A FEW weeks earlier, Neil was awarded the Tamworth AFL Volunteer of the Year after all his hard work in establishing and coaching the Armidale Nomads Junior team this season. And now this.

THE AFL have invited Neil and Jacqui to attend several pre-match functions in the days leading up to the premiership decider, the before and after-parties, along with the main game where no doubt they will be treated like royalty. Good on ya, Neil, on receiving such a great honour and there is little doubt you and Jacqui will have a ball.

THE Armidale Nomads hold their presentations this Saturday at Bellevue Oval, UNE, in Armidale where some of the Walcha boys should be in line for awards when the Junior Nomad Trophies are presented.

THIS season, Morgan Dunn, Ethan Bray, Jake Murray, Nicho Buckland, Kurties Brazel, James McGuffog and Brayden Bloomfield have all had a run with the Junior Nomads and if you would like to join them, please have no hesitation in contacting Neil Dunn.

WALCH Road Sheriff Chris Cooney was travelling down Walcha Road hill when he spotted a vehicle halfway up the incline parked in a somewhat awkward position. Chris soon discovered that “Livestock Buyer” and “Hush Puppies” supporter Luke Wellings was in a place he didn’t want any part of after he ran out of ice well and truly short of his destination.

DETAILS are sketchy and Walcha Road Lawman Chris wasn’t giving too much away, but he is currently sporting a broken thumb. When quizzed about how he did it, Chris explained he slipped over in the frost as he was about to get into his police car and that caused the injury. While he was telling me, he had big smile on his dial, but that's his story and he is sticking to it.

CROUDACE Street resident Crichton Barr, who happens to play a mean golf game, recently purchased himself a golf cart, but the bloke delivering it was unable to contact Crichton by mobile phone to sort out where he lived. Apparently, they met at the bowling club where the delivery man told Crichton he wished he had answered his phone. Crichton thought his phone must have been playing up, so he took to the Telstra Shop to see what the problem was. The “Phone Bloke” fixed it immediately by turning the mobile on.

WHILE timekeeping for the rugby league not long back, I was having a conversation with Manilla counterpart Jenine Beale where the talk included who gave her a hand here at Walcha while I was galavanting around the Northern Territory earlier in the year. Jenine reckoned the person in question was a “really nice old bloke” before I informed her that Kevin Creighton was actually younger than me. Not much though – K.C. will hit 60 this year.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the candidates who were successful in being elected as Walcha councillors last weekend  and commiseration to the ones that missed out. At the time of going to print, final results hadn’t been announced, but hopefully they will be by tomorrow afternoon.

BIG wigs of the year: Ex-Services Club - Neil Pratter 267; Fred Henry 265; Graeme Fairweather 262; Bernardo Lynch 260.

DON’T forget the community Mountain Bike Club Challenge coming up on Sunday, October 16 at Longford. The challenge is open to any local club with each team to consist of four riders who will be required to complete one lap of the course each (riding, pushing or carrying your bike it doesn’t matter). There is $500 prize money up for grabs which will got to the crowd favourite, not necessarily the fastest team.

FORMER Apsley Hotel publican John Harvey and his better half Amanda were back in town last Friday rehydrating with a couple of cool ones at their old pub. “Hightower” and Mandy seemed to be in a happy place - why wouldn’t they having just returned from 10 weeks in America.

THERE is very little doubt Moons Nursery general manager Stephen John Sweeney would have slept like a baby last Sunday night after he carried his 120-plus kilo partner around the golf course earlier in the day. “Gomes” was on fire, but unfortunately he did not get much assistance from his offsider, but at least we were only one shot off the pace and we picked up a sweepstakes ball each. Well done, Stevie.

URALLA Cricket organiser Leigh Kelly has indicated any junior cricketer looking for a run this season can play with Uralla if they are interested. If so, please contact Leigh on 0423 614 127.

THE Walcha Rugby League will be conducting their annual general meeting this Sunday afternoon straight after the B.C. lunchtime raffles. President Peter Berry has indicated he will not be seeking re-election, so the club will need a new boss.

ON behalf of the rugby league, thank you to everyone who made the trip to Manilla to support both the Roos and Jillaroos.