RECORD FEATURE: TEMORA KANGAROOS

It’s hard to believe Australia endured a two-month election campaign to try to find the best path forward for the country, when the nation’s leaders could’ve just headed down to Nixon Park, Temora.
“We sit up after training pulling the world apart and putting it back together – a couple of beers and having a good time,” Dallas McKelvie says with a laugh. He points out that clubs like the Kangaroos are an important part of their towns.
“I think that the biggest part of it is that you’re back at the club and there’s a lot of blokes there that you played with 20 years ago,” he says.
“I’m not sure our solutions are going to be the right ones but we have a good time working it out. Hahaha.”
It’s 30 years since McKelvie’s dad, George, coached Temora’s reserve grade side to back-to-back premierships in 1985 and 1986  (they made it three the following year too). Dallas has taken charge of the twos this season, in recognition of the anniversary.
Long involved with junior football in Temora, McKelvie says there’s the social aspect of being involved but there’s also the satisfaction.
“Watching all the juniors we’ve been involved with run around on the Saturday, it’s always a good motivation,” he says. “It’s good to see what the junior club’s been able to filter in to the senior club, with a lot of kids getting a chance at the higher grades.”
Even in the face of tough seasons for the under 17s and reserve grade, the enthusiasm is still there.
“They’re all very keen to play reserve grade after the 17s. You’ve got to settle them down a bit sometimes. Last week we had to send a few to the shower even though they wanted to play in the twos … seeing how keen they are, even with limited success in both grades – they’re still having a go, so that’s a good thing.”
Like the football, the netball teams aren’t necessarily getting results but the Kangaroos are building for the future, with plenty of young players. In fact, only a handful are over the age of 18. And the junior club has chased grants and fundraising to allow for the construction of a second netball court.
The netball club was also the big driver behind the club’s recent pancreatic cancer fundraiser and awareness day, following the diagnoses of Matt and Jeff Gilchrist with the disease.
Coinciding with their home game against The Rock-Yerong Creek, the Kangaroos far exceeded expectations in their fund-raising for Temora Can-Assist and showed the club’s big heart.
“It was a great afternoon,” McKelvie says. “Everyone seems to get behind these things. When the going gets tough, everyone rolls their sleeves up so it’s good.”
It’s club stalwarts like McKelvie and John McRae who roll their sleeves up on a regular basis to keep the club ticking over.
“They’ve got a lot of history with the town and the club,” says Temora president Darryl Harpley.
“The club would be buggered without those two. Dallas is tied up with the juniors still and he umpires the 17s, he coaches the reserves and then generally runs the boundary for first grade – unreal!”
Senior coach Christin Macri says people like McRae have made his time at Temora.
“Johnny is one especially. He’s always around there doing stuff… cleaning, or doing Thursday night dinner – if there’s a job needs to be done, he does it,” Macri says.
“He said, ‘That’s what everyone used to do for me when I was playing, so I’m just repaying the favour.’ So there’s lots of good people there.”
Macri’s second season in charge hasn’t panned out as he’d have liked with key injuries making life hard, including the forced retirement of Chris Macauley. And they haven’t won since Charlie Vallance tore a hamstring at Marrar. But the coach isn’t in despair.
“It’s had its challenges, no doubt, but there’s also a lot of things that have been really positive with the kids that we’ve played,” Macri says.
“Our injuries have brought a few of those kids in and that’s actually been a good thing – good for them and certainly for our medium to long-term future.”
Often, the Kangaroos have been in games but with so much inexperience, seeing games right out is the challenge.
“The boys are having a good go and that’s the main thing at the moment. We just need to hang in there for as long as we can,” Macri says.
Macri says today’s teenagers have grown up in a golden era at Temora, able to watch Luke Breust make it big and live Jake Barrett’s dream of doing the same. And the success of the three Farrer League flags from 2012-14 also helped make Australian Rules football the focus for many kids in the town.
The junior club again looks promising. The Roos’ under 15s are showing plenty of potential while the under 11s could be stars-in-the-making under the coaching of a club legend in Scott Blackwell.
Harpley says Macri has been ideal for the task of educating their young players.
“We reckon that Whip’s doing a fantastic job,” Harpley says. “It’s a pity he’s been dealt a lot of blows with blokes leaving and being hit by injuries.
“But it’s good development. Even though we’re not winning, it’s important to develop those kids – they’re the future of your club. It all serves a purpose.”
So too do facilities and the Kangaroos hope to have a hint of the Sydney Swans’ success shining on them shortly, purchasing the lights that had been used on the Swans’ training ground next to the SCG. The four new towers and lights are being funded by Temora Shire Council in partnership with AFL NSW-ACT, the junior and senior football clubs, Cricket NSW and local cricket.
“It’s nearly a $200,000 investment,” Harpley says. “It’s fantastic (for the town). I believe they’ll be up and running before next season.”
Further planned developments include new umpire facilities, an extension of the clubhouse, new home change rooms on the clubhouse side of the ground, as well as new public toilets and moving the kiosk as well to be alongside the bar and barbeque.
“To make it a better place to be around and just constant improvement, I guess.” Harpley says. “The football is important but your facilities are just as important.”