2021 KGS

The Golf

The Format: Teams of four playing two-ball ambrose best-ball on Saturday and four-ball ambrose best-ball on Sunday.

The Rules: Since slow play is a potential problem for our gangs, these rules are designed to encourage play in the right spirit and at the right pace. Teams play their chosen best ball on each shot and may place their ball half a club length (about 50cms) from where the chosen ball lies, no nearer the hole. Balls must be placed in the same cut as the chosen ball. In the interests of fast play from tee to green, teams are NOT required to mark with a tee and precisely measure from the chosen ball as they play each shot. Team members can play in any order on a shot. Putting: Once on the green, Bushrangers should mark near the chosen best ball so each team member plays from near enough to the exact same position.

Handicapping: Each person will be assigned a handicap by the handicapper based on official handicaps and information supplied by the Bushrangers. The handicapper will be governed by a commitment to rewarding good play according to a player’s ability. Team handicaps for the ambrose groupings are calculated from the individual marks.

Playoffs: In the event of a tie, a sudden-death playoff will be conducted. Teams play together as a foursome (taking alternate strokes playing one ball). The order is continuous and carries over from one hole to the next until the playoff is decided.

Nearest-the-Pin & Longest Drive: Will be contested on both days and, in the interests of team gloating and solidarity, any player who wins a LD or NTP wins prizes and glory for his entire team.

The Rodeo Rule: This is minimum drives for each team member and will be enforced. Each team’s individual rodeo requirements will appear on their scorecard.
 

The History of The Kelly Gang Shootout at Glenrowan

The Kelly Gang arrived in Glenrowan on 27 June 1880 and took about 70 hostages at the Glenrowan Inn. They planned to derail a train of police coming for them and while they waited for the train, they kept the hostages entertained by breaking out the turps and firing up a party that was a rollicking good time. The party lasted for two days. Meanwhile the police avoided the derailment and laid siege to the pub.

The gang members, Ned Kelly, Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne, donned their now-famous helmets and armour (weighing about 44 kg), and fought a gun battle with the police. Before dawn on Monday June 28, Ned Kelly left the rear of the inn in his armour and circled behind the police. As the dawn broke, Ned cast an eerie figure marching out of the morning fog in his armour and overcoat, firing his revolvers. Police bullets bounced off his armour and it was not until the police shot at his legs that he slowed. He eventually collapsed and was captured beside a large fallen gum tree. He was near death and not expected to survive.

The rest of the gang died in the pub, probably from gun shot wounds, although the police bravely made sure by torching the building and burning Anne Jones’ pub to the ground. The police suffered only one minor injury: the senior officer, Superintendent Francis Hare, copped a scratch to his wrist, then fled the battle and was later suspended for his cowardice. Police bullets struck several of the hostages during the siege, at least two fatally. Ned lived and left on the train they tried to derail.

The Form Guide

The Glenrowan Hacks – Steve Hart, Joe Byrne and Dan Kelly all lost their lives at the siege in Glenrowan (June 26–28, 1880) that Ned had hoped would be the catalyst for a new republic. The myth of Ned grew as he somehow survived the ordeal having sustained enough gunshot wounds to bring down a horse. It was the first and last time they wore their iconic armour. In honour of this, the defending champions will play the KGS every year as The Glenrowan Hacks.

Lisa Saunders (The Enabler)            Graham Ball (Ballsy)
Aileen Armour (AA)                        Darren Hansen (Hazza)

Coming off their win last year, this unruly mob will strut into town with an air of confidence not seen since The Kelly Gang themselves bowled into town at Glenrowan in 1880. Hard to see them far from the business end on Sunday arvo, but they may find the going a bit tougher this year with a much higher-quality field to beat this time around compared with the miniature caravan of circus freaks they had to overcome in the Covid-limited KGS of 2020. The other three teams in the field last year went to water on Sunday and left this loose crew of golf nuts coasting over the line in one of the greatest “Bradburys” since the 2002 Winter Olympics. Don’t be surprised if a couple of lazy shots & missed putts sees them turning on their own mid and/or post-round, leaving their shambolic title defence in tatters before it even kicks off.
 

The Corowa Borrowers – Corowa was used by the Kellys to 'trade' horses and cattle they had ‘acquired’. In early 1879 the gang was seen back in the region when they crossed the Murray to escape the Victorian Police. Ned knew the river crossings as he had worked at Fairfield Vineyard, danced at Forty’s Pub in Wahgunyah and drank in Corowa.

Biljana Krunic (BK)                  Dianne Kuepers (DK)
John Krunic (J-OK)                 Timothy Kuepers (TK)

A bunch of Bushranger novices here, we hope for their sake that the quest for golfing glory will be secondary to seeking out the fun, frivolity and good times on offer here. Given the dubious company they are known to keep, they appear to have the right breeding and bloodlines to put in a good first-up performance but given the previous inglorious history of maiden starters in this event, this is not the mob to bet the farm on. Rumoured to be handy on the lip and capable of holding up their end of the bar between rounds but their problems start when they get to the first tee. Novices and maiden starters are not the ones to bet on here, so consider boxing into your trifectas to add a bit of value.
 

The Beechworth Boys – Ned was gaoled as a teenager for receiving a stolen horse. In January 1873, he was transferred from Pentridge to Beechworth Prison where he spent the next year of his youth learning from hardened criminals how he might become an upstanding member of the community.

Gav Doran (The Rose)               Pete Calverley (Cuddles)
Cam Thompson (Thommo)                   Ian Steer (Steery)

These four reclusive wallflowers are currently battling a collective form slump of epic proportions. They are all fine purveyors of the post-golf mayhem that is a priority at this event, so we can expect a successful and belligerent crusade from them in-between rounds here. Traditionally they set the world on fire with stellar performances that make them some of the most popular men on tour, but it can impact their performance on Sunday. The Rose won this event over a decade ago but none of this crew have so much as troubled the engravers since then as their golf has been mostly deplorable. As their efforts between rounds is always world-class, a lot of fun is guaranteed for all and having a good time for a long time has always proven to be a recipe for success in the past at the KGS, so they are not without a chance.
 

The Benalla Burglars – As the major town closest to Ned Kelly's home, Benalla was the epicentre of Kelly's bushranging days and was the police headquarters for the Kelly Gang manhunt. As a lad, Ned famously gave three troopers a hiding one day in the main street.

Nick Randone (Fantasia)                Matthew Thomas (T-Bag)
Ashley Davis (McDonald)            Brendan Davis (Tipungwuti)

This mob of sharp-witted, big-hitting, trash-talking, fun-loving, knee-slapping, rib-tickling Essendon Bomber lovers (plus one Navy Blue) are very capable of taking this event by the scruff of the neck and prancing off with the Glenrowan Perpetual Trophy. Some of them won in 2017 and come in here with good form in this event in the past and Matty T has won this event more than any other – he has so many KGS titles we have lost count! A few questions do linger about their collective physical and emotional capacity to stay the distance here, but their mental strength and sheer ball-striking power coupled with clinical reliability makes this mob one of the favourites here this week. Are certainly here for the fun and a good time and, as long as no-one mentions the 1993 Grand Final or the 1999 Prelim, they stand a pretty good chance to be elbowing their way through to the podium on Sunday arvo.
 

The Euroa Removalists – Euroa was the scene of the Kelly Gang’s first bank hold-up in 1878. They were most gentlemanly and polite throughout, as they calmly made off with £2000 in cash and gold.

Drew Hallam (Show me the money)                Matt Moore (Farmer)
Bryce Heenan (The Hitman)                      Rick Allen (Court Jester)

Probably keeping a low profile this weekend considering their profession as removalists! Very keen to put the disappointment of missing out on casting for ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ behind him, Matt Moore will be eager for a good showing at Black Bull. The long-hitting likeable larrikin brings with him a diverse team of misfits to help get the job done. After Al “fairways and greens” Clelland was unable to make the cut on the revised 2021 KGS, they have drafted in a wildcard with the Court Jester joining the fray, a competitor with a reputation to being a specialist at holing a few putts and keeping the drinks cart well within sight. If these lads can find the right balance between gun-slinging, trash-talking and elbow-bending, they could be half a chance to come flying home on the back nine on Sunday.
 

The Avenel Gang – Ned Kelly forged a reputation as a stand-up citizen when growing up in Avenel. As a 12 year old, he saved the life of a drowning Richard Shelton near the bridge over Hughes Creek. As a reward for his bravery and courage, Kelly was gifted a green silk sash, which he was wearing under his armour at the siege of Glenrowan.

Jadranka Krunic (JK)                 Dean Mitchell (Deano)
Jason Pratt (JP)                          Steve Stoward (Stevie)

There are times in life where you look at a particular ragtag collection of individuals and see something so remarkable and exciting—so full of raw power, potential, heart and that certain je ne sai quoi quality—that you know, deep down in your soul that this collection of individuals is destined for greatness (and perhaps a Hollywood feature film). Sadly, this is not one of those times. Ragtag? Yes. Individuals? Sure. But not much else comes to mind when evaluating this team’s probability of success. There is simply no “Up” in this team’s “Giddy”. But that’s EXACTLY what they are expecting us to think. So don’t count them out. Or do. Or don’t. Maybe. Confused? Now you know how they feel about their chances here. Not without a chance of maybe not doing much to challenge or otherwise for qualifying as both most under-rated AND under-performed team here.
 

The Stringybark Creek Freakss – It was at Stringybark Creek in October 1878 that the brooding confrontation between the Kelly Gang and the police exploded into all-out war. Three police officers lost their lives and the Kelly outbreak lasted for the next 20 months..

Matthew Pitt (Pw Jones)                  Mick David (Mikey Dee)
Richard Fellner (Quigley)                   Stephen Foxwell (Foxy)

With just a single KGS title between them, this mob of transients and drifters have very little to recommend their chances. On face value they are four great golfing legends with superior bloodlines but start to scratch the surface and the cracks begin to appear. They are from all over the place, and they ARE all over the place. Two of them have won a swag of Bushranger Cups but they have hardly ever contended here at the KGS. They certainly can golf their collective balls, so if they can make it to the first tee in one piece, they might threaten in the right conditions. However, their lack of identity and cultural confusion make it clear that this crew of hobos and misfits are most likely just making up the numbers. Avoid.