McPherson Newspapers’ recent introduction of GVL Data in its newspapers has created what it was meant to — extra footy talk and debate.
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That can’t be too bad in trying times for country football which is still in a lingering process of trying to regenerate interest in the sport after suffering a big hit by COVID-19.
The exodus of players, officials and fans since COVID struck has never challenged the sport more in regional and country areas than it has at present.
You only have to go back three weeks when a town as big as Benalla could field only one footy side — its seniors — for its clash with GVL competition pacesetter Echuca.
It then suffered the indignity of not scoring a goal in that game which may be some sort of unwanted record for a major league country club.
Benalla is a worse case scenario but you only have to check the GVL — and most country scores for that matter — team sheets each week to know all is not well.
Even at Kyabram some of its thirds players have been doubling up each week to make up the numbers for its reserves team, which is unbeaten this season.
It’s not going to be a quick fix and it’s a serious situation and a long way back for a lot of clubs trying to rebuild with restrictions on player salaries and player points.
I must admit I was a bit dubious about the stats which are being gathered, but I am assured by the person who orchestrated the innovation, Shepparton News editor Tyler Maher, that those who sit and watch video replays to assemble the stats get it at least 90 per cent right.
I had some young fans keep one Kyabram player’s stats in the recent game against Mooroopna and their figures matched up exactly with what GVL Data came up with.
What the stats don’t reveal though are the players who get special assignments in games and do the team thing which a lot of supporters may not be aware of but can have big influence on determining the outcome of games.
The other negative I feel is that some players with expanded egos may feel a lot better if their stats are impressive and put that ahead of doing the team things.
But overall the innovation has done what it was intended to do and that has to be a positive.
Common sense prevails
Glad to see common sense prevail with radio station ONE FM returning to cover some GVL games for the remainder of the season.
After 30 years the GVL and ONEFM parted ways at the start of this season, but all didn’t go swimmingly for the league in that controversial change and the new path it took brought a lot of criticism.
Since that divorce ONE FM recently did a deal with the Kyabram District Football League to cover games for the remainder of the season.
But ONE FM has committed to three GVL games leading into the finals and returned with coverage of the Tatura-Benalla clash last Saturday.
And it will broadcast the much anticipated Echuca-Kyabram clash on Saturday week July 30.
Family that plays together...
Free Press editor Rohan Aldous had an interesting story in last week’s Free Press on district footy families.
It has been revealed since then that Berrigan Football Club had FIVE players from the one family line-up with its senior side against Deniliquin Rovers in the Picola League last Saturday week.
Club favourite and life member Craig Thornton was joined by his sons Rory and Connor and nephews Bailey and Caleb in the game in which the undermanned Berrigan put up a fight but went down by 34 points.
Pal keeps rewarding
– Kyabram owners Phil and Lynette Steers are having a good run with their galloper Pal’s Reward.
The five-year-old gelding made it five wins from 26 starts — there have also been seven minor placings — when he led throughout to win a $35,000 race over 1100m at Bendigo meeting last Thursday.
From opening quotes of 37/1 Pal’s Reward firmed into a 11/1 shot to score his latest win so some punters had a clean-up.
Pal’s Reward was purchased a yearling for $19,000 and has now won $113,000.
Phil Steers said after Pal’s Reward’s first trial when preparing for his racing career connections had been offered $150,000, but because they wanted a horse at the races turned the offer down.
Phil and Lynette race Pals Reward — who is trained by Kym Hann at Bendigo in partnership with Tongalaites Alan and Shirley Newton.
“I was looking to sell my share in him, but we have now had second thoughts and until we get another one to the races we’ll stick with him,” Phil said.
“We have a one, two and three-year-old from the same family coming along we are hoping can also make it to the races.”
Irish luck delivers
Kyabram trots trainer Mick Blackmore has had a big week.
He went within a head of pulling off a longshot double at Bendigo last week with two trotters he prepares and then produced a winner at the Shepparton meeting on Sunday night.
At Bendigo Blackmore produced Bitta Irish Luck for an impressive win and then watched Yankee Lover go down by a head in a later race.
Bitta Irish Luck, a two-year-old filly, was having just her sixth trip to the races and had put the writing on the wall for her second career win with a recent trial win in slick time on the Bendigo track.
Although just beaten Yankee Lover, a four-year-old by top sire Love You and raced by Blackmore’s partner Pam Patten, produced a career best run in sizzling 1.58.6 mile rate time for the 2150m trip.
Blackmore’s Shepparton winner was No Neigh Philtra who was an odds-on chance and won like one, spearing to the front at barrier rise from outside the front row and then running his rivals ragged.
Big Cat’s flying visit
They are justifiably mighty proud of their sportsmen up at Finley as evidenced by their latest tribute.
Geelong superstar forward Tom Hawkins made a recent visit to his home town and now shares an entrance sign to the southern Riverina town with another of its AFL football greats, 1999 Brownlow Medallist Shane Crawford.
Hawkins has been acknowledged for being last year’s Coleman Medallist as the AFL’s leading goalkicker in the 2022 season.
Always keen promote the game and his home town Hawkins took time off during a quick trip to the town to handout some hints to junior footballers.
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