Sports reports: ‘Aussie’ Bob McCormick wins Stableford competition
Plus the winners from the 2025 Murray Bridge United senior presentation night and the latest in local rifle shooting.
This story includes contributions from Michael Potts and Daniel Irvine.
It has been a long time coming, but local super veteran “Aussie” Bob McCormick finally cracked a Saturday competition win when he narrowly claimed the weekend's Stableford event on Saturday.
Firing on all cylinders right from the start, he had 22 points by the halfway mark – a tremendous return on the tough front nine.
After squeezing out another 19 on the easier back nine, he had a single point to spare when he saw the leaderboard at round's end.
Still expecting to be pipped by someone from a late-finishing group, "Aussie" was pleasantly surprised to eventually learn that this was not to be and that he had held on.
It was a popular win for the humble C-grader.
There was little else to report on AFL grand final day, with just the 65 players fronting.
Club champ Aaron Zrim decided to line his pockets by carving out a superb 38-point round to win the A grade, and he also eagled the short par five 8th – ho hum – to drain the eagle's nest yet again.
Not content with that, he also picked up the yabby on the par three 11th with a delicate little iron shot to close to the pin.
When you're hot, you're hot.
Soccer club holds senior presentation night
The Murray Bridge United Soccer Club has hosted its senior presentation night for the 2025 season.
The club’s Saturday division three team finished the 2025 season fifth on the ladder with 28 points, while the reserves team finished third with 42 points.
A grade award winners included:
- Allen Taroga, best and fairest and golden boot
- Dale Binney, players’ player and runner-up best and fairest
- Matthew Groves, runner-up best and fairest
- Dylan August, most consistent and runner-up best and fairest
B grade award winners included:
- Graham Alympic, best and fairest and players’ player
- Andrew Tolley, golden boot and runner-up best and fairest
- Mufusa Aldali, most consistent
Other award winners were:
- Josh Flood, most improved
- Kate Flood, best supporter
- Joel McFee, most dedicated player
- Grantley Klenke, club person of the year
Rifle club championship takes the long view
Saturday’s windy weather provided challenging for members of the Murray Bridge Rifle Club, shooting in the 11th round of their annual championship from the maximum range of 1000 yards.
There was a strong turn-out, with 21 shooters taking to the mound to test their mettle before gathering after the shoot to pay tribute with a last shot for club patron Larry Caspers, who passed away earlier this year, by his brother and former club captain Jim.
Given the conditions, no-one had what they would describe as a “good” day and the standout scores of 47 in TR to Andrew Heard, and 57 in F-open to Ryan Yeates, attest to that fact.
Both shooters topped their grades with winning scores of 91.04 and 108.04, respectively.
Gordon Harrison top-scored for F-standard with a 93.
Heard’s win was convincing, nine points ahead of second-placed Robert Paech, while Yeates’ and Harro’s were much closer, only a point ahead of David McDonald and Bryan Robertson, respectively.
Heard and Yeates also managed to win their disciplines' handicap awards.
Less happy winners were Jasamine Irvine and Frank Marshall, who both shot five birds to win their respective Magpie Awards.
The following day, members of the club gathered again, this time in the comfort of the Robin Hood Hotel at Strathalbyn, for their annual presentation lunch, where Andrew Heard (TR), John Cranwell (FO) and Gordon Harrison (FS) were recognized as the annual championship winners from the 2024-25 season.
Competition in the 2025-26 season continues next week from 400 metres.
Send your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.
