Maher's Musings - Narrowing down the field

By Tyler Maher

Jun 3, 2020

The search continues for the most famous sportsperson from each town in the Goulburn Valley region and its surrounds.

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For those just joining Musings HQ on this adventure, we are still in the discovery phase of the operation.

After floating the idea initially of narrowing down the most famous and recognisable sporting stars from almost 50 towns, last week we distilled the lists of 10 places to a final pair.

That shall continue in this edition and beyond until we eventually have 49 head-to-head battles for supremacy, of which — along with public input — this columnist will declare a winner.

Then the 49 victors will be thrown into a bracket of epic proportions, where only one icon will rule them all.

It is a task that has grown at every step so far, but there's no going back now.

As a reminder, here are the final two stars from the towns we have tackled in detail already.

Dick Clay and Garry Lyon (Kyabram), Keith Warburton and Gaye Eaton (Tatura), Damian Drum and Michael Scandolera (Congupna), Sir Doug Nicholls and Des Campbell (Tongala), David Teague and Rod Grinter (Katandra), Pat O'Kane and Glenn Crawford (Katamatite), Rhonda Cator and Frank Tuck (Strathmerton), Joan Coldwell and Ray Manley (Merrigum), Lawrie Casey and Norma Sefton-Rowston (Girgarre), Garry Jacobson and Justin Lister (Mooroopna).

Now, onwards and upwards.

EUROA

Nominees: Dick O'Bree, David Hayes, Merv Hughes.

Musings: Euroa's finest moustache in Merv Hughes gets the nod for one of these positions after being nominated this week. The other selection is a tough one as both names are synonymous with Euroa, but Dick O'Bree is a true product of the area so edges ahead.

AVENEL

Nominees: Leon Baker, Ian Shelton, Geoff Baker.

Musings: The ‘'Premiership Maker” and ‘'Bluey” are clear cut selections for a battle royale at Avenel. Leon Baker played in six successive flags at one stage of his career, while Ian Shelton needs little introduction.

FINLEY

Nominees: Shane Crawford, Tom Hawkins, Jack Hawkins.

Musings: Shane Crawford has the inside running for Finley's final two, but how do you decide between Jack and Tom Hawkins? This may be a case to implement the historical v modern star qualification in order to allay recency bias, although ‘'Jumping Jack” would be unlikely to take kindly to being called ‘'historic''. Tom it is.

DENILIQUIN

Nominees: Adam Gilchrist, Simon O'Donnell, Roy Higgins, Leo Barry Jr.

Musings: Now here's a veritable treasure trove of sportsmen to peruse for Deniliquin. It really is a nice quartet we've compiled here, but I'm pitting Adam Gilchrist against Leo Barry Jr in this one.

BENALLA

Nominees: Tom Rockliff, Jarrod Waite, Jim Flynn, Baden Cooke, Rob Adelberg, Mark Nichols.

Musings: I'll put my hand up and say I've really struggled with this one. I think I'm going to settle on Tom Rockliff and Baden Cooke as the final two, but I could be persuaded a variety of different ways here.