The wizard of the late 1950s and early 1960s, the late Jeff Cooper, will have a medal named in his honour in the Goulburn Valley League’s Indigenous round on July 4.
Kyabram travels to Rochester in that round 13 clash, but there will be a home ceremony to launch Kyabram’s contribution to the indigenous round.
Bombers president John Guinan said the idea to acknowledge Cooper in this manner had met with maximum approval and enthusiasm at a recent club committee meeting.
‘‘Everyone on the committee thought it was a great idea,“ Guinan said.
“Jeff is a legend of our club, and many believe he is regarded as the best player ever to pull on a Kyabram jumper.”
Cooper was an instant sensation in the GVL when he debuted for the club in 1958 from Woorinen near Swan Hill in the Central Murray League.
He won the GVL’s top individual award, the Morrison Medal, in his first season with the Bombers, was a member of their premiership side and kicked 63 goals that year when Kyabram beat Nagambie for the flag.
He also won the Morrison Medal again in 1961 to become the first and only Kyabram player to win the award twice.
In contrast, Jeff’s late brother John was a hardy, tough-nut player for Kyabram at the same time after joining his brother at the Bombers a year later.
John’s son Gary was a GVL legend, winning three Morrison Medals while Jeff’s son Lenny and grandson Brady played for Kyabram.
Lenny also represented the GVL.
Many Kyabram supporters and GVL fans with long memories still rate Jeff as the classiest footballer to play with the Bombers and in the GVL.
Those privileged enough to be around then to watch him weave his magic still talk about his feats today.
Jeff’s football career commenced in 1955 in the Mid Murray League, with Woorinen, where he played his first senior game as a 16-year-old.
He was immediately seen as a future star, and the next year was selected to represent the Mid Murray League against Carlton’s VFL (now AFL) team.
In 1957 he transferred to play with Mathoura in the Echuca District League and won that league’s medal.
In 1958 Jeff found himself at Kyabram playing with the Bombers under legendary coach Tony Bull, and he became an instant sensation in GVL football.
Although not large in stature, he was powerful with relentless running power, speed and reflexes.
He was a player well ahead of his years and the game as it was played in those days.
Coaches in today’s frenetic style of football would have loved the way he ran through the lines, dodging, handballing, mesmerising and frustrating opponents with his scorching pace and uncanny ball skills.
The GVL selectors also loved Jeff and selected him to represent the League in two games against VFL clubs, Richmond in 1960 and Collingwood in 1962.
Jeff repeated his Morrison Medal win in the 1961 season and is one of only nine GVL players to win the award twice.
He was also runner-up in the Morrison Medal in 1962, third in 1963 to his then Kyabram coach Charlie Stewart and fourth in 1964 in his last year at Kyabram.
Jeff played a total of 104 games with Kyabram.
He has been inducted into both the Kyabram Football Club and the Goulburn Valley Football League’s Hall of Fame.
The word ‘legend’ and ‘champion’ can be used a bit loosely at times, but not in the case of Jeff Cooper.
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