When Kyabram football recruiters started their off-season search for talent they were on the lookout for a specific type of player — a skilful mid-fielder able to cover the ground and contribute to both attack and defence.
They struck gold — literally — when they studied the tapes of an Essendon VFL player from last season and decided to push ahead with signing goalkicking mid-fielder WIll Golds — despite him still being on the Bombers VFL list.
Golds has played seven games for the Bombers this season and in two of those matches — in particular — he has more than repaid the faith that the recruiters had in what he could bring to GV Creamery Oval.
He has made only one appearance with Essendon in the VFL and the former Oakleigh Chargers TAC Cup player is shaping as a key player in the lead-up to the GVL finals series.
Those same recruiters will be looking for the former Xavier College star and Hawthorn draftee (number 28 in the 2019 rookie draft) to repeat his best afield display against Seymour.
Golds’s 31 disposal-three-goal game also included six clearances, four inside 50s and three tackles.
A week later he kicked four goals in a 26-disposal game that was rewarded with a season high 140 ranking points.
Golds is almost averaging three inside 50s a game and more than three rebound 50s, showing the running power that has been a support mechanism for the gut-running Kaine Herbert.
In his seven games he is averaging 23.7 disposals (elite) and is the leading player for handball receives in the Bombers outfit. He is also above average for clearances and contested possessions.
He has kicked 10 goals, including two against Echuca when scoring opportunities were at a premium, with a 28-disposal game against the Murray Bombers underlining his class.
Unfortunately Golds was required to do more at the defensive end than he was in the scoring zone and finished with five rebound 50s — alongside just one inside 50 entry.
Kyabram’s other star recruit, Toby Woller, has passed 25 disposals on three occasions this season — in the opening round of the season (38 disposals versus Rochester), against Euroa (31 disposals, six clearances, seven inside 50s) and then on Saturday against Echuca (26 disposals, nine marks).
The Bombers will be hoping that, come finals time, the pair will again be at their best and have the support of several stars that were down for the Echuca game on Saturday.
