Kalannie Bulldogs honor late player with long trip

Two football teams from opposite sides of Australia met in Victoria over the weekend to honor a late friend who was special to both clubs. The Kalannie Bulldogs traveled 3,300 kilometers from Western Australia to play against the Bannockburn Tigers. Kalannie is a small town in Western Australia, while Bannockburn is near Geelong. More than 100 players and fans from Kalannie, almost two-thirds of the town’s population, made the long journey. Bannockburn supporters showed up to welcome them. Although the Bulldogs are the reigning champions of their league, they approached the match as underdogs. Senior coach Matt Murray mentioned their relaxed attitude, focusing more on friendship than competition. He joked about the team's chances, tipping a narrow victory. The match itself was competitive, with both teams leading at different times. In the end, the Bulldogs secured a win with a final score of 57 to 46. However, players from both teams emphasized that the score didn't matter as much as the connection being celebrated. The friendship between the two clubs began in the 1990s when players from Bannockburn moved to Kalannie to work on farms. One of these players, Jack Satchell, passed away last year, and his memory inspired the game. Bannockburn coach Ronnie Pilgrim noted that the idea for the match emerged after Kalannie members visited after Satchell's death. The two teams had fun joking about who would win, which led to this friendly rivalry. Pilgrim praised the Bulldogs for making the effort to travel and hinted that Bannockburn might visit Kalannie in the future. Players caught up during the event, with many sharing fond memories of their times together. Friends reflected on Satchell's spirit, believing he would have enjoyed the day.