygaroopna.
- The Murray League’s season kicks off on Easter weekend with five of the six games scheduled for Good Friday, including the clash between Tongala and Nathalia at Tongala.
The only Saturday fixture in the opening round will feature cross-river rivals Cobram and Barooga.
Wyuna dynasty? Why not?
Who said Wyuna Cricket Club was starved of premierships?
When the former Kyabram and District Cricket Association club celebrated its 1974-75 premiership win, it was thought at the time it was the only flag the club had won since its formation in the early 1900s.
Then proof from Kyabram historian Eileen Sullivan was produced which showed Wyuna also won the KDCA B-grade flag in 1969-70 and before that in 1949-50.
Now more Free Press clippings have surfaced which show Wyuna also won the flag in the 1950-51 when it accounted for Stanhope by 91 runs.
And as remarkable a feat as it seems, a player called R Stone just missed out on taking 100 wickets - yes wickets, not runs - for the season in that final.
But there’s more.
Further newspaper reports presented have Wyuna also winning a flag in 1933 when it beat Deakin Cricket Club for the flag when playing in the Tongala District Cricket Association.
Deakin was the defending premier but Wyuna won by 160 runs.
So for a club that was credited at one stage for winning just one flag now has another four flags which have surfaced to celebrate as well.
That’s of course unless there is no more evidence produced to the contrary, which wouldn’t be out of the question given the saga so far!
Bulldogs land raft of recruits
Tatura could be a ‘smoky’ in the race for this year’s GVL flag following recent key signings.
Tall defender Jhdara Jones from Essendon District League club Avondale Heights and ex-Port Adelaide midfielder Aidyn Johnson will be joined by Jake Warren from Queensland-based clubs Apsley and Maroochydore and Central Murray League club Lake Boga last year.
A Lake Boga teammate Tyle Williams, who has played at VFL level with Coburg, is also heading to the Kennel, along with highly-rated ruckman Jacob Simpson, who has also represented South East Queensland.
This quartet are all seasoned players who are going to add a lot of experience and depth to the Tatura side.
Mundy’s return a coup
Seymour Football Club has been buoyed by the news that one of its favourite and most decorated sons is returning home.
David Mundy, who played more games for Fremantle than any other player and who sits eighth on the list of the most games played at AFL level with 376, will play some games with the Lions in the GVL this year.
Mundy is 38 years of age but retired from the AFL only last year so will be a dangerous weapon for the Lions and will help offset the loss of dual Morrison Medallist Jack O’Sullivan, who has joined Ovens and Murry League club Wodonga.
Interleague appointment
Echuca Football Club coach Ben Reid will join forces with Mark Lambourn to try and break the Ovens and Murray League’s dominance of the Goulburn Valley League over the past 10 years.
Reid is a big fan of interleague games and was keen to get involved.
He’ll have an on-field role, while Lambourn, the 1996 Morrison Medallist when playing for Shepparton Swans, will direct traffic from the sidelines.
Lambourn was in charge of the GVL side which went within seven points of upsetting the O&M League last year.
Luke joins Swans
Reigning Kyabram League premier Lancaster will be without one its key players this season.
Defender Luke Davies is trying his luck with GVL club Shepparton Swans, who like most clubs have been on busy pre-season recruiting drives.
The brother of dual flag-winning Wombats coach Tom Davies, Luke has been a late starter to the game and proved a revelation for Lancaster and a member of its successive flag-winning teams.
He is currently playing with St Mary’s in the AFL Darwin competition.
The Swans have also recruited a proven goalkicker in Matt Perry from the Eastern Football League.
Perry has captained Waverley in this competition for the past two seasons, guiding the team to the flag in the 2022 season.
The more spacious GVL grounds are among the reasons he has made the move north and into country football.
Sports reporter