Rushworth motorcyclist Liam McConnell has tied for first in a South Australian Reliability first’
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He is believed to be the first non South Australian competitor to claim the 224 Reliability Championship as well as the 24-hour Reliability Trial.
Racing in class D (open two stroke-clubman) of the championship he claimed three second placings in three of the six championship rounds at Gawler Motorcycle Centre.
But it was a win in the final round which clinched him the shared first place honour in the championship.
Liam’s parents Nicki and Mark were on hand to watch their son create history.
Liam and his parents are nurses at Kyabram Hospital.
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Young Kyabram footy talent Charlie Isaac has made the Bendigo Pioneers under-18 squad for the 2025 season.
The tall utility made a huge impression this season at Goullburn Valley League under-18 level while still eligible to play under-16s. He won the Kyabram thirds best-and-fairest award.
He and his under-18 Kyabram teammate Hamish Stewart along with Isaih Scoble are Kyabram players named in the Pioneers’ squad.
Tongala pair Jessie Johnstone and Hudson Kellett and Angus Scoble are also in the squad, Scoble as an overaged player.
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Former Longwood footballer John Formosa hit the million dollar jackpot when a greyhound he trains Blue Kermaro won the word’s richest greyhound race The Million Dollar Chase final at Sydney’s Wenworth Park on October 17.
As the title of the race implied Formosa and the dog’s owners collected a cool $1 million for Blue Kermaro’s win.
It was a tidy return on the $10,000 Formosa forked out to buy Blue Kermaro online with the greyhound’s earnings now $1,048,705.
Formosa played with Longwood in 2023 and his brother Jordan is current coach of the club and another brother, Jye, also plays with the Kyabram District League club.
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Another Euroa Football Club star won’t be around as much in the GVL next season.
Former AFL player Will Hayes has committed to more games with VFL side Carlton for next season after playing some games with the team late this year.
Hayes played a few senior games with Western Bulldogs and Carlton before joining his brother JD Hayes at Euroa in the past two seasons.
JD Hayes is also on the move, signing on to play with Kyabram District League battler Violet Town for the 2025 season.
Euroa ruckman Fletcher Paul is also on the move next season, joining Murray Football League club Finley along with former Benalla premiership player Nick Warnock who was a member of Heathcote league’s premiership winning side White Hills this season.
Also heading for Carlton’s VFL side next season is Echuca premiership player Logan Pout who also played 20 VFL games in the past two years with the Blues and is expected to considerably build on that record in 2025.
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Picola District Football League battler Blighty will have Dane Leyden coaching it again next season.
Leyden took the coaching reins this season and won the club’s best-and-fairest award.
Leyden has had experience in the Mornington Peninsula League with Dromana and with Palmerston in the Northern Territory league prior to a stint with Murray league club Echuca United where Blighty recruited him from.
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Impressive ruckman Mark Marriott has won the John ‘’Shorty’’ Martiniello trophy for Benalla Football Club’s best-and-fairest award.
Chris Welsh was runner-up and Jordan Wolff claimed the Most Consistent Player award.
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A 1926 football premiership trophy has found its way home.
Bamawm Football Club won the flag in the Lockington and District Football League that year and the trophy has been in the family of the captain of that team William Hilton since.
But a grandson of Hilton, Glenn Felsenthal, reckons it was time to take the trophy home and has donated it to the Lockington and District Living Heritage Complex.
All the names of the premiership players are engraved on the 98-year-old trophy.
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Kyabram reinsman George Chamouras made the long trip to Mildura last Thursday worthwhile when he partnered the South Australian-trained pacer Bettor Be Lively to a barnstorming win.
Bettor Be Lively was among the tailenders for most of the race, but cut down his rivals in the home straight with a devastating burst of speed to claim his 23rd win.
The win in the last race of the day made George’s long trip home feel a little bit shorter than it is.
Sports reporter