Sport

Injury blows to top Kyabram sportsmen

By Gus Underwood

Apr 14, 2026

Premier’s Kyabram will be without Mick Mattingly for all of 2026. Photo: Bruce Povey.

Two of Kyabram’s, and the Goulburn Valley’s, premier sportsmen were in the injury wars in the first round of football last Saturday.

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A knee injury to champion Kyabram midfielder Mick Mattingly has been diagnosed as an ACL tear and means the match-winner will miss the entire season.

He received a similar injury in 2024 which also kept him sidelined for the season.

Mattingly won Kyabram’s best-and-fairest award in its premiership season last year, averaging over 35 possessions per game, which mysteriously weren’t acknowledged by the central umpires.

His match-winning absence was evident on Saturday in the Bombers’ shock loss to Shepparton Swans, but Ky fans will have to get used to it, as co-coach Corey Carver said he wouldn’t play again this season.

Northern Victoria’s best all round sportsman, Kyabram’s Kyle Mueller, is also facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines following an incident playing for Congupna in the opening Murray League round at Easter.

He suffered breaks on three lower vertebrae wings, but how long he will be sidelined for is unknown at this stage while he gets more expert advice on the extent of the injury.

Mueller has just finished leading Kyabram to the Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield flag in a season in which he had made over 1000 runs in all forms of the game.

He will also be missed by the Congupna Football Club for which has kicked 101 and 94 goals in the last two Murray League seasons.