Hume: Osborne coach Joel Mackie’s farewell flag triumph

Joel Mackie won a ninth flag in his last game as Osborne coach. See who his replacement will be.

Osborne coach Joel Mackie has bowed out in premiership-winning style following a 50-point trouncing of Holbrook in the grand final at Walbundrie, with his replacement for next year locked in.

Mackie has completed the maximum term the club allows a coach to serve in the role and has already been announced as coach of rival club Jindera next season.

Osborne has appointed former Rand-Walbundrie-Walla coach Myles Aalbers to take over the coveted job from Mackie.

Aalbers has been appointed for 2024 only after being an assistant playing coach for one of Osborne’s favourite sons, Adam Schneider, who has just completed two years coaching Ovens and Murray club Lavington.

Myles Aalbers, left, playing for Lavington in the 2008 Ovens and Murray preliminary final against Wodonga.

Lavington fell just short of finals for the second year in a row under Schneider.

Osborne went into last year’s grand final hot favourites against Holbrook, but was steamrolled in the final term to lose its only match of the season.

But redemption for Osborne and Mackie came with a victory set up with a six goals to two opening term.

Hayden Armstrong kicked three of the six goals for Osborne on his way to seven for the match and best afield honours.

Armstrong was playing his first match since late June and teammate George Alexander also had an extended stint on the sidelines before resuming two weeks ago in the second semi-final.

Osborne players are presented with their latest Hume league premiership. Picture: Deb Bahr

He kicked three goals in the grand final win that has taken Osborne’s premiership tally to 16 since 1985.

Once the flag celebrations subside the search will resume for a replacement for Mackie, who was appearing in the 15th grand final of a career that isn’t over yet.

Mackie played in seven flags with Albury and one each with Osborne and Jindera in a previous stint at the club.

Holbrook premiership coach Matthew Sharp’s final match was a disaster when he twinged a nerve in his back in the warm-up and could play no part in the game.

Osborne captain Duncan McMaster, left, and coach Joel Mackie raise the Hume league premiership cup. Picture: Deb Bahr

The Brookers were left one short with all their emergencies playing in the reserves grand final that was already underway.

Sharp has coached Holbrook for six years and will be replaced by co-coaches Andrew Mackinlay and Josh Jones.

Holbrook’s best in the grand final was former Wangaratta Rovers and Wodonga Raiders player Raven Jolliffe, who plans to travel around Australia next year.

But reinforcements are already rolling in with Holbrook signing Dederang-Mt Beauty pair Cody Hewat and Josh Kable.

After reaching the second week of finals in the Tallangatta District league in 2022, Dederang-Mt Beauty slipped to ninth spot this year.