Central Murray: Balranald returns from brink with familiar name as coach

Balranald has not won a flag since 2009 and almost folded five years ago, but have rebounded strongly with a famous name leading the way.

Jydon Neagle was still at school when his late father Merv coached Balranald to a flag in 2006.

Fast forward 17 years and the son of a gun could also have the mantle of premiership coach of the Central Murray league club by the end of next month.

Back in 2006, the flag with the former Essendon and Sydney wingman and Brownlow Medal runner-up at the helm ended a 22-year drought and Balranald followed up with another premiership three years later.

But subsequent seasons have been as tough as any in the club’s history — on and off the field.

Tragedies have befallen its last two premiership coaches.

The late Merv Neagle coached Balranald to the 2006 Central Murray league premiership.

Merv Neagle, 54, was killed in a truck crash in 2013 and 2009 premiership coach Karl Jacka was only 34 when he lost a fight with cancer in 2017.

Balranald hasn’t won a final since its last premiership and almost folded five years ago.

But the wheel of good fortune is spinning again with the Neagle name at the helm.

Jydon, 28, is following in the footsteps of his late father in his first senior coaching job.

Younger brothers, Matthew and Jaxon, have joined him after playing in the SANFL for Central Districts in recent seasons.

The prospect of better times convinced others to jump aboard.

Jydon and Matthew Neagle are playing together for Balranald. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Star midfielder Ethan Gant followed the younger Neagles from South Australia and Geelong premiership player Nathan Ablett returned after previously playing for the club in 2016.

But major momentum has come from Balranald born-and-bred players back at the club.

Kobe Lloyd returned from Bendigo club Eaglehawk and is one of four sets of brothers or cousins playing in the team this year.

Jydon, who won the Central Murray Jack Betts Medal last season, credits the man who took on the job no one wanted and led it back from the brink to being in the premiership winning window again.

“The club was looking at folding until Ben Mahon took over (as coach),” Jydon said.

“He came across from Ultima, had some good mates and contacts in the Swan Hill area, and got the club pumping again.

“I’m sort of reaping the rewards of the hard work done in that period.”

Jydon Neagle won the Central Murray league Jack Betts Medal last season. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Jydon was a star player in the Ovens and Murray league for Wodonga Raiders where his brothers also played before heading to South Australia.

He won three club best and fairests, represented the O&M at interleague level and played under former Sydney Swans Team-of-the-Century member Daryn Cresswell before taking on his first senior coaching job at Balranald.

“I knew it would have its challenges and it definitely does,” he said.

“You’re worried about getting a kick yourself, but also worrying about 21 other blokes, what the bench is doing, what the opposition is doing.”

Easing the workload and anxiety is the input of “2IC” Tom Lister with the pair already locked in as co-coaches for next year.

“He has got the best football brain I’ve ever seen,” Jydon said.

“He didn’t find the need to play, but just lives and breathes it.

“We’re a match made in heaven to be honest.”

Merv Neagle played in the 1984 Essendon premiership team before heading to Sydney.

Balranald has climbed to second on the ladder this season with eight successive wins before losing narrowly to Lake Boga last round.

The team to beat for the flag is the one Balranald overcome in the 2006 grand final coached by Merv Neagle — Kerang.

Kerang is the reigning premier and won seven flags between 2010 and 2017.

Balranald hosts Kerang on Saturday.

“If we can stay reasonably injury free I think we can give it a red-hot crack,” Jydon said.

“With the vibe we’ve got going, if we don’t do it this year, everyone is going to stick around and have another crack next year.”

As for joining his father on the honour board as a premiership coach, Neagle said: “I will be hungover for three months.

“It will probably do me. Especially in a town like this where the footy club is everything.

“It was a great place to grow up as a kid. You were out from sun up to sun down and it’s still the same.

“I’ve got two little ones now, we go to the footy, they just roam around, and know that everyone has got their back.”

Jydon Neagle is in his first senior coaching job with Balranald. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

That tight bond with the community was no more evident than when Balranald players jumped onto a bus at the end of a recent match and travelled to the home of club stalwart Jeff Mannix, whose battle with cancer prevents him from going to games.

The players and support staff piled off the bus and onto his front lawn to sing the club song as a mark of respect to the many years Mannix spent working in volunteer roles at the club.

Gavin Lloyd, a former Balranald coach who played in the club’s 2006 flag under Jydon’s father, has Kobe and another son Drew playing this year.

He said the team’s strong local contingent had become its most potent weapon with finals on the horizon.

“When Merv was coach he had to grab a heap of blokes together from different places,” Lloyd said.

“But Jydon wanted to be more local-orientated and instil his own style. He has done very well.

“We all class the Neagles as locals and bar four or five, they are all local kids.

“It’s been exceptional the way he has brought the group together.”