Sport
Kyabram star denied Bombers’ return by VFL club while ex-teammate named in Weekly Times’ mid-season Team of the Year
It’s no wonder more high profile football clubs are not popular with country clubs.
There was another good example last weekend when Kyabram star Anthony Depasquale was looking to pull on the Bombers’ jumper again.
He has been a regular with VFL club Werribee in recent weeks after being recruited earlier this year after a stellar 2024 season with his home club.
But with Werribee having the bye at the weekend, the man they call “Dipper” or “DK”, was looking forward to pulling on a Kyabram jumper again for at least one game this season.
But no, Werribee said ‘‘no go’’.
‘‘They were adamant I couldn’t play with my home club. That was it,’’ Depasquale said.
Depasquale said he was bitterly disappointed because he had built himself up to play with his former teammates.
One of those being Kyabram star Mick Mattingly, who is one of only two Goulburn Valley League players named in the Weekly Times’ mid-season Team Of The Year.
Mattingly, the 2019 GVL Morrison medallist, has been named in the centre after a dominant start to the season in which he has gathered an average 33 possessions in the 10 games he has played. He missed two games through injury.
The only other Goulburn Valley player to make the team is Echuca’s young gun Hugh Byrne who has been selected at centre half-forward.
Tim Free, coach of unbeaten Woorinen in Central Murray League, has been appointed the team’s coach, with former Geelong champion Stevie Johnson his deputy.
Meanwhile, those hardy Kyabram footy fans who ventured to Seymour last Saturday in time to see the Bomber reserves in action blinked twice at first sight.
That number seven getting around in a Kyabram jumper looked very familiar.
And he was.
It was Kayne Pettifer, who last played with Kyabram two years ago and with Nathalia last season.
The former Richmond and Kyabram star gave no hint that his 43-year-old legs were on the blink a bit with a match-winning five-goal haul.
And will he be back?
“A couple of friends asked if I would play and if the club wants to me to and there is a position I wouldn’t rule it out,’’ Pettifer said.
This weekend’s One FM broadcast match is between Shepparton versus Benalla, live from Deakin Reserve at 1:30pm.
The following weekend One FM will be calling the KDL match between Lancaster versus Murchison-Toolamba again live from 1:30pm. Please note there will be no GVL broadcast on that Saturday.