On Saturday, July 16, at its Back to Bomberland celebration, the Noradjuha-Quantong Football Netball Club announced their senior football and A Grade netball Teams of the Quarter Century, celebrating 25 years since the formation of the club.
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The teams include premiership heroes, best and fairest winners, 300-game veterans and talent upon talent. Read on for the Wimmera Mail-Times' who's who of the side
Senior Football
Leading the side is club legend and 300-gamer half-forward Shane Oakley, a HDFNL and Bombers Life Member who has lead the Bombers' goalkicking on at least five occasions (2012, '13, '16, '18 and '19) and been a lynchpin of the side for much of the 21st century. Oakley came runner up in the club's Best and Fairest count in 2007 and '15, before winning it in 2016.
Marshalling the backline is another 300-gamer, fullback Brent McIntyre. McIntyre won the Bombers' Best and Fairest award in 2010 and came runner-up in 2012. In 2014, he ran out for his 300th game and was awarded life membership to the Bombers. Joining McIntyre in the last line of defence is 200-gamer Adrian Wade, who took home the Bombers' Best Utility award in 2007. Bombers life member Paul Ashenden completes the fullback trio.
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Lining up at half back is Sam Weddell, who dominated for the Bombers in juniors, before transferring his talents to the senior competition. Weddell was named the Bombers' Most Valuable Player in 2013 and won the club's Best and Fairest award in 2014. Weddell would go on to ply his talents for the Southern Mallee Giants, becoming a premiership player in 2017. On the other half-back flank is Tom Cooper, a dual-best and fairest runner-up for the club in 2010 and '11, and the club's leading goalkicker in 2011. Jason Rowe finishes off the half-backline, and has been one of the club's most consistent defenders.
On one wing is 1998 Bombers Best and Fairest winner Corey Price, who came runner-up in 2000 and '02, while the Bombers' 2019 grand final captain Dustin Cross sits on the other wing. Centre bounces for any celebratory Bombers' team of the past 25 years would be incomplete without Marcus Anson, a five-time club Best and Fairest winner. A Wimmera legend, Anson took home the Dellar Medal in 2002, before crossing over and winning the Toohey Medal in 2009.
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Lining up alongside Oakley at half-forward is Jordan Huff, the Bombers' Most Valuable Player in 2012, and Rodney 'Rocket' Hogan. Hogan is a cross-over star, having been named in the Horsham Saints Team of the Decade in 2003, and came runner-up in the Bombers' 2008 Best and Fairest award. Cam Bruce was named in the side's forward pocket. Bruce won the Bombers' 2017 Best and Fairest count, and lead the club's goalkicking the same year. He was named the Bombers' MVP in 2017 and 2018.
At full-forward sits perennial forward Adrian Heard, who booted 100 goals in 2005, while Heath Francis, who has made a name for himself as a talented junior coach, finishes off the attacking lineup. Francis toiled hard for over 200 games for the Bombers, and took home the Bombers' Coaches Award in 2008.
Star ruckman Jack Vague leads the Bombers' followers. Vague won the Horsham District League's Champion Player award in 2018, capping off a barnstorming first few years in the seniors after dominating throughout his junior career. Vague won the Bombers' best and fairest in 2018 and 2019, to go along side his club Best First Year Player (2015), Most Improved (2017) and MVP (2016) awards.
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Jumping into the guts alongside Vague is 2008 Best and Fairest Simon Dandy, who was named the Wimmera-Mallee's Senior Coach of the Year in 2009,.and Mr Consistent himself, Jason Kerr. A 200-gamer, Kerr won the club's Best and Fairest twice, and came runner-up in 2013, '14, '15 and '17.
While there are stars on the field, the Bombers' interchange bench features no lack of talent. Evergreen ruckman Adam Jolley, multiple club leading goalkicker Tim Bell, club Best and Fairest winner Aaron Starick and 2014-15 playing coach Jarred Combe, who won both junior and senior goalkicking awards in the same year, make up the side's bench.
Gareth Hose, who guided the Bombers' to a grand final in 2019, and looks set to lock in another finals berth in 2022, is the team's coach. Hose currently maintains a 61 per cent win ratio, roughly equivalent to that of legendary Geelong coach, Reg Hickey.
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A Grade Netball
Two-time HDFNL A Grade Best and Fairest winner, and goal defence, Zoe Heard captains the Team of the Quarter Century. Heard is a premiership player, playing a vital role in the team's 2008 victory. Alongside Fiona Rowe, Heard won three Bombers' Best and Fairest awards in a row between 2008 and 2010.
The Bombers' Team of the Quarter Centre's attack is lead by shooter Shannon Couch, who is still going strong; coming runner-up for the Bombers' A Grade Best and Fairest in 2021. Couch is a dual premiership player, having played in the Bombers' 2011 and 2012 A Grade flags. Couch is joined in attack by 2013 club A Grade Best and Fairest, Hayley McDonald in goal attack, who has also come runner-up for the award in 2011, 2012 and 2014. McDonald also took home the 2011 and 2012 Under 17 awards, playing across junior and A Grade games. Similarly, wing attack Abbie Avery won the Under 17 Best and Fairest award in 2009, a year after becoming a premiership player as part of the Bombers' flag in 2008.
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Fiona Rowe holds sway over centre court. A triple-premiership player, Rowe has taken home the club's A Grade Best and Fairest award on four occasions, sharing three of those with Heard. In 2012, Rowe took home the league's Best and Fairest award. Rowe was also named co-coach of the side.
Lining up alongside Heard, is wing defence Brooke Pay, a three-time Noradjuha-Quantong Best and Fairest and triple winner of the club's Best in Finals award, in 2014, 2016 (with Yolanda Francis) and 2017. Legendary goal keeper Beck McIntyre is the final piece of the puzzle. McIntyre has been named in not one, but two Team of the Decade for Noradjuha-Quantong, and is the only player to have played in all four premierships from the Bombers' golden era of 2005-12. McIntyre is co-coach alongside Rowe.
As with the football, there is no lack of talent on the bench, which is occupied by 2001 HDFNL A Grade Best and Fairest winner Penny Ashenden, 2002 Bombers' A Grade Best and Fairest winner Michelle Christopher and 2002 Bombers' Best and Fairest runner-up, Elaine Oakley.
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