He replaces Paul Newman, who coached the side in the inaugural competition last season but didn’t seek the position again.

But Newman is expected to captain the side after a non-playing coaching role last season.

Last season’s Hurley Hotel Hounds sponsor Brenton Sheppard said this season’s team would be jointly sponsored by Hurley’s Hotel and the two Kyabram-based cricket clubs, Fire Brigade Cricket Club and Kyabram Cricket Club.

‘‘There will be a focus on having mostly locals in our side. You can retain five players from last year’s squad and you can have three marquee players in the three preliminary rounds,’’ Sheppard said.

Kyabram will host one round of the competition, which is due kick off on Sunday, November 22, with the first round games to played at Deakin Reserve, Shepparton.

Kyabram gets its turn to host the second round on Sunday, December 13, while the remaining preliminary round will be played at Barooga on January 7. The final is to be held at a venue to be decided on Sunday, February 7.

A draft is being held on October 9 and registrations are now available.

● Northerners Cricket Cub’s Joel Brett is the only player from the Goulburn Murray area to be named in the Victorian Country Cricket League Team of the Year.

Brett’s 42 wickets at an average of just 8.95 in the 2019-2000 season in Cricket Shepparton’s premier competition, the Haisman Shield, won him his spot in the team which is based on runs and wickets, best averages and wicket-keeping dismissals.

● It was interesting to see Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron’s reaction to criticism by Brett Deledio, who claimed the side played like 22 individuals rather than a collective unit.

Brett’s opinions were expressed before the recent "replay” of last year’s AFL grand final. Cameron refused to condemn the comments, instead using them as a motivational weapon in the build-up to GWS-Richmond clash.

‘‘If people look at it (Deledio’s criticism) as a stinging attack on their credibility or individualism on the footy field then do something about it,’’ Cameron told his players.

GWS answered Cameron’s advice by beating the reigning premier.

● Kyabram District Football Netball League club Shepparton East Football Club has reappointed Duane Hueston as its senior football coach for season 2021.

Hueston, 39, was appointed to succeed Nick Brown in the role this year after crossing from GVL club Shepparton United mid-season last year.

Hueston has vast playing and coaching experience. He spent many seasons at Echuca United, which included a coaching stint at the Murray League club.

Adam Johnson has also recommitted to coaching the club reserves.

Shepparton East had lured many of its former players back to the club for this season and expects most of them to stay on board next season.

● Murray Football Club Echuca United will have a well-travelled coach in charge in season 2021.

Adam Sutherland has got the gig to replace premiership coach Guy Campbell, who retired earlier this year.

Sutherland has had a solid grounding, having played and coached Bacchus Marsh in the Ballarat Football League.

He has also coached in the Northern Territory and is currently coaching the Gladstone Suns in Queensland’s AFL Capricornia League.

● Heathcote Football League club Lockington-Bamawm United is looking for a new coach after Kahl Oliver told the club he won’t be taking on the role in 2021.

Oliver is the most successful coach in the club’s history, winning three flags in his first of two coaching stints as club coach.

His club had recruited well for this year and was expected to make a bold bid for the flag before the season was called off due to Covid-19.

● One of my favourite country horse trainers, Peter IIsley, never had large numbers of horses in his Seymour stables, but he was still able at times to upstage the biggest names in the Australian training ranks in the thoroughbred industry,

The horse that really put him on the map was Bar Landy.

He produced modestly bred Bar Landy to win the Winfield Stakes — now known as the Kingston Town Classic — in Perth in 1990.

Among his rivals that day was the great Queensland-trained frontrunner Vo Rogue.

It wasn’t the first time Bar Landy upstaged racing royalty. Australian Racing Hall of Famer Sydeston had to be content with second place behind Bar Landy in 1989 Tasmanian Derby while another elite galloper, King’s High, also played second fiddle to the Seymour-trained galloper in the Alister Clark Stakes.

Bar Landy’s feats were recognised with a room at Seymour racecourse named in his honour

Peter Ilsly died recently aged 85 after a battle with illness.