Kyabram’s Alan Vick had a day out in front of goals in the 1963 season against Murchison in Goulburn Valley League, bagging a still league record of 21 goals.
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His final tally for the game was 21 goals, 7 behinds.
‘’Shirty’’, as he was lovingly known, was more recognised as a defender and part of Kyabram’s legendary half-back line of brothers alongside siblings Bob and Alf Vick.
But he certainly made the most of playing in attack that cold winter’s day at Kyabram Recreation Reserve.
Shirty’s personal goal spree eclipsed the previous official GVL record set by Lemnos’ Len Cummins who booted 20 goals against Stanhope on Saturday, August 6, 1960.
In that game Lemnos — now known as Shepparton Swans — kicked 30.17 (197) to defeat Stanhope 9.4 (60)*.
But at the time Shirty’s performance ignited another debate as to which player really held the honour of kicking the most goals in a game in Goulburn Valley League.
There was a claim Mooroopna’s Norm Starritt had kicked 21 goals in a GVL match a decade or so before Shirty’s feat.
But no proof of that performance has ever been produced, so Shirty’s haul was quickly recognised officially as the record for Goulburn Valley Football League at that stage.
Shirty’s goal-kicking spree that day got off to a slow start. At the end of the first quarter he had kicked only three goals.
But five goals in the second and third terms had him sitting on a tally of 13 goals going into the last quarter.
He completed his feat in a blaze of glory, kicking eight goals in the last term to take his tally to 21 for the game.
His tally could easily have been 24 goals as he hit the goal posts three times in his final-quarter blitz.
The flogging the Bombers handed out to Murchison that day sped up the Grasshoppers’ move to Kyabram District Football League the following year where they appreciated the drop down in standard and landed the flag, one of five flags they have won since being in this competition.
They were again premier two years later in 1966 when they accounted for arch-rival Nagambie before a lengthy wait for their next flag in 1982 when they beat AveneI.
Their next flag came in 2013 when they accounted for Stanhope and their fifth flag was achieved last year when, as hot favourite and now carrying the title of Murchison-Toolamba, it had a healthy 47-point winning margin overt Shepparton East in the season decider.
Among other several notable individual goal-kicking hauls in the Goulburn Valley area, one was achieved by Violet Town’s Craig Whelan.
In the round 12 game on June 30, 2012 Whelan booted 34 goals in Violet Town’s 56.22 (358) to 2.5 (17) win over Ardmona in Kyabram District Football League.
Ardmona’s Perry Meka still holds the record of most goals in a season in this league with a huge tally of 174 goals in the 1992 season.
* 9.4 (60) is not mathematically correct, but all records available state that scoreline.
Alan “Shirty’' Vick’s efforts.
The Vick brothers.
The feat was made official.
Vick's efforts.
NEXT UP IN GUS UNDERWOOD’S FREAKISH SPORTING FEATS: Tim Brett (cricket)
Playing in a recent Cricket Shepparton D-grade clash Northerners Cricket Club’s Tim Brett finished with the absurd figures of 8-0 off 3.1 overs against Murchison whose entire side succumbed for six runs.
Brett’s haul included a four-wicket maiden and a two-wicket maiden — as well as finishing the feat and innings with a hat-trick.
In their run chase, Northerners had the game won in four balls.
– Read Gus Underwood’s take on Brett’s ‘Freakish Sporting Feat’ in next Friday’s News.
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