A big coup befalls Congupna with the 2023 Murray Football League runner-up pinching a big name from its Goulburn Valley League counterparts.
Mercurial forward Kyle Mueller, a two-time Kyabram premiership player and GVL leading goal-kicker, brings his skills to the Murray league for 2024 after The Road secured his signature.
The man known as ‘‘Wiz’’ boasts a CV few can match in the region, amassing 436 senior goals despite a string of injuries and the effects of COVID-19 on football at large.
Mueller finished with 51 majors in 2023 as his Bombers fell short to a rampant Echuca in the GVL decider.
Mueller states that “a fresh start” motivated him to depart the environment in which he tasted so much success.
“Kyabram will always be my home club and I’m sure I’ll return sometime,” Mueller said.
“But I feel I need a change at this stage of my career.”
Congupna coach Ben Bingham was thrilled to bring talent the likes of Mueller to the club.
“We’ve always had interest in Kyle. He was one of our main targets this off-season,” Bingham said.
“He suits how we want to go about things and he fits everything we’re looking for in a key forward target.
“It’s exciting for him as well, coming somewhere new.”
Congupna was upended on the biggest stage in 2023, falling heavily to a Mulwala team that The Road had accounted for comfortably earlier in the finals.
In 2024, Mueller’s new club may find it easier to take the next step than his former teammates at Kyabram.
In fact, the star forward will run into some familiar faces in Murray league next season, with Moama recently completing the signings of big man Tom Holman and defender Liam Barrett from the Bombers.
“We definitely went after Kyle for that sort of reason. After grand final day, we looked at areas we can improve on,” Bingham said.
“He’s someone who we think can hopefully get us deep into finals again next year, but at the end of the day, it’s about utilising these guys to their best potential.
“We’ve re-signed a lot of our list, so it’s a good stepping stone.
"His partner is a Congupna local as well, so it really appealed for us to get them back to the club."