But, in saying this, there was an admittance increase to $22 with concession holders and 14 to 17-year-olds paying $12, under 14s were admitted free.
It was the largest amount ever taken at a GVL grand final, and with only two teams involved in the three football season deciders for the first time in its history, it was a pleasing result for the league.
The Murray League grand final at Moama on Saturday drew an even better attendance.
It’s gate takings were $84,433 even though admittance prices were less than the GVL.
Adults paid $20, pensioners $10, 12 to 17-year-olds $5, and under 12s were admitted free to watch Congupna beat Cobram.
Murray League CEO Dale Norman said the overall gate takings across the finals for the Murray League was a record $191,000.
The KDL grand final gate takings this year were $46,000, which was slightly down on last year, but on average with recent seasons.
The Picola League’s recent grand final gate takings were still being finalised, but according to the league’s operations manager Shane Railton, was pushing $50,000.
Gate charges were $16 with $10 for pensioners and under 18s free.
Inflation at the gates
While on footy gate takings, one keen Ky footy supporter can’t believe the differences in grand final gate takings over the years, particularly in the Kyabram District League.
In 1969, in the grand final at Murchison between Nagambie and Tallygaroopna, the gate receipts were $447.
And it never rose above $1000 until 1975 when $1760 was taken at the Nagambie-Merrigum season decider at Undera.
In last season’s grand final between Lancaster and Murchison-Toolamba, the gate receipts were $54,897, and at this year’s grand final two weeks ago between Nagambie and Lancaster, the two teams the gate takings were $46 000.
Admission prices for the KDL were $15 with $8 for pensioners and under-18s free.
Great Reid(s)
Obviously being good at sport runs in the Reid family of Tongala.
Harley Reid recently won West Coast Eagles best-and-fairest award.
His older sister Hollie also plays a mean game of netball, and last week carried off the Murray Football Netball League’s A-grade netball top award.
Hollie rejoined Tongala Football Netball Club this year after stints at Kyabram and Euroa.
Holland medal win no surprise
There was no surprise when Ash Holland won his second Morrison Medal last week.
The veteran Shepparton ruckman, the best big man in the GVL, imposes himself on nearly every game he plays and is rarely outpointed in the actual ruck duels
Probably the surprise of the voting was that ruckmen filled three of the first four places, Holland the winner, Benalla’s Max Marriott second and Kyabram’s Zac Norris fourth.
Before Holland’s 2024 win, the last ruckman to win the Morrison was Seymour and GVL Hall Of Famer Shane Schottner and that was 22 years ago in 2004.
Ky talent in the middle
Plenty of Kyabram flavour in the central umpires on GVL grand final on Sunday.
The GVL’s best umpire Andrew Moore officiated in his sixteenth GVL grand final and another Kyabramite, Jack Norris, his third.
They were both at the top of their game in Sunday’s grand final and won praise for their performances.
Mueller, Road’s redemption
Kyabram’s Kyle Mueller was in the victorious Congupna side which won its second flag in three seasons in the Murray Football League and reversed last season’s result when it got home by eight points against an inaccurate Cobram.
Mueller didn’t have a big day at the goal front, but still snared three goals and took the mark of the game and a candidate for Mark of the Season with a trademark blinder over a large pack of players, just prior to the final siren sounding which lit up the big crowd.
Mueller has missed most of the season and has had only five games in the seniors late in the season after vertebrae fractures in his lower spine in the first game of the season.
Picola league switch
Coleambally Football Netball Club is looking into a possible shift to the Picola District Football Netball League.
At present, it has senior teams competing in the Farrer Football Netball League and the South West Junior Football League.
Coleambally is targeting the North West division of the Picola league when the league’s two division comes into play next year.
With the North West division consisting of all clubs, bar one (Picola United), situated in NSW, travelling wouldn’t be a major issue for Coleambally.
Under-16 flag found
My search is over.
Yes, there have been other Kyabram under-16 football sides which have won premierships.
I had not been able to find out whether this year’s Kyabram under-16’s flag win was a ‘first’ until last week.
Former Kyabramite Roger Sefton, who has been living in England and Singapore for the last 20 years, actually played in one of them in 1994.
Other players in that team were Chris Atkins, who went onto to become one of Kyabram Football Club’s greatest players, and Andrew Stockdale, the father of this year’s under-16 premiership co-captain Max, who won the club and league best-and-fairest award.
Roger’s nephew Jonty Sefton was also in this season’s Paul Newman coached side.
My informants also disclosed Stuart Young coached a Kyabram under-16 premiership side in 2006 and in 2016 Michael Mott, current president of the Lancaster Football Netball Club, coached a Kyabram division two flag winning under-16 side.
The one that got away though was the under-16 side coached by Rob Whitford which came from over 40 points down at three-quarter time to go down by a goal.
Current Kyabram players who were in that beaten side were Josh Dillon, Coby McCarthy and Brad Whitford (the coach’s son).
Magpies making Hayes
Will Hayes is returning to GVL football next season, committing to play with the Euroa Football Club again.
He has played for AFL clubs Western Bulldogs and Carlton, and this year stripped for six games with KDL club Violet Town.
Hayes, 31, is one of three brothers, Ben and JD are the other two, who drive the highly successful Hayes brothers gallops training empire.
Tigers make history
Katamatite created some history on grand final day recently in the Picola league.
As well as its seniors footy side winning back-to-back flags in a heart-stopping win over Waaia, its reserves team also won the flag, its first at this level, beating Barooga.
Katamatite certainly had generous player numbers to choose its premiership line-ups with 13 players missing selection in the premiership line-ups.
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