Held at the Lanes and Games venue in Horsham, the event attracted 54 teams of seven players, with nine sides in each of six divisions, making it one of the best attended competitions in Victoria.
Being newcomers to the tournament, the team which went under the name Wanganella was drawn to play in the fifth division.
It comprised Kevin Campbell, Cliff Eagle, Neil Goudie, Chris Burn and Rob Daly, along with friends Doug Sutherland from Sunbury and Steven Murray from Maryborough.
They were well placed in second spot after only dropping one match in the preliminary rounds of the round-robin format.
It was then first versus fourth and second versus third, with both winners advancing to the final.
The Wanganella lads easily accounted for the Hamilton Club side, four frames to one in the semi-final, and then met a local Horsham team, which had unexpectedly beaten the top team in the other elimination semi-final.
In a very even side, all players contributed in the grand final, on their way to a comprehensive seven frames to two victory.
They hope to be back next year in division four looking for more success.
Interestingly, on meeting a total stranger early in the competition, they were asked where they hailed from.
On hearing the answer, the stranger quickly fired back, “Oh you’re the old blokes from Deni!”.
By the end of the two-day competition he was no longer a stranger, and was actively barracking for the Wanganella boys in the finals.
The Wimmera Friendly was certainly well named.
~ Rob Daly
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