Country football author Paul Daffey used this photo in recent correspondence to his many readers.

“My cousin, Dean Farrell, sent me the photo late in the 2018 season. Dean passed on the pic from Wakool, in the far south of the Riverina, after Ultima had defeated the Hawks at their ground. He was not being boastful about Ultima’s large win. Instead, he was illustrating the struggle that Wakool, a club based just over the Murray River, was facing to survive.

“As expected, Wakool folded after the 2018 season, having put up a huge fight for several seasons, largely through the agency of one family, the family of Reagan Hamilton, who in the club’s final season was the coach, president and ruckman in both the seniors and reserves.”

The Hawks were winless in their final season in the nine-team Golden Rivers Football League. (Ultima were 2018 runners-up, losing to Nullawil by 42 points.)

Daffey’s new book, The Totem Poles of Ouyen United, examines the plight of country footy.

To buy a copy of the book email  pauldaffey27@gmail.com with your address and he’ll email the bank details.  Books are $30 each plus $10 postage.

See Rod ‘Rocket’ Gillett’s review in The Footy Almanac.