Minyip-Murtoa Football and Netball Club started its 2025 season the same way it started its first season as a newly merged club in 1995 – by facing Dimboola Football Netball Club.

Minyip-Murtoa club president Chris Delahunty said the match was fitting for the 30th anniversary of Minyip and Murtoa’s merger. 

“In round one in 1995 we played Dimboola, so we put a request in to the league to be able to play them round one this season,” Delahunty said.

“It was quite a mixed day of results across the football and netball, which was great, and it was a great result in the senior football.”

Minyip-Murtoa kicked 17.9 (111) to Dimboola’s 10.10 (70).

Milestone games were played; Lucy Brand took to the court for her 50th senior netball game, while David Byrne played his 300th senior football game.

“I think there’s only four or five people who have played 300 games in the history of our club, so it was really great,” Delahunty said.

Saturday’s anniversary celebrations included live music, fireworks, and the auction of the day’s senior and reserve-worn jumpers that included all players from the past three decades, the former Minyip and Murtoa club logos and premiership wins.

Former club members Clinton Young and Leonard Clark were guest speakers during halftime of the seniors’ game.

“They both played their junior games with us and then went off to state and AFL before returning to us later in their careers,” Delahunty said. 

“It was great just to hear the stories of their time as juniors at Minyip-Murtoa when we merged, and then later in life when they came back to the club. 

“During the evening, club stalwarts David Delahunty, Mal Schier and Nick McIntyre spoke about the merger and how quickly it occurred.”

Delahunty said he was a junior at Murtoa when the clubs merged and played in the first Minyip-Murtoa under-14s game in 1995. 

“Minyip and Murtoa were fierce rivals,” he said. 

“Not that I can remember, I was only a kid, but absolute fierce rivals. But they had the foresight to see that the writing was on the wall and to join clubs.”

What started as a rivalry became a force to be reckoned with; the club winning three senior football premierships in its first four seasons, building to now include nine grades of netball and eight levels of football, including a new senior women’s football team.

The club enjoys a strong community following.

“We had lots of families from the community join our celebrations on Satur-
day – about 600 people joined us over the course of the day,” Delahunty said. 

“The event was done really well by a sub-committee, and it was just a great way to set the scene for hopefully a successful season.”

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