Murrumbateman Eagles action shot, photo by club photographer Dave Ingold
Andy Ingold and Adam Hill have been guiding the Murrumbateman Eagles in 2026 and have been doing a stellar job in helping get them to the big dance. The Yass Valley Times caught up with Ingold who played more than 150 games for the Coota Blues before going on to help found the Eagles.
He didn’t mince words and told the Times straight about the injuries his side has picked up. In fast paced finals games few side manage to get through unscathed.
“We had a heap of injuries there in the last round of footy, in the last home and away game, and a few guys sort of heading away and whatnot, so a bit undermanned on the weekend just gone and we’re still sort of carrying a few guys that probably won’t play that are injured.
“Overall we are just going to concentrate, just make sure we play four quarters of footy.
“We are playing against Cootamundra. I’m from Cootamundra, played 150 something games there.
“I started there when I was a 15 year old and played there until I was about 22.
“I went back there in 2005 when I got back from South Australia. And then 2006, 7, and 8, I was at Gungahlin.
The Eagles have relied on a tight knit committee often involving the skill-set of Brent Lello and plenty of helpers to get the job done.
This year the side finished minor premiers.
“Coota had our number earlier in the year at their home ground, and we beat them in the last round.
That was for the minor premiership. It’s going to be a great game of footy, I think.”
Knowing how strong Coota sport is and the affinity players who represent the home town is, it is easy to understand that there would be some mixed feelings for Coach Ingold, but something he will certainly be able to put to one side on Grand Final day to make sure Murrumbateman get home.
When you come from Bradman’s birth place you are often expected to play four codes and try your hand at everything else that bounces or flies through the air.
“To be completely honest, it is, and I’ve thought about it. I was talking to my brother about it the other day.
It is a bit weird. I also sent Joel Pearson a message the other day, wishing him congratulations for his 250th and good luck on Saturday night, all that sort of stuff, and I still talk to Rod, he’s the President there now. When I go back to Coota, I go and watch the games and all that sort of stuff, but come Saturday, I will have my Murrumbateman cap on and that’s just what you have got to do. You look at the higher levels, how many players play for some club and then go and coach another one at the AFL level. I know that we’re not at AFL level, but yes, there’s still feelings. Coota club is my first club that I was ever involved with and Murrumbateman club I was pretty heavily involved with starting it.
“Come Saturday I will have my Murrumbateman cap on.”
When asked how they will go about securing a win, he said. “They’ve got a very strong midfield and they will try and run all day. They love going out wide.
They’ve got Ben Rose, the centre half forward and Joel, obviously, at full forward, Joel being the leading goal kicker of the comp, he’s someone that you have got to always watch. But we’ve got our structures and if we stick to our structures and our game plan and play four quarters of footy, it’s a grand final, you can’t go out there and play three quarters. You have got to play the whole game.
“If it is anything like the last game we played against Coota, it will be a ripping game of footy.”
“Adam and I coach there. Adam played a few games, I took him back to Coota with me, so we have both got a bit of an affiliation there.
The Eagles play the Coota Blues in the battle of the bush in the Community Men’s Division 2 at 11:15am on Saturday at EPC Solar Park Phillip, Oval 1. The Yass Roos will be taking on the Woden Blues later that day at 1:45pm in the Men’s Division 1 which will showcase a beautiful lineup of Aussie Rules footy comprising plenty of local teams and players from our readership family.
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.