20 Plays of the Past

Shire president Cr Neil Grummitt made the presentations, explaining as far as he knew this was the first time the clubs had won premierships in the same season.

The medallions were emblazoned with the shire emblem and, fittingly considering the year, were presented in the form of keyrings.

Both clubs were also given a medal mounted on a small wooden board to hang in their clubs.

Bombers AGM aborted — again

For the second straight year, the Kyabram Football Club’s annual general meeting had to be aborted because no-one would take the chair.

The club was unable to elect a new president when 1983 president Peter Lyon announced he was stepping down.

He was, however, forced to stay on in the role in a caretaker capacity when a replacement couldn’t be found.

Mr Lyon said the club was in a much improved financial position, having made a trading profit of $6774 for the year — recovering from a debt of $8872 at the start of the season (meaning the club was only $2049 in the red to start the season).

There were 29 people at the meeting who heard the club had paid players and coaches $5074 in the last financial year.

Mr Lyon said being able to recover from a “financially embarrassing’’ position to its current point was very rewarding and much of the hard work had been done for the incoming executive.

Dual Kyabram best and fairest player Laurie Casey and two of the team’s young stars, Daryl Bourke and Gary Lyon, were expected to be at other clubs in 1984.

Casey was expecting to finalise details of a contract to play cricket in England, while the teenagers were heading to Melbourne Football Club’s Under 19 team.

Lyon, who is only 16, didn’t play a senior game with Kyabram in 1983, but finished second on the league medal despite his tender years.

1993

Keck best Bulldog

Shane Keck was named the Merrigum Football Club’s senior best and fairest winner, the former Tongala under age star winning the award from Shane Andrews and Mick Costa.

Other award winners were Mal Hedges, Darren Andrews, Grant Allen and Wayne Shepherd.

Reg Hudson won the reserves best and fairest from Barry Taylor and Fabio Pigatto. Other award winners were Jason Nagle, Jason McKecken, Trais Hocking, Colin Poole and Roy Emini.

A highlight of the presentation evening was a cheque for $10,600 being presented to president Reg Poole.

There was also a special award made to the best club person for 1993, which was received by Frank Gaul, while the president’s trophies went to Darryn Rowney and Peter Guy.

Trio in GM team

Three district cricketers were named in the Goulburn Murray Under 21 team to contest the first round of the statewide Coca Cola Bottlers Series.

Haig Varcoe and Troy Bauerle from Kyabram Fire Brigade Cricket Club, along with Tongala’s Travis Johnstone, were selected in the team.

Haig, 17, has been named the team’s all-rounder and will bat at number four.

Bauerle, 16, is the wicket keeper and Johnstone will bat at number three.

Skipper of the team is opening batsman Chris Russell.

Twins set the standard

Kyabram’s Burgess twins, Todd and Yasmin, took centre stage at the primary schools district athletics carnival.

They were named the eight and nine years champions of the day after winning several of the eight events.

The two Haslem Street grade four students collected ribbons in most of their events.

Todd won five of his eight events, while Yasmin showed her rivals a clean pair of heels in seven of the eight disciplines.

Four schools took part in the sports.

Another star athlete, Dawes Road Primary School’s Cynna Neele, was named champion of her age group after winning seven of her eight events.

The only event she missed was discus, when she finished a close second.

It was the fourth year in a row she had been named champion at the inter-school event.

2003

Purdey harness racing honour

Kyabram Harness Racing Club’s livewire secretary Ian Purdey was rewarded with a Distinguished Service Medal from Victoria’s governing harness racing body.

The inaugural treasurer of the Kyabram club had spent 34 years in that role and has also been secretary for the last 18 years.

The Free Press manager had also been the colourful course commentator when the club staged non-TAC meetings.

Kyabram had 70 horses based at the Kyabram complex at the time of his award and harness racing club president John Elborough said there was no more deserving recipient of the award than Purdey.

2013

Helen’s second title

Kyabram’s Helen Emery held her nerve to win the Goulburn Valley Golf Association’s Champion of Champions title for the second successive year at Cobram-Barooga Golf Club.

In a nail biting finish the Valley View golfer won the title after a play off hole was required.

She had her clubs packed away in the car before being told she was required to play in the sudden death event to decide the title.

Winning start in cricket

Three out of four winning teams was a great start for Kyabram Cricket Club in the Kyabram District Cricket Association’s junior competition.

The Under 13 team was led to victory by James Martin, Lachie Frampton, Bryce Shaw, Brandon Nankivell and Jarrod Arnold, while Jackson Mclay took a wicket, then put the gloves on to complete two stumpings and a pair of catches.

Top scorer was Robbie O’Donnell with 38 from 18 deliveries.

At Under 15 level Sam Nelson top scored with support from Tyson Di Petta, while Nelson also took two wickets and had support from Alex Oxford and Sam Lovison.

At Under 17 level Trav Thomson scored 40, with support from Callum Herrick, John Curnow, Brett Deledio and Sam Hansen.

Deledio took six wickets for two runs and Hansen four wickets for five runs.

Awards were presented to Robbie O’Donnell, Sam Nelson, Jason Leocata and Travis Thomson.