It's been another eventful sporting year with plenty of quotable quotes

PARTY TIME

I had a few more Riccadonna's than usual to celebrate. Luckily I pulled up alright the next day because I made sure I had a few glasses of water before I went to bed to help dodge a hangover. Horse trainer Liz Aalbers on her 80th birthday

WHAT A PREDICTION

I read somewhere that the Western Bulldogs could have up to 15 players missing for their AFLW clash this weekend. In my opinion, that's what clubs in this region will also have to deal with at stages during the season. Three months later, Wodonga Raiders' coach Marc Almond had nine players missing through COVID.

HAVE A BREAK

It wasn't really working out for me there and I wasn't going to play cricket at all because I was struggling a little bit. It's a pretty high-pressure environment, Premier Cricket. If you're doing well, it's the best place ever but when you're not, there's constant pressure on you. I was feeling self-doubt and was down a bit, lost my love for the game and it wasn't doing me any good. Wodonga cricketer Jack Craig

HOW GOOD'S THIS?

The fact that I get to play basketball here in front of our community is more special than anything I can imagine. When I started training again I don't think I expected to even get to this point. Basketballer Lauren Jackson is back home playing

'MONSTER' MARTY

He's an absolute monster in the gym, we call him 'Muscles' Brennan. Werribee general manager of football Mark Micallef on Lavington recruit Marty Brennan

WELL PLAYED

What this means is that the girls who are involved in cricket in Albury-Wodonga are very strong because they're not just playing women's cricket. Riverina Bullets' Catherine Wood after their Regional Bash triumph in Sydney

HONEST ARCHIE

I went off path a little bit. Not many people know about it but I was getting into a little bit of strife, had no direction and I was hanging out with the wrong people. I had a day in court, my Mum was with me and I could see how upset she was, so I decided to really make a go of my football. Former Socceroo Archie Thompson

THIS GEAR 'ROCKS'

When I started, I used to get belted and knocked around. It was the burly, tougher kids, the enforcers, who were the goalkeepers (laughs loudly). I liked the athleticism side of it, diving around, and I liked the gear, it sounds silly, but as a kid it was pretty cool being covered from head to toe. Corowa product and former Australian hockey goalkeeper Steve Mowlam

THAT'S A LEADER

I was at a game in Melbourne a few years ago and there was an opportunity where Andrew could have lined up with the players before a game, but he sat in the dugout next to me, that's why the players love him because he's no show pony, There's two things I work on, you've got to have people skills and life skills, if you haven't got that, I don't want you. Andrew McDonald has both in spades. Highly respected cricket coach Warren Smith when quizzed on Australia's newest Test coach and Albury-raised Andrew McDonald

ALSO IN SPORT:

NORM'S NEMESIS

Winning the appeal is a victory for the battlers isn't it? Let's be honest, it shouldn't have come down to that over a post on Facebook. Albury horse trainer Norm Loy on Racing NSW officials after having a three month disqualification over a Facebook rant reduced to a two-month suspension

SO SAD

Will has had some advice from his doctor that he's moved into a higher risk category because of how many concussions he's had. Myrtleford co-coach Dawson Simpson on recruit Will Reilly's forced retirement

OUCH!

He bowled a big full toss, it swung back a little bit and Mitch has got an inside edge to it, straight into the box. He was forced to retire hurt as he had an instant headache and pain in the guts. Wodonga's Craig Borrell after son Mitch got hit and had his protective box broken

THAT'S A RELIEF

Our recruiting guys have been working hard and at this stage the club has enough numbers for seniors and reserves football. Wahgunyah president Darryl Hore

TOP EFFORT, YOUNG MAN

On Monday, I go to school in the morning, come back, go to training at 6.30 and after I've finished at 8, I go to work at 8.30 at Macca's. I have to survive like that. It's a long day but I have to push myself hard to support my family. That's what my Mum told me and that's what I do every single time. Murray United's David Hassan

BROTHERS IN ARMS

We've never really gone at it, we'll have to see on Saturday if we match up on each other, I'd like to say me, but after playing with Jack at 'Yarra' he was always on the bottom of the pack. Will Sexton when asked who's tougher out of him and older brother Jack. They were about to oppose each other for the first time in a VFL practice game

HOLD YOUR NERVE

You could feel they were getting nervous, but we've been in this situation. North Albury's Cal Langlands after the grand final cricket win over Albury.

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