Early season statistics have revealed Kyabram has not suffered dramatically, going by the numbers at least, by losing a third of its starting line-up from the 2023 Goulburn Valley League senior football season.
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That’s not to say the six regular senior players who are missing from the Bombers senior line-up in 2024 were not important.
In fact, key forwards Tom Holman, Kyle Mueller and Kayne Pettifer, in particular, have outstanding portfolios with the club and were enormous losses to the team.
Time, however, rolls on and co-coaches Corey Carver and Kaine Herbert are doing their best to fill the gaps in attack, along with replacing mid-field trio Rhys Clark, Toby Wooller and Rueben Rode.
Clark is created the largest hole, by far, although (by their statistical return at least) Wooller and Rode did perform reasonably during their one season at the club.
Wooller is playing in the strong Eastern Football League with Blackburn, kicking two goals in his first game against the powerhouse Vermont.
Rode has returned to his junior club, Wallan, and was in the best for his team in the second round.
Wooller, who played in every game apart from the grand final last year, averaged 19.1 disposals last season, kicked seven goals and averaged 79.6 ranking points.
Rode kicked 10 goals from a wing, averaged 15.6 disposals and almost three inside 50 entries — finishing with a 69.4 ranking point average from 19 games.
Stepping into the breach for the talented half dozen have been teenager Nick Jephson, Anthony De Pasquale, Moama recruit Khy Stovell and mid-fielders Eamonn Ogden, Jake Torney and the injured Mick Mattingly.
In three games, Jephson has kicked three goals (which have been better if not for three behinds in the match against Euroa) and is averaging 15.5 disposals, 5.5 score involvements, four tackles and three inside 50s.
Those figures compare favourably to Pettifer, who was admittedly at the end of a magnificent country football career, and the 2023 numbers posted by Holman.
Pettifer averaged 9.6 disposals, kicked 21 goals, averaged 4.1 score involvements and 51.7 ranking points last season.
Holman, who first played senior football with the Bombers in 2012 as a 15-year-old, averaged 12.6 disposals, kicked 34 goals for the season and had 18 goal assists.
Holman also averaged four tackles (three of those in the forward 50) and more than two contested marks inside 50.
Anthony De Pasquale is now cast in the role that Kyle Mueller played, as the mobile option to goal square bound Brad Mangan.
De Pasquale is well up on his 2023 output, averaging 16 disposals (13.6 in 2023), 6.6 score involvements, 101.5 ranking points (up on 68.4 points last year) and an increase in tackles and inside 50 counts.
He kicked 31 goals in 2023 and has eight in his opening three rounds.
Those figures compare favourably with Mueller’s 9.4 disposals from 2023, 6.5 score involvements, 61.1 ranking points and 49 goals.
If De Pasquale can maintain his goalkicking form he is on track for a 50-plus season.
Eamonn Ogden’s first game of the season was impressive on a wing, where he has taken on the Rode role, picking up 23 disposals and having five inside 50s.
On Saturday night, he collected another 20 disposals and had eight marks, offering a conduit into attack from a rebound 50 exits.
These numbers are well in excess of Rode’s averages and Ogden also had nine intercept possessions to contribute to a 118 ranking points.
Jake Torney responded to a slow first week with a pair of solid performances at half-back.
He is averaging 20 disposals, four rebound 50s, four tackles and 100 ranking points from his first three games.
Mick Mattingly, a Goulburn Valley league Morrison Medallist, is yet to play and is expected to more than fill the shoes of Clark.
Last season Clark averaged 16.1 disposals from his 14 games and was ranked elite for clearances (4.2) and inside 50s (3.7). He also kicked eight goals, laid 3.4 tackles a week and had an 88.1 ranking point average.
Clark played 120 games in seven seasons with Kyabram between 2011-17 before spending four seasons in the VFL with Southport Sharks.
He has returned to that club for the 2024 season.
• Kyabram’s big improver, by the numbers at least, this season has been close checking stopper-cum rebounding defender Jake Parkinson.
Parkinson, for much of his 52 games in the last three and a bit seasons, has been given the task of playing on the opposition’s biggest mid-sized forward threat.
This year he has improved from an 8.2 average disposal season in 2023 to average more than 28 disposals a game. He is also averaging 5.5 rebound 50s (up from 1.6) and six tackles (doubling last year’s total).
He is also taking seven kick-ins a week and is averaging 115 ranking points (up on 42.8 last season).
Parkinson played juniors and reserve grade football with Kyabram between 2009-16 before playing 53 games of senior football with Merrigum from 2017-19.
He kicked 59 goals in those three seasons, playing as a goalkicking mid-fielder.
With Kyabram in the past three seasons he has kicked eight goals in 50 games, just the one last year. He has already kicked one goal this season.
On Saturday night, against Euroa, he had 35 disposals, a season-high seven tackles and 132 ranking points.
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor