Gus’ sports snaps

Kayne Pettifer is itching to get back where his distinguished and lengthy football journey started.

Merrigum raised Pettifer will be back in his home town this Saturday and, although now 44, will pull on the Merrigum Football Club jumper and try to help the winless Bulldogs beat Longwood in the Kyabram District League.

There is also reunions for the Peter White-coached 1986 and 1987 Merrigum flag-winning sides and the 1986 reserves side which completed the premiership double for the club in 1986.

Pettifer will be accompanied by Richmond great and close friend Matthew Richardson.

Richardson won’t be pulling on the boots but will be a guest speaker with Pettifer at a sold out pre-match luncheon in the clubrooms.

Pettifer’s memories of growing up in Merrigum and in a staunch sporting family are still strong.

He recalled playing one game when he was a 14-year-old with Merrigum’s under-18s which was being coached at the time by his late uncle, Tim (Nugget) Pettifer.

That was the one and only game he played with Merrigum.

But with his late father Mick also coaching at the club at the time, Pettifer mingled with a lot of players, officials and supporters of the club in those days.

‘‘I just hope a lot of these can turn up on Saturday so we can meet up again and have a chat,’’ he said.

With his father moving to Rochester to work after coaching Merrigum reserves to a flag in 1986, Kayne spent his teen years playing with junior side at Rochester before his family moved to Kyabram, where his football skills were starting to impress when playing with the Kyabram thirds and Murray Bushrangers.

Winning the Larke Medal at the National Under-18 titles in 2000 was a huge turning point in his career and led to him being recruited at pick nine in the VFL draft by Richmond and then on to a 113-game career with the Tigers.

After playing with Richmond from 2001 to 2009, Pettifer’s love of the game led to him returning to Kyabram, then Yarrawonga, before coming back to Kyabram, where he booted 100 goals in 2018, one of only three players to achieve the feat in the club’s history.

The two other Kyabram players to achieve this goal-kicking feat were Richard ‘Dick’ Clay in 1964 with 103 and Ian Greening in 1950.

From 2016-18, Pettifer booted 269 goals for the Bombers and was in their 2016 and 2017 premiership sides.

He has also made appearances with East Perth, Montmorency and Yarrawonga since his AFL days.

The last time he pulled on the boots was for Violet Town earlier this season when one of his former Kyabram premiership teammates, Lachy Smith, also played.

So is it going to finally be the end of Pettifer’s playing days this Saturday, where it all started?

Maybe, but Pettifer has a habit of saying never say never.

Tickets for Saturday’s luncheon at Merrigum have sold out and there is a waiting list if there are any cancellations.

Dipper makes his mark

Star Kyabram footballer Anthony Depasquale grasped his chance to play at VFL level for Werribee last Saturday.

The man they call Dipper kicked 4.3 in his team’s big win over Brisbane Lions, which has lifted it into second place on the ladder.

He was named Werribee’s second best player.

Dipper said yesterday he felt confident for the first time in the nine games he has played for Werribee that he can play at this level.

He said he knew he was playing after a key forward pulled a hamstring at training on the Thursday night.

‘‘They told me then to get ready to play and the coach (Dan Lowther) got in touch with me on the Friday and told me to play my natural game, which I really appreciated,’’ he said.

Dipper was credited with 20 possessions for the game, his first appearance with the club this season.

Last year he played eight games with Werribee but said he never felt confident in those appearances.

‘‘On Sarurday I played mainly deep forward but did work up the ground a bit at times,“ he said.

‘‘I really felt confident and now feel I can play at this level.’’

Werribee has the bye this weekend but he is not expected to line up with Kyabram.

‘‘I’m pretty sure I’ll be asked not to play and risk injury,’’ he said.

Depasquale was recruited by Werribee last year after finishing second on the GVL goal-kicking list in 2024.

Double dose of Rioli not enough

Not even the Rioli cousins could help the Deniliquin Rams cause an upset win over the unbeaten Congupna in the Murray Football League last Saturday.

Former AFL star Willie and his cousin Ben lined up with the Deni Rams against the unbeaten hot flag aspirant.

Willie kicked three goals but Congupna held all the aces and ran out a 76-point winner to remain undefeated.

Another Rioli — the best of them all, Cyril — will be in the Goulburn Vally on Saturday week, pulling on the Tongala jumper in a one-off clash with reigning Murray league premier Cobram.

Vale Trevor Turpin

Girgarre Fotball Club recently lost a member of its 1976 premiership side with the passing of Trevor Turpin.

Girgarre Football Club legend John Roberts said Trevor was a lively, hard-working left-footer midfielder and a great club person.

Trevor’s late brother Alan also played with the Kyabram league Kangaroos.

Former Bombers to reminisce

The bond between players from the 1990s at Kyabram will be evident on June 27.

Kyabram footballers coached by Des Campbell and Chris Stuhldreier have been invited to attend the Kyabram versus Shepparton Swans GVL clash on that day and relive some of their memories of their time at the club.

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Saturday, 3rd May 2031

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