Kylie Merigan’s historic 600-game Tallygaroopna career steeped in family tradition and love for the club

“I’m incredibly proud to play for Tally,” Merigan said.

“I don't play for the milestones; I have just loved netball.

“I just enjoy playing netball for the social side of it, the friendships and things like that.

“That’s probably why I've kept playing so long.”

Merigan’s near 40-year association with Tallygaroopna has yielded six premierships – two as a playing coach – and five best-and-fairest’s, with the B-grade triumph in 2019 and C-grade flag in 2022 won by a solitary goal highlights when quizzed on on-court memories.

“I played my juniors in the SNA (Shepparton Netball Association), but my parents became involved in the Tally Football Club in the mid-80s,” she said.

“I went out, joined and started playing when I was old enough.

“I started playing C-grade when I was 13 or 14 and then moved into A-grade by the time I was about 15 or 16, and then just went from there.”

After 94 A-grade games, 351 in B-grade, 121 in C-grade and 33 not out as playing coach of C-reserve, it’s not a bad return in a playing career disrupted only by a brief move to Melbourne and a few seasons in the GVL with Shepparton.

But it was a club communiqué issued announcing Merigan’s milestone that underscored the impressive breadth of her involvement off the court: “Too many roles to count.”

Football Treasurer, Netball Secretary, and Netball Treasurer are among a litany of roles Merigan has served in with distinction, culminating in Life Membership in 2009.

“I'm a big, big believer in volunteering,” she said.

“Pretty much from the time that I could serve in the canteen to doing whatever else I could, I put my hand up to help, and I get a lot of joy out of that.

“All members of my family have spent a lot of time volunteering.

“If people don't volunteer, you don't have sporting clubs.”

Off the court, the storied family contribution to the proud Kyabram District League club laid the intergenerational groundwork that continues to this day.

Parents May and Kevin Florence have been Life Members of the club since 1995, with May also showing impressive longevity on the court with more than 300 games to her name.

Brother Gareth currently serves as club president, both daughters, Samantha and Imogen, play their juniors at Tallygaroopna, and husband Ben also lends his services around the club.

“It’s a family involvement out at Tally,” Merigan said.

“Mum and dad moved out there and we're now Tally people through and through.

“Mum played 300 or so games herself, and Dad was a footy trainer for many years.

“They live and breathe the club; they currently organise things like canteens, and we do fish and chips out there a couple of times a month as well for the community.”

Merigan’s Redlegs sit second with a 13-1 record and looms as one of C-reserve’s primary flag contenders.

The Tally coach will be hoping for a fairytale ending, as she concedes this season is likely to mark her last as a player.

She admits she’s been relatively lucky over time to only have sustained two long-term injuries – a required ankle reconstruction and a severely broken arm.

However, with general wear and tear and a desire to see the next generation of talented Redlegs juniors surpass her in the senior ranks, she feels the time is right to lean more into a non-playing coaching role.

But in the meantime, the scarcely crossed games milestone is there to be surpassed, and there will be a special touch to proceedings with under-15 Samantha stepping up.

“My eldest daughter's going to come up and play a little bit in C-res this weekend to have that experience of playing together, because this year will be my last,” Merigan said.

“I'm planning to retire at the end of the year, so it'll be a nice opportunity to step onto the court with her.”