By Colin MacGillivray
KILMORE Football Netball Club celebrated another successful season on Saturday with its annual presentation night at Kilmore Trackside.
While the club’s football and netball sides all fell short of premierships, outgoing president Paul Maher said the fact that all but one of them played finals showed the Blues were on the right track.
“We had all three football teams playing finals, with the reserves and under 19s both missing a grand final berth by less than a kick,” he said.
“Five of the six netball teams played finals, with two going on to finish runners-up for the season.
“While it was a disappointment not to win a premiership, it was a reasonably successful year for the club.”
Kilmore midfielder Chris Ryall capped off another excellent season with his second Bernie Hede Medal as the club’s senior best and fairest after tying for the medal with Leigh Irons in 2019.
Ryall, who was the Northern Football Netball League division three best and fairest last season, was also named in the 2022 division three team of the year alongside fellow Kilmore players Chris Barton, Bailey Taylor-Egan and Steve McIntyre.
Luke Gallina took out Kilmore’s reserves best and fairest, with Joe Barry winning the under 19 award.
The winning netballers were Kristy Nunn, Paris Foster, Marita White, Ella Stoward, Annabelle Varcoe and Vikki Brumley in teams one through six respectively.
Maher said several Kilmore players had also been invited to attend tomorrow night’s league best and fairest count.
“We have Chris Ryall, Chris Barton and Alex Vasilevski invited to attend. Chris won it last year and Alex won the reserves best and fairest last year, so they’re both looking for back-to-back league medals,” he said.
“Chris Barton won the MVP for the division last year as well, so they’ve all obviously had good seasons.
“The netballers invited are Ella Stoward, Kristy Nunn, Marita White, Annabelle Varcoe and Madison Brown.”
Maher said Kilmore also celebrated the induction of three new life members on Saturday.
“The outgoing senior coach Nathan Phillips and a long-serving loyal servant of the club Marcus Davern, better known to everyone around town as ‘Sharkey’, were both made life members,” he said.
“I was extremely surprised and privileged to be awarded life membership myself. They blindsided me. It was a great honour to be bestowed and I’m very humbled by the award.”
See next week’s Review for the outcome of the league presentation night.
