MARATHON MILESTONE – May 5

IT was a dream come true for Narelle Frichot, competing in this year’s Boston Marathon last month.

The 38-year-old returned last week after a dream trip, ticking off a bucket list item after 12 years of running.

Frichot said it was surreal to finally take to the streets for the world’s oldest marathon race, with this year’s event the 126th running.

“It was more than I could have ever dreamt, it was 42 kilometres of thousands of people lining the streets and screaming,” she said.

SAINTS LOCK IN DATE WITH BETTS – May 7

THE Saints have got a date with Eddie Betts, with Branxholme-Wallacedale confirming the former AFL player will be in action in a stand-alone South West District Football Netball League (SWDFNL) Sunday game on May 22 against Cavendish.

Branxholme-Wallacedale Football Netball Club president, Damian Hogan said it was great to have it all locked in and plans can start for the day.

“He’s an absolute legend of the game and it’s gonna be a buzz for everyone,” he said.

LASTING LOCKDOWN EFFECTS – May 7

WITH sporting clubs getting back into their usual routine after two COVID-interrupted seasons, the impact on player participation is now being realised with regional Local Government Areas (LGAs) suffering most.

A new Victoria University study has concluded the multiple COVID lockdowns preventing sport from being played had a severe impact, with Victoria and in particular, regional Victoria, the hardest hit.

The study compared 2019 player registrations with numbers 12 months later across each of the state’s LGA’s, showing varying reductions.

It included a variety of sports including individual and team sports, and used data from AFL Victoria, Australian Sailing (Victoria), Basketball Victoria, Cricket Victoria, Football Victoria, Tennis Victoria, Gymnastics Victoria, Hockey Victoria, Netball Victoria, Swimming Victoria, Golf Victoria and Bowls Victoria.

PREMIERSHIP PIES SET FOR 40-YEAR CELEBRATION – May 7

THE 1981 Hamilton Football Club premiership team is set to gather to celebrate their success.

The event, initially planned for August 7, 2021, will bring a full complement of players back together at Melville Oval for the first time in more than 10 years.

HAMILTON’S 1981 premiership team will gather again next Saturday for a 40-year reunion. Photo: SUPPLIED.

TOP FOUR FINISH – May 12

IT has been a busy bowls season for Robyn Thomassen with no end in sight.

Thomassen recently returned from Bendigo where she teamed up with Grangeburn Bowling Club clubmate, Leah McCabe, in the women’s pairs at the state championships, before contesting the Champion of Champions event.

The Grangeburn Bowling Club member won the club championship, before winning the Far Western Bowls Association Champion of Champions title, winning through the region stage to progress through to Bendigo.

PONY EXPRESS SET FOR MOVE – May 12

THE Hamilton Motorcycle Club had a successful club day on Sunday with a big field of riders taking to the track.

It was a good lead-up to the annual Pony Express with this year’s event set to incorporate parts of the track for the first time.

The event had previously been held out in Merino, but riders will contest the Pony Express closer to town with the Marshalls Road precinct set to be a big part of the new course.

TRIFECTA TRIUMPH – May 14

DEAN McLaren created history last month when he became the first Casterton Triple Medallist after he won the Wal Smith Memorial Casterton 50.

The 44-year-old had previously won the Casterton 40 back in 1998 before winning the Casterton Wheelrace at the now defunct track at Island Park, before saluting in this year’s Casterton 50.

The Hamilton Cycling Club member battled against clubmate, Dean Menzel, in the final kilometres, winning by the narrowest of margins in a sprint finish.

COUNTRY CHAMPIONS – May 19

THE Glenelg Region Hockey Association sent six teams to the Hockey Victoria Junior Country Championships with the Under-13 Girls team topping the state, while the Under-13 Boys team finished runner-up.

The girls team was coached by Julie Templeton and opened the weekend with a 5-0 win against East Gippsland.

Grace Potter finished the game with a hat-trick, while Chloe Laidlaw and Millie Mould finished with singles each.

GARDENS OVAL SET FOR BIG UPGRADE FOLLOWING FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS – May 19

PORT Fairy Football Netball Club is set for a big boost with funding from State and Federal Governments announced this week.

Wannon MP, Dan Tehan, pledged $3.2 million to complete a new community sports hub at Gardens Oval, days after the club received a $1.6 million grant from the Victorian Government.

Club president, Noel Black said the re-election funding commitment would ensure the project can go ahead.

GREAT DAY ON FAIRWAYS FOR DARTMOOR PENNANT TEAM – May 21

DARTMOOR has taken the flag in the Pennant final for the Division One Composite of the Western District Golf Association.

Played at the Dartmoor club, all teams hit off at 10.30am, with mixed conditions in the weather and fantastic golf was played by all. Dartmoor took five of the six games for the day from runner-up Grampians.

BETTS DAY EVER – May 24

IT was bigger than a grand final, with a massive crowd descending on Branxholme Recreation Reserve for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch Eddie Betts in the South West District Football Netball League (SWDFNL).

The former AFL player was swamped on arrival and was treated like a rockstar, with people of all ages getting  signatures and photos with the popular player before he took to the field and put on a show for the more than 4000 people in attendance.

CENTENARY CELEBRATION – May 24

THE Mininera and District Football League (MDFL) is gearing up for its 100-year celebration, which will coincide with a book launch, with the publication documenting the history of the league dating back to the 1920 two-team competition between Westmere and Streatham.

Saturday’s event will coincide with the SMW Rovers v Tatyoon clash at Mininera.

Former Tatyoon junior and three-time AFL premiership player, David Astbury, will attend the day as the guest speaker.

LOVE OF THE GAME DRIVES DEMPSEY – June 2

WHEN Shane Dempsey ran onto Melville Oval on Saturday for the Hamilton Kangaroos and Cobden senior Hampden Football Netball League (HFNL) game, he notched up game number 1000 with the

whistle in hand.

In a sport that celebrates a player reaching 100, 200 or 300+ games, Dempsey has climbed Everest by reaching such a huge number and it all began back in 1992 when he took up the whistle after finishing his playing days.

Born and bred on a dairy farm at Stoney Creek in Gippsland, he played his junior football for the local team before heading off to Melbourne to study, playing in the amateur competition while down there.

SENIOR SANFL DEBUT – June 9

PENSHURST product, Josh Rentsch, has made his SANFL debut, taking to Adelaide Oval

during Sturt’s clash against Adelaide on Saturday.

The former Greater Western Victoria Rebels co-captain played at centre half-forward with the wet conditions making it difficult for the tall forward to have a big impact.

Rentsch told The Spectator it was a special moment to make his debut in a game which followed the AFL

game between Adelaide and West Coast Eagles.

ALEXANDER NOMINATED FOR VAFA MEN’S RISING STAR AWARD – June 11

HAMILTON’S Riley Alexander has been rewarded for his stellar Victorian Amateur Football

Association (VAFA) Division 4 season with La Trobe University receiving the VAFA Men’s Rising

Star nomination for round nine.

The Rising Star Award nominations nearly always go to players in Premier A, B and C competitions and club president, Andrew Sutherland said he couldn’t recall the last time a player from any club in any of the lower divisions was nominated for the accolade.

Alexander earnt the nomination in La Trobe University’s 56-point win over Box Hill North on Saturday where he snagged three goals, along with 16 disposals and eight marks.

QUINTET SELECTED FOR CHAMPS – June 11

FIVE Hamilton locals will take to the soccer pitch this weekend to represent the South West Victoria Football Association.

The SWVFA are sending four teams to the Country Leagues Football Association (CLFA) Country Championships with representatives from the Hamilton Raiders selected in three teams to play in Geelong.

Harley Kearns and Zander Mibus will play in the Under-13 Mixed team, Isaac Shaw in the Under-16 Boys team, and Aisha Hendriks and Clara Dettling were selected in the Under-18 Girls side.

THOMAS SELECTED IN VIC SQUAD – June 14

THOMAS is a name synonymous with football in the Western District.

Bob, Clinton, Jason and Brad have all been champion players, coaches and administrators and now you can add another to the list, Taima.

Taima Thomas is Brad’s son, and the youngster has been recognised as one of the best 12-year-old  footballers in Victoria, selected in the 12-and-Under Victorian state team.

Having played all his football at the Cavendish Football Netball Club where he currently plays in the Under-14 team, Taima went through a rigorous selection process over the past six weeks.

It saw 700 players from across Victoria whittled down to the final 42 on Thursday for a trial game at Trevor Barker Oval in Melbourne.

PARA AWARD WINNER – June 16

HAMILTON’S Melissa Tapper has been acknowledged, along with her team members, at the Paralympics Australia Awards held in Sydney last week, collecting the Women’s Paralympic Team of the Year award.

It comes, as the Women’s Team C9-10 won silver medals at Tokyo last year, giving the local table tennis product her first chance to stand on the podium at an Olympics or Paralympics.

Along with Qian Yang and Lei Lina, Tapper helped secure the silver medal for Australia at the 2020 Paralympics and collected the team of the year award ahead of swimming and goalball teams.

CULLINANE’S CALL-UP – June 21

HAMILTON and District Cricket Association (HDCA) representative team head coach, Nic Cullinane, has proved he is not just a mentor.

He has been called into the Over-50s Victorian team as a player for the four-state tournament being held on the Gold Coast next month.

The College Cricket Club opening batsman has been training to bring his game to the required level.

The desire was lit within after seeing a Facebook post that was looking for umpires for the Over-50s national titles that are being held in Adelaide this November, with Cullinane contacting those in charge to find out how he could trial for a place as a player.

FINKE FEVER STRIKES – June 23

HAMILTON motorbike enthusiasts, Daniel Showler and Rhyan Eales, have caught ‘Finke Fever’ after competing in the annual Finke Desert Race in the Northern Territory.

The prestigious race attracts hundreds of motorbike riders and cross country car drivers, with the local pair competing in the event earlier this month.

“I’m told that ‘Finke Fever’ is caught after competing in the event for the first time, and after my first race this year, I definitely have it,” Showler said.

The Finke Desert Race is an event held in Central Australia over two days of the recent Queen’s Birthday long weekend, where the entrants race to Apatula from Alice Springs and back again, covering 226kms each way along the old service road for The Ghan railway route.

JEZZA CELEBRATES MILESTONE MATCH – June 25

DARTMOOR’S most famous identity, AFL footballer Jeremy Cameron, will notch a milestone he never thought was possible when he runs onto the MCG against Richmond today.

Cameron will line up for his 200th game, having so far played 171 with Greater Western Sydney and 28 with Geelong – an achievement that is almost unbelievable when you consider his unusual, and rapid, rise as a junior.

The now 29-year-old did not play junior footy, devoting his time to golf and fishing, but instead first pulled on the boots for Dartmoor’s reserves team in the South West District Football Netball League as a 14-year-old in 2007.

“I was late into footy,” Cameron said.

“My first season I played a couple of reserves games for Dartmoor, got up into the seniors but broke my wrist after three games and missed the rest of the season.”

SWIMMING SUCCESS – July 2

NINE young swimmers from the Hamilton Swim Club will be advancing to the Victorian Country Shortcourse Championships in Ballarat next month after posting impressive qualifying times at the Hamilton swim meet last weekend.

Zoe Rouse, Lachlan Rees, Stella Raymond, Emily Jellie, Dominic Hoggard, Angus Knight, Archie Dahl, Imogen Wedding and Harvey McKay will all travel to Ballarat in pursuit of placing and going further to the state championships.

The swim meet was a great showing, not just for those outstanding performers who will be going to the next level, but for all those kids who got back in the pool to swim competitively again or for the first time.

HUMPHRIES SHINES INDOORS AT NATIONAL CRICKET TITLES – July 2

CASTERTON cricketer, Alyssa Humphries has taken great strides for Victoria at the Indoor Cricket National Championships in Melbourne this week as she showcased her talents against the best female players in Australia at Casey Stadium.

It has been three years since the National Championships were held due to the influence of COVID-19, and with 48 teams participating across 10 divisions this year, it’s a busy schedule for both male and female players in able-bodied and intellectual disability competitions.

At only 21 years of age, Humphries is still eligible for the Under-22 women’s team, but through sheer hard work and weight of performance, she has been selected in the Open Women’s squad as a hard-hitting all-rounder who can take the keeping gloves as well.

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE – July 7

CARAMUT reserves footballer, Darren Frith, is alive today thanks to the quick actions of several people after he suffered a heart attack and was left unconscious on the field at Caramut Recreation Reserve on June 25.

The 53-year-old was playing in a Mininera and District Football League reserves game against the Ararat Eagles, but with roughly a minute remaining in the first quarter, he went up for a marking contest only to get hit in the chest with an opponent’s elbow by accident, which caused him to fall back to the ground.

He regained his stance and was soon back on the ground on his knees with many players and officials around him.

LEARNING FROM THE BEST – July 9

IT is not every day a national head coach comes to Hamilton, but Palace Martial Arts students got to learn from one of the best on Tuesday.

Australian Taekwondo national coach (poomsae), Yukyung Song, visited for a session with students, sharing her knowledge on skills and techniques.

It was late notice, but the seminar was the first of its kind.

BAILEY BRILLIANCE – July 14

COLLEGE Cricket Club veteran, Hamish Bailey, has capped off his 2021-22 cricket season with one of the highest honours in his illustrious career, named in the Victorian Country Cricket League’s (VCCL) Team of the Year.

The eight country-based regions select their own teams of the year (12 players per team) and these 96 players are submitted to the VCCL selectors for consideration for the overall team of the year.

The team contains two opening batsmen, four top or middle order batsmen, one all-rounder, one wicketkeeper and four bowlers (one of which must be a spin bowler).

HUSKEY HURRAH FOR SUTHERLAND – July 14

IT has been a whirlwind past few years for former local, Abbey Sutherland, who is approaching her final US college basketball campaign with the Houston Baptist University (HBU).

The 22-year-old has been back in Australia for about two months and is enjoying her last weeks with friends and family before returning to Texas for the upcoming season Sutherland told The Spectator her most recent season had been her best to date and was excited for what was to come.

BREMNER QUALIFIES – July 21

THE School Sports Australia Cross Country Championships will have a local flavour this year, as Hamilton’s Manaia Bremner pits his undoubted talent against the best runners from across the nation.

The 10-year-old has qualified for the titles by beating the qualifying time for the 2km run at the recent schools event, where he represented Gray St Primary School.

Manaia has been running since he was four years old when he first attended the Hamilton Parkrun along with his mother and coach, Taima, who has guided her son and instilled in him her love of athletics.

LOCALS SET FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 23

FIVE Hamilton Kangaroos junior netballers will take to the court this weekend, representing the region at the State Association Championships in Melbourne.

Saskia Gould was selected in the 13-and-Under team, while Grace Cleaver and Reet Kaur are part of the 15-and-Under squad.

Ella Sevior and Madsie Phillips round out the quintet, as part of the 17-and-Under side.

For more than half the group, it will be the first time they represent the Hampden Football Netball League.

PREMIERSHIP PARTY – July 26

THE Hamilton Kangaroos are Western Victoria Female Football League (WVFFL) Senior Women’s premiers after holding off minor premiers, Horsham Demons, by 12 points at Warrnambool’s Reid Oval on Sunday.

It is the club’s first senior football premiership, with the blue and white kicking against the breeze to open proceedings.

A strong defensive effort saw the Roos hold Horsham to just three behinds.

The locals made use of the conditions in the second term, with Emily Pitts breaking through to kick the first goal of the game, before the Roos doubled up to go into the main break leading by 11 points.

PICKEN PASSES AWAY – July 26

THE south-west has lost a football legend after Billy Picken passed away aged 66 on Saturday.

The Macarthur export, who was named in Collingwood’s Team of the Century and played 212 games for the black and white along with 28 for Sydney.

He spent time in Tasmania coaching, before returning to the region to coach Hamilton to a Western Border Football League senior grand final in 1990, also guiding the club to Under-18 success.

The south-west product played a handful of games for Heywood before being picked up by Collingwood.

RENTSCH TOPS LEAGUE VOTE COUNT – July 30

LOCAL footballer, Jess Rentsch, found out via text she had won the Western Victoria Female Football League (WVFFL) Under-18 best and fairest last week.

The 16-year-old didn’t watch the live stream online, electing to attend a trivia night at her school, hoping for success for Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels teammates, Paige Glover and Jedah Huf.

“Our school was hosting a trivia night and I remembered on the night before, that the vote count was on,” Rentsch said.

“I was hoping Jedah Huf would poll really well, then I was at trivia and was told the count was on and then all of a sudden, my phone started vibrating and I read some texts and I saw I had won.

GIBSON, FINNIGAN TOP VOTES – August 11

THE South West District Football Netball League (SWDFNL) hosted its annual presentation evenings on Monday and Tuesday, with the most coveted award – league best and fairest – going to Cavendish’s Sam Gibson on Monday, as the key forward stormed home with a huge second half of the season.

It’s another feather in the cap of a highly decorated footballer, with Gibson winning the award in his first year at Cavendish after polling 19 votes, six votes clear of runner-up, Dartmoor’s Lachlan Polaski.

After a stellar defensive season, Dartmoor’s Chloe Finnigan has claimed the SWDFNL A grade

best and fairest.

Finnigan claimed her award at the league’s netball vote count on Tuesday night, polling 20 votes and holding off Cavendish playing-coach, Marni Luhrs by two votes as runner-up.

TRIO TRYOUTS – August 13

THREE Hamilton Kangaroos junior netballers are forging their own path, working hard to break into  the Netball Victoria Talent Pathway Program.

Ellorah McConachy, Grace Cleaver and Reet Kaur have been selected for the program’s tryout day in October after strong performances at the recent State Association Championships and along with  McConachy’s progress in the South West Academy of Sport (SWAS).

The Kangaroos 15-and-Under trio will trial in Ballarat on October 23 and if successful will be part of the Netball Victoria Under-17 Academy Program next year.

EAST EARNS VICTORIAN SELECTION – August 13

CAVENDISH lawn bowler, Alison East, has won selection to represent Victoria in the forthcoming Multi Disabilities National Titles to be held at Mermaid Beach Bowling Club on the Gold Coast.

The keen bowler has been a member of the Hamilton Bowling Club, the Balmoral Bowling Club and now calls the Grangeburn Bowling Club home.

East took up the sport back in 2005 when she enjoyed full health and from there she has risen through the ranks to where she is now.

Approximately 10-12 years ago, East started to suffer with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), which is a broad group of inherited, degenerative disorders characterised by impaired walking due to spasticity and weakness of the legs.

BIG V FOR TEMPLETON – August 20

LOCAL hockey player, Tom Templeton, is set to take his game to another level after he was selected in the Victorian Under-13 team to play in Tasmania next month.

The 12-year-old, who plays in the Glenelg Region Hockey Association for College in Division 4 along with Coleraine in the Under-16 and Division 1 Men’s competitions, went through a nearly two-month process to get selected.

TITLES ON OFFER – August 25

PARKLANDS Golf Course will host some of the best golfers in Victoria this weekend when the  Victorian Sandgreen Championships are held at the course for the third time.

The championships were successfully staged at the course back in 2003 for the first time and then again in 2010 and this third staging is also part of the 50-year anniversary celebrations of the club, which opened back in 1972, but it also the 50-year anniversary of the first staging of the championships.

Club treasurer, Peter Irvin, was keenly anticipating the event with players coming from far and wide for the 36-hole stroke event to be staged on Saturday and Sunday.

GIANT SLAYERS – August 30

CAVENDISH has risen from the outhouse to the penthouse with an emphatic victory over Dartmoor in the South West District Football Netball League Grand Final at Heywood Recreation Reserve on  Saturday, winning 15.9 (99) to 3.6 (24).

In front of a huge crowd, the two best teams in the competition faced off looking to claim the premiership cup for the first time since 2019 due to COVID-19 lockdowns, and it was the Bloods who ended a 29-year drought to claim the senior premiership.