From the moment Ian Kreutzberger was called up as a nine-year-old to play in Rand’s under-19s, he’s been doing his best for Rand.
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On Wednesday night, the Hume league recognised 50 years of service when he was one of five people inducted into its Hall of Fame.
Culcairn’s Trevor Smith and Harry Gardiner, Holbrook’s Col Black and coaching journeyman Bill Barton were also honoured in front of a big crowd at Albury’s Commercial Club.
Kreutzberger made his senior debut at 15 under John Marks in 1967 and retired in 1989 after 370 matches.
Rand’s most successful run during that time was finals appearances from 1971 to 1976 with Kreutzberger winning the best and fairest in 1976.
Kreutzberger joined the club’s committee as a 22-year-old and is still on Rand-Walbundrie-Walla’s committee.
Smith, better known as Chief, is into his sixth decade of service at Culcairn including the last 43 years as secretary.
He played 40 senior and 100 reserve grade matches before focusing on administration.
Smith has been a club delegate in the Farrer and Tallangatta leagues and is Hume’s team manager for inter-league football.
He is also on the league’s management committee.
Black has devoted more than 60 years to Holbrook.
He began his playing career with Holbrook in 1948 in the Albury and District Football League where he was a member of the 1951 and 1955 premiership victories against Culcairn and MCU.
Black continued his playing career with Holbrook when they joined the Farrer league in 1957 and retired in 1965 after 300 matches.
He joined the committee in 1949 and is still serving with the change-rooms at the Holbrook Sporting Complex named in his honour.
Barton is one of country football’s most successful coaches.
His 484-senior game career over 26 years started at Granya in 1952 and then moved to North Albury where he played in the Hoppers 1955 premiership side.
The same year Barton also played one game for North Melbourne and represented the Ovens and Murray.
Barton played another match for North Melbourne in 1956.
In 1957, Barton turned his playing and coaching career to Brocklesby for a season before heading back to North Albury from 1958-60.
He coached Jindera to two premierships in 1963 and 64 from 1967 to 1977 coached Jindera, Burrumbuttock and Walla.
Barton finished with seven flags with the league’s best and fairest medal named after him.
Gardiner played 546 matches including 453 at Culcairn, 43 at Rand, 32 at Jindera and one at Albury.
He played in premierships at Jindera in 1956 and 1957 and Culcairn in 1952, 1953 and 1954 alongside his brothers Doug and Gordon.
Gardiner represented the Albury and District and Farrer leagues on 15 occasions.
