The end result — Coleambally won — was welcomed by the club, but Brett suffered a quadriceps injury 15 minutes into the clash with The Rock and Yeong Creek in the Farrer League and didn’t participate in the game after that.
The 38-year-old stripped for Coleambally, invited to take part in the Carlton Draft promotion, which gives country clubs, mainly struggling clubs, the chance to recruit former AFL players for a game and be the focus of club finance-raising functions during visits.
There was a much bigger crowd than normal at home games with Brett’s appearance coinciding with a 60th reunion of the Colleambally Football Netball Club.
With a total of 276 games with Richmond and Greater Western Sydney Brett has played the most VFL/AFL games of the 29 Kyabram players who reached the big time.
Former president dies
A man who held a unique resume at the Kyabram Football Netball Club died suddenly in Melbourne at the weekend.
Greg Dow, who died in his Altona home, held the distinction of being the only person to serve in three major administrative roles with the Goulburn Valley League Bombers.
At different stages he was president, secretary and treasurer of the club — the only person to hold these three roles.
Greg was also a long-serving school teacher at Kyabram’s P-12 college.
He had just celebrated his 78th birthday.
Funeral arrangements were still being made at the time of going to press.
Longwood springs a surprise
Former Kyabram District League PR man Sam Saracini described Longwood’s shock win over Shepparton East on Saturday as the biggest upset in the league in his time.
‘‘I became PR officer for the Ky league 16 years ago when Longwood first joined the KDL and their effort to topple Shepparton East is their best win in that time,’’ he said.
Longwood had Shane Harvey, brother of 432-game AFL star Brent Harvey, in its winning side on Saturday and the word is Brent will pull on the Longwood jumper for a one-off game this season.
Longwood’s win was even more special, as AFL boss Andrew Dillon made history with his presence at the game. It is believed to be the first time an AFL boss has attended a country game during an AFL season.
Meyland to return next year
Cobram Football Netball Club has got in early to announce first-year senior football coach Mark Meyland will again be in charge next season.
Meyland is enjoying his first season as coach of the Murray League Tigers after crossing from powerhouse Picola League club Waaia.
Cobram is currently sitting fourth on the ladder.
League’s future in doubt
Big decisions coming up for clubs in the Central Murray and Golden Rivers football netball leagues.
A recommendation from the Northern Futures Project Steering Committee is for the Golden Rivers league to disband if Ultima gets a clearance to compete in the Central Murray League.
If this happens, and it looks likely, it would leave only five clubs in the Golden Rivers league, some of whose future is already under a cloud.
There is now a move to disband both the Central Murray and Golden Rivers leagues and form one league, but this would create a lot of problems in getting all clubs to agree to age groups for the footballers and the netballers.
If Ultima gets its wish to join the Central Murray league it would leave the Golden Rivers league with only five teams: Moulamein, Hay, Wandella, Macorna and Murrabit.
The Golden Rivers league has lost Quambatook (abandoned) and Nullawill (North Central League) in recent seasons.
The last time Moulamein played in another league was in 1958 when it was in the Deniliquin Football League and known as the Tigers.
It won the flag in 1955 and 1957 but the league cancelled the 1956 season due to the Big Wet.
Moulamein is still waiting on the 1957 flag to be presented to it.
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