Footy mums: Abbey Butler (centre) with son Mac and daughters Quba (held by mother-in-law Sharon Butler) and Remi (held by Lorraine Ryan, grandmother of Abbey’s husband Ryan). They were at the football on Saturday when the Kangaroos lost by a point after a confusing finish to the match. All four district Kyabram league clubs have a bye this weekend.
Girgarre footballer Ryan Butler was the focus of everyone’s attention on Saturday at Merrigum Recreation Reserve after he kicked what most watching the game believed was the goal that caused the match to end in a draw.
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Butler, who had his own cheer squad on the sidelines, almost single handedly guided his team to its first win of the Kyabram league season.
The winless Kangaroos were again left empty handed again after goal umpires consulted and agreed the scoreboard attendant had missed a Merrigum point — awarding the game to the Bulldogs by a single point.
Ryan’s wife, mother of three Abbey, his mother Sharon Butler and grandmother Lorraine Ryan were all at the game to cheer on the Kangaroos’ number four — as was his sister Holly and cousin Teah.
But this weekend the focus will turn to those who were on the sidelines barracking for the fast moving mid-fielder — the mothers.
And the timing of the split round for the Kyabram district league couldn’t have come at a better time, with the Girgarre team having the weekend off.
In fact, Lancaster, Stanhope, Merrigum and Girgarre mothers will all have uninterrupted weekends as none of the clubs play.
Butler’s wife Abbey doesn’t have a lot of time to watch football as she keeps close watch on four-year-old Mac and twin 20-month-old daughters, Quba and Remi.
She regularly enlists the support of mother-in-law Sharon and even a third-generation support mechanism in the great-grandmother of the trio Lorraine Ryan.
The family will expand again in the not too distant future, decorated netballer Holly Nelson expecting a child in a matter of days.
Matchwinner, almost: Ryan Butler kicked a goal, his fourth of the match, moments before the siren sounded to end the Merrigum and Girgarre round five contest. He will be on Mother’s Day duties this weekend.
