I hope not.
Lachie Smith was cleared by the Bombers late last week to North Heidelberg in the Northern District Football League in northern Melbourne.
He made an instant impression at his new club, being named second-best player in his team’s 10-point win over McLeod.
Recruited from Benalla in season 2016 after Benalla had beaten Kyabram for the 2015 flag, Smith has been one of the best key defenders in the Goulburn Valley League in his time with the Bombers.
He is a club best-and-fairest winner and played 124 games during the club’s recent golden era, which netted three flags in four seasons and a Victorian record winning streak of 52 games under coach Paul Newman.
Newman said Smith had been a great player and person in his time with the club and would leave a big hole.
Bombers secretary Paul Shortis also praised Smith for his loyalty over nearly a decade and said the club wished him well.
Often switched to attack to provide an aerial target and goal-scoring power, Smith booted 72 goals and was named in Kyabram’s six best players in 64 of his 124 games.
Famous for his intercept fingertip marking, he also represented the GVL in four interleague games.
Could the Bombers ask Smith to play one last farewell home game in front of admiring Kyabram fans, many of whom have him right at the top of their list of favourite and best Kyabram players of the past decade?
It would be a pity to think Smith, who has given Kyabram fans so much joy in his time at the club, has bowed out without the fanfare and farewell he has deserved for his time with the Bombers.
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