Stalwart: Des Sleeth — as tough as they come.
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One of the Goulburn Valley’s most recognisable football families has lost another stalwart.
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Des Sleeth died at the weekend after a long and brave battle with health problems.
Undera-raised Des, 82, was the older brother of Pat Sleeth, a legendary Kyabram District League player for Undera and triple league McNamara Medallist, who died in December.
Des was a tough, no-nonsense utility who first came to notice as a budding star when he was vice-captain of the St Coleman’s junior side that went through the 1958 season in the Shepparton Junior Football League undefeated.
Because of a Kyabram connection through his brother-in-law and Kyabram Football Club hard man, Brian Dillon, Des found himself gearing up in a Kyabram jumper in 1959 and enjoyed a premiership win with the reserves that year.
He went on to play 178 games with the Bombers and was runner-up in their best-and-fairest award in 1963 under coach Charlie Stewart.
Legend lost: Des Sleeth flies high for a mark in his playing days with Kyabram.
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In the same season, he played centre half-back in the Tom Hafey-coached GVL representative side.
After he left Kyabram at the end of the 1967 season, he experienced instant success coaching his home-town club to the Kyabram league premiership in 1968 when Undera beat Merrigum for the flag.
He was also a member of Undera’s 1972 side, coached by his brother Pat, which beat Tallygaroopna for the premiership.
Des hung up the boots in 1974 after 113 games with Undera and 291 games at senior level, including his 178 with Kyabram.
In recent years, he was named in Undera’s Team of the Decade for both the 1960s and 1970s and the Team of the Half Century from 1960 to 2010.
Funeral arrangements were being made at the time of going to press.
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