But no longer, Kyabram’s most improved players this season were effective throughout 2022 — they’ve just dramatically stepped up their output in several statistical categories.
Not surprisingly, ruckman Zac Norris heads that list.
While he is averaging just four more possessions a week, he has almost doubled his weekly clearance count and is five more contested possessions each week than he did last year.
The ruckman has hardly missed a game since 2018 and has played every game for the Bombers in 2023.
Norris played all 19 games last year and never missed a game in the COVID-19 shortened 2021, having served a two-year apprenticeship in 2016-17 when he played a mix of senior and reserve games, along with nine Bendigo Pioneers appearances.
His claim to the title of most improved could be challenged by Brad Whitford — not so much on his output — but more on availability.
From 12 games last year, Whitford averaged 15.8 disposals.
While he is only averaging two more disposals, he has doubled his intercept marking numbers and is significantly up on his rebound 50 and ranking point numbers.
Last season he averaged only 56.4 points and this year that number has ballooned out to 84.
Whitford played in only half of Kyabram’s games in 2021, having been elevated from under-age ranks after making eight Bendigo Pioneers appearances in 2016.
Between 2017-19, he played 54 senior games with the Bombers.
Kyle Mueller probably doesn’t qualify for this discussion considering his 75-goal season in 2019 and 50-plus goal seasons in both the two preceding years.
The fact he only played four games last year, with a 13-goal return, has made him like a new recruit in 2023.
Alongside Brad Mangan, he has proved the perfect spoil and is on track to register another half-century of goals in recent form is any indication.
He has kicked 41 goals (or somewhere in that range, figures on Play HQ and Premier Data platforms differ by four) from 16 games this year, flying in the face of his accident-prone reputation of 2022.
Last year he averaged less than seven possessions.
That has increased to more than 10 and, on average, he laid less than one tackle a game last season.
This year he is averaging more than two tackles a game and at least one in the forward 50 area.
He has also trebled his inside-50 count, a result of him pushing further afield to make room for Mangan in the goal square.
While Mangan (34 goals) and Mueller have thrived, Bombers selectors will be hoping for a late-season return to form for Cooper Vick, who has just nine goals after 30 last year.
Admittedly, with the inclusion of Mangan and with Mueller back from injury his role has changed significantly.
He averaged almost 14 disposals a week last season (playing all 19 games) and this year is averaging just 8.4 dispoals and less than one inside-50 mark.
Last year he averaged more than two inside-50 marks a week when he was a primary target alongside Tom Holman (28 goals last year) and Anthony De Pasquale (27 goals).
De Pasquale has kicked 20 goals this season, is averaging 14 disposals (in line with 2022) and is considered elite in the categories of contesting marking and goal involvements.
The Kyabram side that lost to eventual grand finalist Euroa in the opening week of GVL finals last season will have at least six changes come finals time this year — probably more.
In that team were Zac Keogh, Billy Barnes, Ben Holman, Bill Mclay, Kaleb Williams and Brad Edwards.
None of those six played in the win against Mooroopna, while Hayden Gemmill, teenage Pioneers star Mitch Dodos and recruit Reuben Rode were also missing.
Plenty of headaches ahead for the selectors if everyone is available for the opening week of the finals.
