Sport

Top players at Rich River for Anzac Classic

By Matthew Kappos

May 13, 2026

Division four runner-up, Echuca Moama Croquet Club’s Greg Brierley (right) with Glenda Naughton. Photos: Jordan Townrow

Rich River Croquet Club was the place to be for top croquet players from Victoria and interstate, as the club hosted the 20th anniversary of the Anzac Day Classic.

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Held from Saturday, May 2 to Thursday, May 7, the classic saw competitors across four divisions, determined by graded ranking, battling for titles.

Andrew Moulton won the division two competition.

The long-running event attracted several prominent division one players, including two who are part of the Australian set-up for the MacRobertson Shield four nation event, against New Zealand, England and the United States, in England in July.

Brunswick’s Greg Hill will be in the Australian side, while Melbourne Croquet Club’s Lachlan Berryman is currently with the side as a reserve.

Callum Hyland (second right) won the division one Anzac Classic ahead of Australian set-up players Greg Hill (left) and Lachlan Berryman (right), and runner-up Malcolm Biddle. Photo: Supplied

Both national team reps made it out of the block stage and into the playoffs, but it was Callum Hyland who prevailed from the finals with the title.

Local division one player Kenn Boal, who finished fifth, said high-end players continued to patronise the event because of the top-quality field, and the excellent conditions at Rich River.

Rich River division one players Russell Smyth and Kenn Boal

Goulburn Valley Croquet Association representative Bev Floyd said that reputation was key to the prestige of the competition.

“Because they have (played here), they just keep coming back because they know (the quality),” she said.

Euroa’s Kevin Milner took out division four.

Traditionally held closer to Anzac Day, the classic is expected to drop that distinction as it continues in future years.

In the lower divisions, a pair of local talents came close to securing titles, with Rich River’s David Ryant runner-up in division three and Echuca-Moama Croquet Club’s Greg Brierley matched the result in division four.

Division winners were in division two, Kew’s Andrew Moulton, division three Karyn-Camille King of Williamstown and division four Euroa’s Kevin Milner.