Ovens and Murray: Hall of Fame 2022 inductees announced including legend Martin Cross
The Ovens and Murray league’s Hall of Fame returns after a two-year break with six inductees and another legend to be confirmed. Find out who they are.
The mastermind of two famous Ovens and Murray premiership wins is being upgraded to legend status in the league’s Hall of Fame.
Martin Cross coached Myrtleford’s only flag in 1970 and then guided North Albury back from the brink of financial collapse to the 1984 premiership.
The former Carlton rover, who was 20th man in the Blues losing grand final team in 1962, coached a record 21 years in the O and M after starting his career in Ballarat.
He played for North Ballarat and one of his teammates was Howard Lockett, the father of champion Sydney and St Kilda full-forward Tony.
Cross is also a premiership coach with Tallangatta and District league club Dederang.
His great grandson Elijah Hollands is on the Gold Coast Suns list and close to making his senior debut.
The O and M Hall of Fame is one of the longest running events of its type in the state with the inaugural function held in 2005.
Press conference is underway for our final inductee into the O&M Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Jason Lappin on his induction and to Martin Cross who has been upgraded to ‘Legend’ status. pic.twitter.com/oYyFLehNer
— Ovens & Murray FNL (@omfnl) July 14, 2022
It is returning after a two-year hiatus due to covid-19 on July 30 and this year is the first time the names of all inductees have been announced before the night.
There are six new inductees plus the upgrading of Cross to legend status.
PETER CHISNALL (Corowa, Corowa-Rutherglen, Yarrawonga)
Chisnall played in Corowa’s 1968 premiership before joining North Melbourne where he played in the club’s 1975 flag under Ron Barassi.
Remarkably, Chisnall played the first three games of the 1968 season for North Melbourne before being released back to Corowa.
Corowa and Rutherglen merged in 1979 and Chisnall was appointed the coach.
He also coached Yarrawonga in the O and M.
JASON LAPPIN (Wangaratta, Wodonga Raiders)
Lappin was a star player at Wangaratta and Wodonga Raiders before masterminding back-to-back flags with Wangaratta.
His brother Matt played for St Kilda and Carlton and cousin Nigel was part of Brisbane’s all conquering teams in the early 2000s.
He won five best and fairests as a player, four at Wangaratta and one at the Raiders, before coaching the Wangaratta back-to-back flags in 2007-08.
He is presently an assistant coach at Geelong.
BERT TAIT (Corowa, Yarrawonga)
A teammate of Chisnall in Corowa’s 1968 premiership team, Tait played the bulk of his career at Yarrawonga where he has been a stock and station agent for nearly 50 years.
He joined Yarrawonga in 1973 and soon established himself as one of the best ruckmen of his era.
Premiership success eluded him at Yarrawonga, but he won a best and fairest in 1976.
He made a huge contribution with his involvement with the club’s past players group and also the netball club where daughters, Bridget and Janna, have played.
DAVID TURNER (Wodonga)
A star full-forward in the 1980s, Turner kicked seven goals in a famous grand final win over Albury in 1981, topped Wodonga’s goalkicking seven times and played in two more premierships in 1987 and 1992.
He suffered a badly broken leg early in the 1989 season and a long recovery meant he had to watch on when Wodonga won another premiership in 1990.
Turner kicked 582 career goals and son Kayne plays for North Melbourne presently.
TONI WILSON (Wangaratta Rovers)
Wilson was the driving force behind the introduction of netball into the O and M in 1993.
She juggled administrative duties with coaching Wangaratta Rovers A and B grade netball teams to flags in the competition’s formative years.
Her brother Mick Nolan was North Melbourne’s champion ruckman of the 1970s and her sons Mick, Joe and Andrew are also premiership players at Wangaratta Rovers.
GRAHAM WOODS (Wangaratta)
Woods is a six-time premiership ruckman with Wangaratta including four in a row between 1949 and 1952.
He had a great partnership with another Hall of Famer from Wangaratta, rover Tim Lowe.
Woods regularly represented the O and M in interleague and once rucked against AFL legend Graham “Polly” Farmer in an exhibition match between the O and M and East Perth at Albury in the early 1950s.
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