What really happened was that Learmonth told Healy the Kyabram players had said they would be prepared to play for nothing if a season eventuated.

‘‘I didn’t say the players wouldn’t be paid, just they were prepared to play for nothing and someone has picked that up and put it on Facebook. But that’s not the case,’’ the Kyabram chief said.

● I’m a bit flattered, not to mention embarrassed, to have my name included in the same list as some of Kyabram’s sporting greats, and I thank those who put my name forward.

Shepparton News sports editor Tyler Maher’s campaign in his Thursday Maher’s Musings column to find sportspeople most associated with their Goulburn Valley towns got a strong response.

I overloaded him with my candidates for Kyabram and surrounding towns and he is now narrowing down the lists of these names before deciding who gets the final nod for each town.

From an exhaustive and impressive line-up he has narrowed it down to Garry Lyon or Dick Clay to take the honour for Kyabram.

In response to those who put my name forward, I thank them for their thoughts, but this exercise is about famous sporting athletes and not battling and ageing sporting journalists.

● Tongala is mourning the loss last weekend of Neville Mackrell, who had been battling cancer.

A town stalwart and successful businessman, Nev loved his sports, particularly football, bowls and trots.

He was a selector for Tongala when it won successive Goulburn Valley League flags in 1983-84 under legendary coach Des Campbell and played with both the Tongala and Undera football clubs in his younger days.

Des Campell described Neville as a great friend and a great man, who will be missed by the Tongala community.

One of the pacers Neville had an ownership interest in, the Mark Watson-trained Miss Artemis, almost pulled off an upset win at a Bendigo meeting last week, beaten a half head.

Neville also developed butcher shops in Tongala, Kyabram, Echuca and Moama and conducted lifeweight calf sales at Tongala for several decades.

● In a rare occurrence, full brothers saluted in successive races at a Bendigo trots meeting last week.

Kyvalley Senator and Kyvalley Chief, who pulled off the double, were both bought at the New Zealand yearling sales in successive years by Kyvalley owner Jim Connolly.

Both are by Muscle Hill out of the Love You mare Love Ya Doosie, who raced only six times for two wins.

Kyvalley Chief, having only his fifth start, skipped over the 1650m trip in a slashing mile rate of 1.56.4, which included a 57.5 last half, to edge out the pacesetter, Fear The Yankee, in a two-horse battle to the wire.

Three-year-old Kyvalley Senator, who was a $1.40 favourite, also had to pull out plenty to account for Avimore to notch his second career win from just the 10 tries.

● Merrigum owners Greg and Jenny Pell have enjoyed another win with their promising young pacer Holi Starzzz.

The two-year-old daughter of Four Starzzz Shark saluted at a Bendigo meeting last week to make it two wins and a runner-up finish in just three race starts.

The David Miles-trained and driven filly zipped over the 1650m trip in impressive PB 1.56.1 mile rate time to beat Call Me Diva and the Daniel Jack-trained and driven Emrites.

● Yet another district victim of the coronavirus is the Shepparton Netball Association.

It has pulled the plug on its season, citing not being able to get a start by mid June as the reason.

● Will it catch on?

Finley Bowling Club is now boasting an eye-catching clubhouse.

Artist Damian Mitchell has just finished six murals in the town, including two on walls at the local bowls club.

In the photo above, Finley Bowls Club members Nan Smith and Fred Braybon display Mitchell’s impressive paintwork.