It could be standing room only at the Tongala Recreation Reserve on Saturday, June 27.

That is the day the Blues will tackle reigning premier Cobram with arguably the recruit of the century in its side.

Former Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli has agreed to play a one-off game with the Jordan Souter coached Tongala.

Rioli, one of the most exciting players ever to play VFL/AFL, has only played in Victoria once since 2018 when he sensationally retired from a memorable career with Hawthorn.

That was in last year’s Ej Whitten Legends game, where he was named man of the match in the All-Stars win over Victoria.

Now 36 years old, Rioli finished his decorated 189-game career with the Hawks with four premierships and the 2015 Norm Smith Medal.

Tongala president Daniel Cox said getting Rioli to Tongala was pulled off because of the club’s close connections with Darwin players.

Northern Territory Football League coach Chris Baksh is a former Tongala player and current Blues player Cam Ilett is also a legend of the Top-End competition.

Cox said these connections helped to get Rioli to commit to a one-off appearance with the Blues.

Cox predicted Rioli’s appearance could be one of the best attended games in the club’s history, and he expected the entire town to support the recruiting coup.

***

Former Kyabram and Carlton footballer, the late Maurie Fowler, has been named as coach of Hay Football Club's Greatest Team for the last 60 years.

The announcement was made at Hay’s recent 150th anniversary celebrations.

Hay Football Club legend Buck Howard, who has been a Hay committeeman for 64 years, was given the task of selecting the team and spoke in glowing terms of Maurie’s leadership qualities.

So impressed with his leadership qualities, he even beat some of the club’s premiership coaches for the honour.

Maurie took over as coach of Hay in 1976 and coached the club for three years.

Former Tongala ruck-forward the late Garth Honey was named as first ruck in the team, and Echuca’s 1970 Bendigo League premiership star Ralph Todd was named on the half-forward flank.

In his time at the Murrumbidgee River club, Maurie started his licensed club management career at the Hay Ex Services Club, a profession he carried through the rest of his working life.

This year, the Golden Rivers League merged with the Central Murray League clubs.

Footy historian Rod Gillett who spent his early days in Kyabram and Rochester attended the evening to honour the best Hay team of the last 60 years and presented the club with a heritage plaque to mark its 150-year anniversary on behalf of AFL NSW.

***

One former Kyabramite, Glen Macdermid, has fond memories of Neale Daniher, who recently lost his fight against the cruel motor neurone disease.

Glen attended Kilmore Assumption College at the same time as Neale did in the 1970s and was inspired to write the following about the inspirational football personality after his passing:

“I was fortunate to be in Neale’s orbit at Assumption College in the 1970’s.

“Whilst he was a year ahead of me, I observed him as a humble person who looked out for others.

“We came in contact at the college through football and athletics, he was a natural sportsman.

“If he didn’t play AFL he would have played Test cricket.

“Academically he was very solid, and loved a card game playing for matchsticks.

“He used to call me ‘Derm’.

“Boarding school in the 1970’s can sometimes be an unforgiving place, but as an impressionable teenager, Neale made time to have a yack about footy, cricket farming, whatever.

“From this, you walked away uplifted for knowing this person.

“Vale Neale Daniher.”

***

A couple of notable and identical games milestones were achieved by Kyabram players in the Kyabram-Mooroopna GVL clash on Saturday.

Both Kaine Herbert and Cooper Vick played their 100th senior games with the club.

Herbert, who won two McNamara Medals playing with Kyabram District League club Undera before joining Kyabram, has been a standout player going into his sixth season with the club.

He has been agonisingly close to adding a GVL Morrison Medal or two to his two KDL medals in his time with the Bombers, with his tireless hard running and work ethic features of his game.

Cooper Vick has carried on a family tradition with his time with the Bombers.

He has been a consistent performer in several roles, but mainly defence.

He is a player who has come through the Kyabram junior footy system and is possibly a bit underrated, but not by his coaches, teammates and club fans.

***

Did a player who made his debut in the Kyabram senior team against Mooroopna on Saturday create a club record?

Ash Quinn, who has had a decorated career with Murray League club Nathalia and has been helping on the Kyabram senior coaching bench this season, is 39 years of age.

He has been playing with the Kyabram reserves and doing well enough to get a senior call-up.

I can’t think of any Kyabram player who has made his senior debut at the age of 39 or even older, but I stand to be corrected.

Incidentally, Ash turned back the clock and did some good work early.

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Tuesday, 30th June 2026

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