SPORT

Region netball
champions
set to reunite
MEMBERS of a Wimmera
Mallee netball team who
won a Mobil Country Cup in
1996 will reunite in Horsham
tomorrow night.
Coach Julie Burke said the
side was the most successful
representative team in the history
of netball in the region.
Burke hand-picked the best
players and officials from the
Wimmera, Horsham District
and North Central netball as-
sociations.
Team member Megan Shea,
who still plays A Grade for
Ararat, said she looked forward
to the reunion. CHAMPIONS: The winning Wimmera Mallee side. Back, Ruth McCallum, trainer, Tracey O’Callaghan, team manager, Jodi
“I don’t see a lot of girls PLAYER: Jenny Heard.
Potter nee Bigmore, Denise Hutchinson, Karen Bird, Judi Landwehr, Adele Hartigan, Amanda Worthy nee Walsh, Shirley
because they play or are involved nights and on Sundays. Heard, umpire. Front, Kellie Griffith nee Funke, Jenny Pickert nee Heard, Megan Shea nee Holt, coach Julie Burke, Mary
in other leagues, but there are “We did a lot of travelling
Raynes, Vivan Hiscock. Pictures: PAUL CARRACHER
some I still see,” Shea said. together,’’ she said.
“We might be rivals on the “They were good girls’ ``We were all amazed we on television too and I didn’t “This event was like the AFL Hoornweg spoke to the
court now, but I’m good friends weekends away, so we know pulled off winning the cham- want to be embarrassed because for netballers. team before the match and sat
with them off the court.” each other pretty well. pionships.’’ I knew a lot of people back home “It gave country netballers with Burke on the interchange
Shea said the Mobil Country “Sometimes we would have Shea said the side came would be watching.” the opportunity to play at a high bench.
Cup was a state championship, to miss Saturday matches with from behind to win the grand Shea was player of the level and became a pathway to The team: Karen Bird, Viv-
which divided country regions our own clubs, but that was how final against Latrobe Valley at series. go further in their career.” ian Hiscock, Horsham United;
into two divisions. dedicated this team was.” Warragul. Julie Burke said winning the Burke said the side was an Denise Hutchinson, Kalkee;
She said it was played from Shea, who was 24 at the time, “I remember looking at the championships was a highlight ‘absolute delight’ to coach Judi Landwehr, Adele Hartigan,
February to April, in the weeks said she had great memories of scoreboard and we were 11 goals of her career. because of their dedication. Amanda Worthy, Jenny Pickert,
leading up to and at the start of playing in the side. behind and I thought to myself, “We had all of Horsham She said current Melbourne Mary Raynes, Horsham; Kellie
the regular netball season. ``The Wimmera region had ‘we haven’t travelled all this way behind us,” she said. Vixens coach Julie Hoornweg Griffith, Donald; Megan Shea,
Shea said matches were played never done anything like what to lose’,’’ she said. “The support we received was was a special guest of the side Ararat.
across the state on Saturday we did before,’’ she said. “The match was broadcast just amazing,. for the final. Leigh Rogers

Writer to explore
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1027622

Cazaly at Minyip
By ROY WARD
UP THERE Cazaly.
Every football fan knows the
words to the famous song.
But do Wimmera residents know
we have a link to Roy Cazaly, the
man immortalised in the classic
football anthem?
Brisbane football writer Robert
Allan is visiting the region today
and tomorrow trying to uncover any
information or memorabilia from
Cazaly’s stint as playing coach at
Minyip in 1925.
Cazaly, who was renowned for his
high marking abilities, started his
VFL career with St Kilda in 1911
before joining South Melbourne
in 1921.
He left the major league to spend
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a season as a playing-coach in the
Wimmera Football League, before
rejoining South Melbourne the next
year until 1927.
He played a total of 198 games
and kicked 167 goals in the VFL.
Cazaly later returned to South
Melbourne as non-playing coach
and also had a stint coaching at
Hawthorn.
Allan said it was during this time
Cazaly was responsible for Hawthorn
changing their nickname from the
Mayblooms to the Hawks.
Allan said Cazaly’s season in the
Wimmera was the least documented
of his whole career.
He said he hoped Wimmera
residents would be able to help
shed some light.
Allan has already trawled through
archived copies of the Minyip
Guardian to find information on
Cazaly.
Allan said a coaching advertise-
ment in a Melbourne newspaper
attracted Cazaly to Minyip.
“In those days it wasn’t uncom-
mon for VFL players to go to the
country,” he said.
“Players used to get three pounds
a match, so would often go where
there was a challenge and more
money.”
Allan said his research had
revealed there were 35 applicants
for the Minyip coaching position
that season.
“I’d summise from the number of
applicants that the offer must have
been pretty good,” he said.
“From what I’ve read prices for
wheat were good at that time.”
Allan said Cazaly did not get it
easy during his stint in the Wimmera
league.
“Match reports make it clear that
he was treated as a blow-in from out
of town and that a lot of people took
the opportunity to rough him up,”
he said. “There were certainly no
1028967
favours shown to him.
“The interesting thing is that
despite his presence Minyip did not
win the premiership that year.”
Allan said Cazaly ran a fruit
and confectionary business in
Minyip and also played cricket in
the town.
Allan will be based at the Minyip
Historical Society today and will
attend the Wimmera league match
between Minyip-Murtoa and War-
racknabeal tomorrow.
“I haven’t been able to find a
photo of that 1925 Minyip side,
and there must be one somewhere,”
he said.
“If anyone has any stories I’d love
to hear them.”
Allan said anyone with informa-
tion could call him on 0437 280 104
or email him at rallen3@iinet.au.

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