Wednesday, October 8, 2025
19.6 C
Kilmore
- Advertisement -

Ray Carroll’s ‘From the Boundary’: October 7, 2025

Popular Stories

Ray Carroll
Ray Carroll
Ray Carroll is the author of the Review's longest running segment, 'From the Boundary'. A retired coach from Assumption College Kilmore, Ray writes passionately about social affairs within the community, giving the much-loved editorial space over to much-loved current and ex-locals.

WHEN SUMMER COMES

ROVER 2025 10 07 Cricket Seasons Cartoon

Seasons come and go so quickly. The football season is over and now its cricket time once more. The Ashes tests will dominate the summer. Way back in 1877 at the MCG Australia and England met for the first time. Australia won that clash by 40 runs. One hundred years later in 1977, close to three hundred thousand watched the centenary test-also won by the Aussies-by the same margin-40 runs. Across the generations the “Battle for the Ashes” has become one of sports greatest rivalries. Huge crowds will again turn out for the coming series. This time it will be “Old Australia” versus “Young England”, truly a reversal of roles. We are now “Dad’s Army” not England.

But far away from the test arenas is where the game counts. On suburban ovals, in the regional cities and towns, and remote villages across this vast land around six hundred thousand play cricket in its various forms Australia wide according to the most recent survey with female participation growing at a good rate. Volunteers ensure the game survives with countless people devoting almost a lifetime to the game they love. No better example than shown by a “Review” story a few weeks ago highlighting the magnificent contributions by local “legends” Lawrie Boyd and Ray Cowell. Far from the bright lights and glamour the pair have served Kilmore and area cricket magnificently.

- Advertisement -

Best wishes to all clubs in the area for a good and enjoyable season. Kilmore, Wallan, Broadford, Lancefield, Romsey, Seymour, Pyalong and Tallarook are all welcoming family clubs happy to embrace new members at senior and junior level.

FOOTY MILESTONE

It was so good to meet up on Monday with a former student Zoe Blyth (now Minton). A bright student, star athlete and vivacious personality, Zoe graduated in 1999, the year Shane Crawford won the Brownlow Medal. Shane had starred for Assumption in the nineties and Zoe, like many of the students was a keen fan as shown by the photograph.

ROVER 2025 10 07 Lana

Shortly after her college days she worked with her boyfriend and now husband to be at Lulworth Castle in Dorset UK. Both loved their time there and the kindness shown to them by the Lord and Lady of Lulworth.

FOR FOOTY AND LIFE

If you’re twenty points down, if you’re twenty points up, Keep it going, you never can tell; And remember what’s said of the lip and the cup, It’s the last twenty minutes that tell.

Not only for footy the wise recommend:

Going hard at the start, going hard to the end; If you’ve made yourself fit, and you’ve studied the game, in life, as in footy, you’ll find it the same, It’s the last twenty minutes that tell.

Football is very much a team game and an individual’s performance within the team sport framework is largely influenced by the efforts and cooperation of those around him-his team mates. It is true of football, as of most things in life, that the rewards are commensurate with the input. The player who really works at the game, concentrates on the little things finds the bigger things will then happen.

Good advice, I believe, to any team is to urge them to concentrate, to work hard from first siren to last and forget the scoreboard. The board will mostly reflect a satisfactory tale if the principles and basics have been adhered to.

Neale Daniher and Francis Bourke are a couple of the A.C.K “boys” who embodied the principals. Brilliant footballers and cricketers at college, both gave the games of winter and summer everything they had. Today Neale is recognised nationally and abroad for his incredible fight against MND and his amazing fundraising efforts. He was a brilliant footballer for Essendon until serious knee injuries robbed him of years in the game. At Assumption he was an outstanding cricketer who could have gone to the highest levels if Essendon had not taken him straight from school. Francis Bourke is a Tiger legend. Three hundred games, several premierships and club champion, he was one of the toughest players in the game’s history. A life member of Canterbury Cricket Club, he played cricket till he was 70, starting in the first XI, finishing in the sixths.

***

LOOKING FORWARD

The function at the MCG on Saturday, November 29 will be a memorable one. The Old Collegians Committee, headed by Simon Costa (OAM) have gone to great lengths to ensure its success. A highlight will be the moving reunion of Neale Daniher and his teammates of the champion footy and cricket sides of 1977-78. Also, a high number of the 84 students of my coaching time who went on to play VFL/AFL will be there. Some of them are “greats” such as Neale and Francis along with Crawford, Bill Brownless, Peter McCormack, Laurie Serafini, Tom Lonergan, Barry Young, David King, Jason Johnson, Dion Prestia etc. Simon O’Donnell (Australian cricketer) plus boys who played state, premier and UK county cricket will be present. Booked in as well are many boys and girls I had the privilege of teaching in class.

Vietnam hero and great, Mentone Grammar Principal Neville Clark (OAM and V.C), now in Hobart will attend along with quite a few locals who have been fine friends and supporters.

Previous article
Next article
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement Mbl -

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

- Advertisement -

Latest Articles