When Trevor Sutton kicked an incredible 249 goals in the 1982 season for Deniliquin Rams in the Murray Football League he set a benchmark that may stand for ever.

Sutton was a 186cm goalkicking footballing nomad with a “have boots will travel” outlook taking him to football fields in every Australian state and territory.

Sutton’s name is still spoken of with reverence, whether it concerns the 239 goals he booted in the Darwin league for Nightcliff between 1979-93, or his goalkicking exploits for places such as North Albany, Carnamah, East Fremantle, Claremont, Geraldton, Footscray, Norwood, Coorparoo, North Shore, Kedron, Karatha North, Sandgate, Lake Boga, Robinvale, Townsville Swans, East Wagga-Kooringal and Deniliquin.

Despite Sutton’s mind-boggling goal kicking heroics ironically the premiership eluded the Deniliquin Rams that year, beaten in the grand final by Finley.

The most recent challenger to his feat was Aaron Purcell, then a 34-year-old forward from Jerilderie who kicked 222 goals after kicking one goal in his team’s grand final win against Strathmerton in the Picola League in 2013.

In that season Purcell had 100 goals on the board in the first eight games with his season tally that year of 222 goals achieved in 20 matches.

He played in the EJ Whitten Legends game that year for the All Stars, which was one of the highlights of his football career.

But he said nothing would topple his first premiership in 1999 with Jerilderie, then playing in the Coreen Football League, after losing the previous four grand finals in a row.

Jerilderie was 10 goals down at half-time in that flag battle and came back and won it.

In total Purcell has won nine senior premierships across his career from 15 grand final appearances, including seven with Jerilderie and one with Lavington in the Ovens and Murray league.

Purcell said he was proud that he became the first Jerilderie player to notch up 300 senior games for the Demons

NEXT UP IN GUS UNDERWOOD’S FREAKISH SPORTING FEATS: Alan ‘Shirty’ Vick (football)

Kyabram’s Alan Vick had a day out in front of goals in 1963 against Murchison in the Goulburn Valley League, bagging a still-league-record of 21 goals.

‘’Shirty’’ as he was lovingly known was more recognised as a defender and part of Kyabram’s legendary backline of brothers along with Bob and Alf.

Shirty’s goal kicking bonanza succeeded the official league record Lemnos’s Len Cummins, who kicked 20 goals in one game on Saturday, August 6, 1960 against Stanhope.

– Read Gus Underwood’s take on Vick’s ‘Freakish Sporting Feat’ in next Friday’s Riv.

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Monday, 28th April 2025

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