Border Mail – Round 16 – Preview
JINDERA coach Kerry Bahr will step down as coach at the end of the season.
“A hard-nosed midfielder with some age and leadership would be ideal to help the younger blokes along.”
While Albury’s Joel Mackie has been strongly linked to returning to Jindera, it is believed the Tiger veteran could extend his career at the Albury Sportsground for another season.
Bahr said he was unsure if he would coach again.
“I’ve been playing or coaching since 1985,” he said.
“It’s got a bit silly with work and I’m not really thinking about it at the moment.
“It’s rewarding but it’s a 12-month a year job these days.
”Last year I sat down and spoke to two players on Mad Monday.
“You never say never though so I’ll just see what happens.”
The Ovens and Murray stalwart, who played in senior premierships at Lavington in 2001 and 2005, believes Henty and Brock-Burrum will take beating.
“The comp is a little stronger than last year, but if you make it you are a chance,” Bahr said.
“It would be nice to think we could progress.
“Brock-Burrum and Henty are going to take knocking off at this stage.”
Bahr has played or been an assistant-coach at Walbundrie, Walla, Osborne, Culcairn and Jindera as well as coaching Lavington’s thirds.
He also worked with Brendan Fevola and Drew Barnes at Yarrawonga.
Jindera is sitting third on the ladder with three rounds remaining and gained confidence from last weekend’s impressive second-half performance against Culcairn at Jindera.
“It’s probably the best we have played in my time at the club,” Bahr said.
“Trent Castles kicked 12 but we had eight other goalkickers on the day.
“There were some good signs.
“Culcairn is a good side and I was really happy with how we played.”
Jindera take on Rand-Walbundrie-Walla at Walla on Saturday with the Giants desperate to win to stay in the mix for finals.
The Bulldogs won by a point when they met earlier in the season.
In two key match-ups, Castles is set to be picked up by Brian Lieschke while Tom Weldon is likely to go to Giants coach Myles Aalbers.
DON’T expect Henty stalwart Matt Kilo to pack up and walk away from country football after he brings up his 400th club match on Saturday.
Matt Kilo and his wife, Susan, with children Henry, 13, Lucy 11, Josephine, 3, Freddy, 2, Tommy, 2, and Sophia 9. Picture: MARK JESSER
“Once I stop playing seriously this year I’d like to umpire.
“I’d like to give something back to country footy.
“I was one of those blokes who chatted to the umpires in my younger days and it’s probably my turn to put my hand up at club level.”
Kilo joins Kerry Boyle, Graham Scholz and Brian Klemke as the only Swampie players to reach the milestone.
His father, Bob, played 357 matches.
“It’s a real privilidge to play at one club and play 400 games,” Kilo, 38, said.
“I broke an ankle in 1999 and missed 12 or 13 weeks but that’s about it.”
HUME LEAGUE
ROUND 16
Saturday, August 11
CDHBU v Holbrook
Henty v Culcairn
Howlong v Brock-Burrum
Billabong Crows v Lockhart
Murray Magpies v Osborne
Rand-Walbundrie-Walla v Jindera
TIPS
ANDREW ROBERTSON
(The Lion King)
Holbrook
Henty
Brock-Burrum
Billabong Crows
Osborne
Jindera
TOTAL: 66
JASON KOHN
(The Kohn Man)
Holbrook
Henty
Howlong
Billabong Crows
Osborne
Jindera
TOTAL: 59
IAN PERTZEL
(Lockhart Sledgehammer)
Holbrook
Henty
Brock-Burrum
Lockhart
Osborne
Jindera
TOTAL: 58
BRETT KOHLHAGEN
(The Border Mail)
Holbrook
Henty
Brock-Burrum
Billabong Crows
Osborne
Jindera
TOTAL: 65
SNIPPETS
TON TIME
Jindera’s Trent Castles and Henty’s Damian Cupido remain on track to become the first players to kick 100 goals since Murray Magpie Ash Murray in 2015.
Murray kicked 106 majors that season.
Castles is sitting on 84 with three home and away rounds remaining while Cupido has 83.
GLEESON’S RULE THE ROOST
Six Gleesons – Terry, Reg, John, Daryl, Garry and Keiran – were named in Osborne’s 1960-69 Team of the Decade last weekend.
The Clarkes came in with the second biggest representation with Russell, Graeme and Col making the grade.
John Garratt was named captain-coach and selected at centre-half-forward while Russell Douglas was picked in the centre.
GIANT MILESTONE
Rand-Walbundrie-Walla defender Jayden Quinlivan will play his 200th match against Jindera at Walla on Saturday.
Quinlivan, 29, made his senior debut as a 16-year-old and, besides a brief stint at Chiltern, has played for either Walla or the Giants.
“I nearly gave it away this year and only started playing in round two so it’s good to get to 200,” Quinlivan, 29, said.
The former Walla captain represented the Hume league against Picola earlier in his career.
Rand-Walbundrie-Walla will play its final home game on Saturday with Danny Phegan and Longreach to perform after the match from 7pm at the Walla Sportsground.
