The last link in Kyabram Football Club’s 1948 premiership side has been broken with the passing last week of David Ernest Noble.
Dave was in the Kyabram side — then known as The Robins — coached by Bob Hornbuckle and which beat Stanhope-Girgarre 15.15 to 9.11 to claim its first flag in the Goulburn Valley League since 1928.
Dave also played in 1949, but his season was cut short by injury when Kyabram was runners-up to the Dave Newman coached Tongala.
The only living link now with that era still alive is Herb Prior, who is the last survivor of the Kyabram 1950 premiership side captained and coached by Frank Davies and which beat City (now Shepparton) United 17.8 to 7.14 to win the premiership.
Dave Noble was a Kyvalley dairy farmer, a keen sportsman and an active community member.
He served on the local school committee for many years and was also a long serving stalwart of the Kyvalley Tennis Club, of which he is a life member. He was also active when Kyvalley had a school and he helped get a swimming pool at the school which is still used today.
Dave died just eight days after the passing of his wife, Valda, also a Kyvalley stalwart.
His funeral took place last Friday.
Rushworth senior side withdraws
Aussie Rules footy is not too well in some country areas, including the Goulburn Valley.
Rushworth Football Club decision to withdraw its senior side from the Kyabram District Football League this season comes two years after another of its clubs, Ardmona, put its hands in the air to say it was withdrawing after 100 years in the competition.
While there has to be serious doubt whether Ardmona can resurrect itself again, at least Rushworth is in with a chance as it will field a reserves and two underage footy sides as well as a full complement of netball sides.
Todd Clarke will coach the reserves, which have about 40 players on its list, but many won’t be available on a weekly basis due to shift work.
But at least there is a footy basis that can be worked on, although it’s still going to take a lot of hard work by a lot of loyal people in trying times, before a Rushworth senior side graces the Kyabram league grounds again.
Extra umpire bases created
Goulburn Valley Football Umpires Association is extending its wings, and from last week, has extra bases at Echuca-Moama and Cobram Barooga.
These locations add to bases already in Kyabram, Shepparton and Seymour.
The move for the extra bases is to cut travelling time with umpire chief Andrew Moore saying the aim is to have participants not travel more than half an hour to attend training sessions.
Moore said his association was looking okay at the moment for numbers, but was always on the look-out for new recruits.
NAB League changed
The NAB League is no longer.
The elite Australian Rules Under-19 competition will now be known as the Coates Talent League.
It was known as the TAC Cup from 1993-2018 and for the past four years has carried the title of NAB League.
Coates is coming in as the major sponsor and its association is expected to ensure the ongoing success of the competition.