Ovens and Murray: Corowa-Rutherglen returns after year on sidelines
Corowa-Rutherglen is about to do what no country league footy club has ever done by resurrecting seniors, reserves and under-18s teams after a year out of action.
Corowa-Rutherglen ends 581 days in the football wilderness on Easter Saturday when it takes the unprecedented step of relaunching three teams that sat out last year.
The Ovens and Murray league club will play its first match since the final round of the 2022 season against last year’s runner-up Albury at its home ground that is still in recovery mode from major floods 18 months ago.
An inability to secure a senior coach to replace Peter German triggered a massive player exodus that resulted in the club putting its seniors, reserves and under-18 football teams in recess for 2023.
Corowa-Rutherglen also had three netball teams sit out the year.
It eventually appointed Steve Owen to the senior coaching job and he has spearheaded a mammoth recruiting campaign.
The list of signings include brothers Sam and Nathan Dunstan from the North Central and Ballarat leagues respectively and Mornington Peninsula-Nepean league key forward Darcy Hope.
Brady Morton returns to the O & M as the club’s assistant coach after previously playing for Albury.
Joe Hansen is also back after playing for O & M rival Lavington last year.
Sydney premiership coach John Longmire started his career at Corowa-Rutherglen and paid tribute to those inside the club for bringing it back from the brink.
“Community footy clubs rely so heavily on volunteers and people helping out, so I’m really pleased for those people who spent so much time holding the faith and doing the work,” he said.
“It’s a big job.
“It was a sense of sadness and disappointment it got to the stage it did.
“I was hopeful the club could get going again, but also understanding it’s tough to do when a club shuts down for a period of time.
“History suggests it’s not an easy thing to do.”
Club president Graham Hosier said he was unaware of any precedent of a club returning from the same predicament.
“Shepparton Swans were also flooded and kept going, Kyneton didn’t have seniors and came back,” he said.
“But no one has come back from no clubrooms and not a lot of players like we have.
“It’s a credit to everyone who has been involved.
“We’re absolutely over the moon that we can come back and play in the Ovens and Murray.
“The town needs it, the area needs it, but it’s been a lot of hard work.”
The O & M returns to 10-team competition with Corowa-Rutherglen back.
“Corowa-Rutherglen has done one hell of a job to get themselves back into the competition,” O & M chairman David Sinclair said.
“The club needs to be congratulated on the incredible job they’ve done to be back participating with a full complement of football and netball sides.
“We eagerly anticipate their first game against Albury and hope that all the hard work pays off with a competitive game in front of a huge crowd.”
Corowa-Rutherglen has played O & M rival Myrtleford and Tallangatta District club Mitta United in practice matches.
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