They are pictured with Peggy O’Neal, who is the first woman in VFL/AFL history to serve as a club president and steps down from that role at the end of this year.
Recruited by Richmond in 1966 after winning the GVL’s Morrison Medal in 1964 playing at full forward, Clay was renowned for his versatility, aerial strength and prodigious kicking.
He played in one of the most successful eras in Richmond's history and was in four Tom Hafey-coached premiership sides.
He was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2002 and named on the wing in Richmond's Team of the Century.
Deledio played 243 games over 12 seasons with Richmond after being taken as the first pick in the 2004 AFL draft.
He was a two-time All-Australian, two-time Richmond best and fairest winner and recipient of the league's Rising Star award in his debut year in 2005.
Between 2013 and 2016 he served as Richmond's vice-captain.
After parting with Richmond he played 32 games over three seasons with the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Tonny didn’t take losing well
Ken Lucas was just a teenager when he witnessed one of the ugliest and most sensational incidents in the league’s history between GVL traditional rivals Kyabram and Tongala at the Kyabram Recreation Reserve in May 1951.
With the result in the melting pot with three minutes to play Kyabram full forward Ian Greening was awarded a free kick after Tongala ruckman Bill Miller had taken a mark in Kyabram’s goal square.
Greening kicked the goal to even the scores. But not before play had been suspended while the umpire removed a Tongala supporter, who entered the ground to remonstrate against the free kick being awarded, had been removed from the oval.
Two more behinds in the dying stages gave Kyabram a win by that margin but the umpire was then the target of three disgruntled Tongala players, who pursued him from the ground.
Now in his 80s, Ken, living on a farm at Tongala East at the time, recalls most Tongala players taking their jumpers off at the final siren to express their disappointment and displeasure with the umpire.
‘‘I think Dave Newman (Tongala’s captain-coach) was the only Tongala player who didn’t take off his jumper,’’ Ken said.
The Free Press report of the game stated ‘‘only for some cool-headed men from both Tongala and Kyabram and police intervention had prevented an even uglier scene’’.
The report stated Newman epitomised his team’s view when he said: ‘‘It was a terrible spectacle – 36 players, a lot of them young, on a ground where their only protection from injury is the umpire and today with such a no-hoper as we have never seen before.’’
The Free Press also reported ‘‘the incident rounded off an eventful afternoon of football of a low standard wherein the umpiring was impartial but incompetent with players allowed undue latitude and then penalised the next minute. The way free kicked players handed the ball to the opposition consistently showed they had no idea of why the verdict was given.’’
Match details:
Goal kickers: Kyabram: Greening 7, Tweddle 3, Russell; Tongala: D McGowan 5, W Miller 2, Pell, Kelsey, Corry, Aldous. Moulden.
Best: Kyabram: F Davies, A Caldwell, H Russell, R Brasher, P Aiken, I Greening, J Davies; Tongala: W Miller, D Newman, D McGowan, Corry, Nurse, Dick.
Mooney sets date
Geelong premiership player Cam Mooney has marked July 23 as the day he will make his much-anticipated one-off appearance with Kyabram District League battler Longwood.
Taken at number three in the Carlton Draft promotion whereby battling country clubs get a choice to pick an AFL great to play a one-off game with that club, Mooney will strip for Longwood for its clash with neighbour and finals aspirant Violet Town on that day.
As Longwood president Ricky Shiner has emphasised, Mooney’s appearance will be about a lot more than just playing and will create a buzz around the club, which continues to thrive off field despite its lack of success on it.
Mooney hasn’t played for 10 years and was warned at the weekend by AFL great Eddie Betts, who has now played two games in the promotion, that it was a tough gig if you have any fitness issues.
Jetta soars for Tatura
Tatura Football Club unveiled a star inclusion for its clash against GVL powerhouse Echuca on Sunday.
Former Melbourne star and All Australian Neville Jetta pulled on the Bulldogs’ jumper and helped the side put up a commendable showing against the unbeaten Murray Bombers.
Jetta was named as one of Tatura’s best players on the day.
Tegan gets combine call-up
Rochester’s Tegan Williams’ rise in the ranks of female footballers has taken another positive step.
The daughter of GVL football legend and Rochester and Kyabram premiership coach Dave Williams has been invited, along with 106 up-and-coming talents from all over Australia, to attend the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft Combine.
Tegan, who plays for the Bendigo Pioneers Under 19 side, is one of 57 Victorians selected and one 78 players eligible to be drafted for the first time.
Tegan, 18, represented Victoria Country in the recent AFLW Under 18 Championships.
Dates and venues for the combine are yet to be announced.
Honour for Keating
Round four in the Goulburn Murray Junior Football League has been named in honour of veteran Shepparton trucking legend Ken Keating.
Keating has contributed sponsorship to junior football in the Goulburn Valley region for 40 years.
Ken founded Keating Freight Lines in 1982 and has worked in the transport business for 70 years. Keating sponsored Shepparton District Junior Football League for 39 years and continued that support to junior football into this year when Goulburn Murray junior leagues merged to form one junior league.
Junior operations manager Emma O’Shaughnessy said Ken Keating had shown incredible support for junior football and great community values for sport in the region.
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