It’s not easy to do but Echuca could do it for the third time in five seasons at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton on Sunday.
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That is making a clean sweep of all three GVL football premierships.
The Murray Bombers have their thirds, reserves and seniors all contesting grand finals.
It’s a rare feat but Echuca has performed it twice recently — in 2022 and 2024.
Ironically the Murray Bombers’ opposition in all three games this Sunday is Shepparton, which has also claimed the hat-trick previously, in 2000.
Mind you, this season’s GVL grand final clashes are really not what the league wanted.
Only two clubs involved in three deciders can only be a financial success if supporters of both Shepparton and Echuca, and other clubs, turn out in force.
And if the treble is going to happen again, my tip is Echuca has the best chance of doing it.
Junior success unprecedented?
Has a Kyabram Under 16 side ever won a flag in the top level of competition before the recent triumph?
I have had no luck in determining when Kyabram’s last Under 16 football side won a premiership before the recent victory of the Paul Newman-coached Kyabram boys in the Goulburn Murray Junior Football League.
The young Bombers won a thrilling grand final three weeks ago against the Shepparton Swans but nobody has come forward to say they were in a Kyabram Under 16 flag-winning side prior to that win.
Local legend passes
The Kyabram football community is sad to hear of the passing of former Kyabramite and Kyabram Football Netball Club stalwart Austin Beamish.
A quiet, modest, humble and likeable man, Austin, 77, had moved to the Gold Coast several years ago and had been experiencing ill health in recent times.
He loved his sport, particularly football and middle distance running.
He was familiar sight on Kyabram streets in his prime, training for running, which he experienced a lot of success at.
He played some senior football with Kyabram and was a member of the reserves’ flag-winning 1971 team captained by four-time Abikhair medallist (GVL reserves best and fairest) Max Murley.
He was a key member of the historic side that defeated Euroa in the grand final with a scoreline of 10.19 (79) to 4.14 (38).
After his playing career he served the club for a time as a boundary umpire, timekeeper, gate keeper for many years and was made a life member of the club in 2016.
Running was a huge passion and over his active Victorian Cross Country League career between 2008 and 2015, he secured three top-10 finishes across 21 total races.
Bombers’ rival recognised
One of the players who ended Kyabram’s bid to win a hat-trick GVL of flags in 2018 has won the Margarey Medal in the South Australian Football League.
Nick Rokahr had a stellar season with Norwood and was a runaway winner of the medal, scoring 38 votes out of a possible 54, the highest tally for over half a century and 15 votes clear of the runner-up, Sturt’s Tom Lewis.
Rokahr deserved his win, as he was runner-up in 2022 and 2023.
He also shared the Sandover Medal in the West Australian Football League in 2024 playing with Swan Districts.
Murphy’s Melbourne move
Echuca-Moama spin bowler Todd Murphy is heading back to Victoria for the Big Bash League season in the summer, joining the Melbourne Stars.
Murphy has spent the past five seasons in this competition playing with Sydney Sixers, playing 30 BBL games with the Sydney club.
He is looking forward to his homecoming and will be in action next month playing for the Australian A red ball series against India.
He has represented Australia in Test matches seven times and has taken 22 wickets, which included 7/124 on debut against India in India in 2023.
Pitt’s personal quaddie
Stanhope reinsman Mark Pitt had a good night at the office at Melton last Saturday night.
Pitt drove the winners of four Group 1 races.
You wouldn’t get rich backing them, with his winners Enjoy Life ($2), Some High ($2.60), Kahula ($1.25) and Better Beach ($1.10) all starting favourites.
Driving multiple winners at a meeting is nothing new for Pitt — he drove NINE winners at a Launceston meeting in 2023 — but landing four Group 1 winners at one meeting is another first on his bulging CV.
Cup time in Jerilderie
Those who like a good old picnic race meeting and are not avid footy fans should keep Saturday, September 26 in mind.
It’s the Jerilderie Gold Cup meeting and it’s a lot more than a race meeting, with the off-track entertainment and small town hospitality well worth sampling.