The Wimmera Mail-Times continues to look back at some of the best moments, achievements and memories of the decade.
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Football in the Wimmera across the last decade is covered in Steve Schultz' fingerprints.
The born-and-bred Kalkee farmer is spoken of in Wimmera football circles as one of the best the region has ever seen.
At the start of the decade, Schultz joined rarefied air, becoming one of just three players in Horsham District football league history to win three consecutive league best and fairests.
Only fellow Kalkee footballers Scott Batchelor (who won four straight from 1999 - 2002) and Bruce Carr (1978 - 1980) have achieved the same feat.
A typically humble Schultz however said it wasn't something that stood out to him while reflecting on his football career.
"It honestly just doesn't faze me too much," Schultz said.
"I always just played footy for a bit of fun. I never really hold those individual achievements that high. It just is what it is."
Even at the time he received each award, Schultz was typically understated.
"I didn't think I had a great year," he said in 2009, after just pipping Pimpinio's Daniel Baker to win the award for a second year.
"I'm just focused on the weekend."
Schultz could be forgiven for being distracted.
At each of the three Dellar Medal vote counts where he was crowned, Schultz always had his eyes firmly set on the upcoming Saturday and the Horsham District league grand final.
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As he reeled in individual accolades, Schultz was more interested in team success, co-coaching a dominant Kalkee to two premierships in 2008 and 2009, and playing in a third in 2010.
"We were lucky enough to have a pretty good side back then," Schultz said.
"We had a good mix of locals and a few out of towners, a really good group with a few really close mates. It was definitely an enjoyable time with my footy."
Wimmera football icon Geoff Burdett admired Schultz' notoriously humble attitude.
"For him, it was always about the team, it was never about Steve Schultz," Mr Burdett said.
"He's just a typical country boy from the Wimmera who didn't care too much about the individual stuff.
"He was a great leader. He always stood up when it counted and put the team first.
"He is just a genuine gentleman."
While Schultz said at the time he was "surprised" to win both the 2008 and 2009 Dellar Medals, there were no question marks about his victory in 2010.
Schultz finished with 27 votes, 10 votes ahead of a four-way tie for runners-up between his brother Grant Schultz, Rupanyup's Nathan McNally, Taylors Lake's Patrick Purcell and Harrow-Balmoral's Matthew Ward.
Mr Burdett said in his prime, Schultz was "a joy to watch".
"He was such a powerful person. Big bodied, a long kick, a big strong mark," Mr Burdett said.
"He could probably play centre half back, centre half forward or on the ball.
"He could just shove blokes out of the road and kick goals from 55 metres.
"And I tell you what, I wouldn't want to step in front of him when he was going at full tilt either."
Kalkee club legend Peter Martin has watched a lot of football across his many decades spent in the timekeepers' box.
Mr Martin said Schultz was one of the best he had ever seen.
"As far as I'm concerned, he's probably one of the best footballers that's ever come out of the Wimmera," Mr Martin said.
As far as I'm concerned, he's probably one of the best footballers that's ever come out of the Wimmera.
- Peter Martin
"He was a very strong sort of player, with shoulders on him like a bull elephant.
"His leadership always stood out - he was a leader. Someone all the other players looked up to."
The only thing that put a stop to Schultz' streak of Dellar Medals was his decision to switch leagues in 2011.
After winning a third-straight premiership with Kalkee, Schultz moved to the Warrack Eagles in the Wimmera Football League to co-coach alongside his brother Grant in 2011.
Schultz again stood out, winning the Toohey Medal as the league's best and fairest in his first season at the Eagles in 2011.
"I was lucky enough to win the best and fairest, but that's just an umpire thing," Schultz said.
"You switch leagues, but you still have half the same umpires.
"I've since been umpiring some junior footy, and at the end of the day when it comes to picking the best players, I don't know how the heck they do it.
"It's hard enough to umpire, let alone worrying about who is playing well."
Schultz instead said his club best and fairests - seven with Kalkee and two with the Eagles - were what he held in the highest regard.
"I'm a realist," Schultz said. "I played for five years down in Geelong, and at the end of the day, I've played with 100 times better players than me.
"The medals really don't faze me. I think I was probably lucky to win a couple."
Regardless, Schultz will be remembered fondly by followers of Wimmera football and the District league's history books.
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