Sport
9 May, 2026
Draft night for river rivals
NEWBRIDGE coach Jayden Cordy reckons he will let his newest recruit choose his own position on the field when he plays for the Maroons against Bridgewater in Loddon Valley’s round 11.
NEWBRIDGE coach Jayden Cordy reckons he will let his newest recruit choose his own position on the field when he plays for the Maroons against Bridgewater in Loddon Valley’s round 11.
Gary Ablett junior will pull on the Newbridge jumper at Riverside Oval on June 20, with Geelong premiership winner Gary Rohan becoming a Mean Machine player for the day.
Cordy admitted it was “weird” to think that he would be coaching one of the best players in football history in the dual Brownlow medallist and two-time premiership player.
“I don’t think I’ll be telling him where to play,” Cordy said. “But I would like to see him in the middle at the first bounce and then go forward and perhaps kick us a few goals.”
Cordy has a tenuous link to the former Geelong and Gold Coast superstar.
“My uncle Justin Cordy was high performance manager at the Suns when Ablett was there, so I have met him.”
The appearance of the two Garys – Ablett will be 42 on game day, while Rohan will be 35 – is part a promotion that sees former AFL stars play one-off matches for community teams.
Bridgewater coach Lachie Sharp admitted that he hoped the Maroons might “stick a spanner in the works” and pick Rohan ahead of Ablett at tonight’s “draft”, but he was happy to line up alongside another proven goalkicker with 216 AFL goals to his name.
“It’s a really good thing for the league, and great for Newbridge to get one of the best players of all time,” Sharp said.
“None of our guys will shy away from lining up on him.”
Read More: Loddon Shire, Newbridge, Bridgewater