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Hunter Valley bus crash: Survivor Graham McBride pays tribute to his wife Nadene and daughter Kyah

11 months ago 39

By Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 11:05 GMT, 2 December 2023 | Updated: 15:46 GMT, 2 December 2023

A man who survived the Hunter Valley bus crash which claimed the lives of his wife and daughter has fought back tears as he vowed to continue kicking goals and honour their legacy.

Graham 'Banger' McBride's wife Nadene and daughter Kyah were among ten wedding guests killed in a bus crash near Greta on the June long weekend.

Mr McBride was among 25 other guests badly injured in the crash that rocked their close-knit town of Singleton to its core.

The family were heavily involved in the Singleton Roosters Aussie Rules club, where Kyah was a star player in the women's team coached by her mum Nadene.

Almost six months on from being ripped apart from his loved ones, Mr McBride will attend the AFW grand final in Melbourne on Sunday, where his wife's services to the sport will be honoured.

Graham 'Banger' McBride lost his daughter Kyah and wife Nadene in the Hunter Valley wedding bus crash six months ago

'Nadene has done a lot for football so to get their recognition back hits home,' an emotional Mr McBride told Nine News.

'Our family revolved around football.

'She had a Sherrin in her veins.'

He was also proud of what his little girl Kyah had become who had just finished her apprenticeship.

She was also part of the Sydney Swans AFL women's development squad.

'Everyone enjoyed being around the girls, they made you smile,' he said.

Kyah's mum was expected to progress through the coaching ranks to the elite level.

'If Nadene was still with us, she'd been bound for an AFLW coaching job,' close family friend Alex Tigani said.

Nadene's services to women's AFL will be honoured at the AFLW grand final this Sunday

An emotional Graham 'Banger' McBride fought back tears as he paid an emotional tribute to his wife and daughter

Mr McBribe and Mr Tigani will wear special jerseys in honour of 'Banger's' girls' at Sunday's AFLW grand final.

The jerseys have a family photo along with Nadene and Kyah's names on the front, along with both of their jersey numbers emblazoned on the back.

'Kicking goals for Nads and Kyah' stickers have also been created.  

Mr McBribe and Mr Tigani are currently leaving their mark across the nation by placing stickers at every footy oval, on goal posts and in clubrooms and coaches boxes.

Mr McBride even dropped into the pub at Barellan in the NSW Riverina region where he and his wife first met.  

'If you see one of these in your clubroom, feel proud because they're for my girls,' Mr McBride said. 

'That's what my girls would want me to do: to keep on kicking goals and keep on pushing on.' 

Kyah (left) was a star player while Nadene (right) was destined to become an AFLW coach

Kyah’s boyfriend Kayne Simons, 21, originally from Tasmania was also killed in the crash. 

The tragedy occurred after celebrating the wedding of Singleton couple Madeleine Edsell and Mitchell Gaffney at Wandin Estate winery.

Also dying in the crash were Ms Cowburn, who was captain of the women's side the Roosterettes, Ms Scott and young doctor, Bec Mullen, who was due to be married just weeks after the crash.

From the men's team, Andrew Scott (Lynan Scott's husband) and Kane Symons (Kyah's partner) died in the crash.

Kyah (left) and her mum Nadene (right) always made everyone smile, according to Graham 

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