Echuca has cut a swathe through the Goulburn Valley League on a second semi-final day to outscore their three football opponents for the day 368 points to 137.
Echuca won the senior football on the back of a 12 goal to four first half, and despite being outscored marginally in the final term won by 68 points.
Their reserve grade team were 19.6 (120) to 7.6 (48) winners against Shepparton Bears, while their Under 18 team had 41 scoring shots (16.25) to beat Benalla by 91 points.
The Murray Bombers now await their opponents for the Sunday, September 20 grand finals in all three football grades – and for good measure – two of the five netball grades.
Echuca’s second semi-final day at Kyabram started with wins in the 17&Under and 15&Under netball competitions.
Their only hiccup on Sunday came in the A grade netball, where they were beaten by 15 goals by Euroa – meaning a preliminary final meeting with Mooroopna at Deakin Reserve on Sunday.
Echuca will face either Shepparton Bears or Kyabram in the senior football, these teams scheduled to do battle in the preliminary final at Deakin Reserve on Sunday. The Bears reserve grade and under 18 teams will also play on preliminary final day, against Benalla in the Under 18 competition and Kyabram in the reserves.
In effect, grand final day (from a football fixture anyway) could be Echuca versus Shepparton Bears in all three grades – if results go the way of the Bears this Sunday.
FOOTBALL
Shepparton’s 21 point win against Mooroopna in Saturday’s first semi-final at Seymour came off the back of another Luke Smith master-class.
Smith kicked three goals and was, according to most judges, a clear best afield in a game where the Bears led by 20 points at quarter time and held sway throughout.
This weekend’s preliminary final will pit two of the players shortlisted for the 2026 Morrison Medal against one another – ruckmen Zac Norris and former winner of the award Ash Holland.
There are, in fact, five ruckmen in the running for the award. The count will be held at Tatura’s Ballantyne Centre on Monday, September 14 at 6pm.
Liam Betson from Mooroopna, Benalla’s Mark Marriott and Ryley Ferguson from Rochester are the other three ruckmen in the running for the award. They have been shortlisted alongside Keelin Betson (Mooroopna), Dylan Cook (Seymour), Echuca captain Mitch Wales, Angus Hicks from United and Rochester star Mitch Trewhella.
Kyabram has two big players under a cloud for the preliminary final – Jason Morgan and Brad Whitford both suffering injuries in the loss to Echuca on Sunday.
Shepparton, on the other hand, has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the selection table. With several of their Murray Bushrangers squad members available this weekend the final line-up for Sunday’s game will be extremely interesting.
Angus Williams came back into the team on Saturday for the win against Mooroopna and kicked two goals. He has kicked 11 goals in his six senior GVL games this season.
In the Under 18 team were Archer Hueston (one senior game (and three goals) this year, Jack Mellington (two senior games), Lincoln Brand (two senior games) and Spencer Sharp (five senior games, including the first round of the finals).
Prediction: Shepp Bears by 31 points.
-Kyabram won its way into a reserve grade preliminary final with a 44 point win against Seymour.
Noah Ryan was best on ground and Jarryd Pertzel kicked three goals in the win, regular senior players Miller Griffiths and Adam Pulsoni among the best players on the ground.
Both will come into consideration as replacements for the senior players who went down in the second semi-final – if indeed they do not recover in time for this Sunday’s game.
These are the players invited to the league medal count from the reserves competition: Kobyn James (Echuca), Brenton Brasier (Ky), Danny Miller (Ky), Christian Toy (Roch), Bailey Boyack (Roch), Charlie Carmichael (Sey), Ben Moylan (Bears), Xavier Lewis (Bears), Kade Thomas (Swans), Deacon Woods (United).
The winner will go home with the Abikhair Medal.
NETBALL
Euroa has taken a more direct route than it has in the past three seasons to the grand final, a 15 goal win on the back of 54 goals from goaler Bec Colwell.
Colwell now has 903 goals for the season and in partnership with co-captain Mia Sudomirski have been the stand out goaling combination of the GVL.
Echuca will have two players celebrating 300 game milestones at Deakin Reserve on Sunday – two time league medallist Steph Vick and defender Lauren Jones.
They will face off with a Mooroopna team which has as much youth as it does experience – 200 gamer Ash Lancaster fresh off a 41 goal game in the first semi-final win against Seymour and mid-court star Rhani Hendy continuing her great form.
Last time these teams played, in the final round of the home and away season, it was a 37-all draw.
Vick and her mid-court group will come up against 400+ gamer Bree Hanslow to echo just how much experience is in this game.
Vick and a three time winner of the medal (2008-10-12), Ash Hare, have both been invited to attend Monday evening’s vote count. It could be an exciting start to the week for the Murray Bombers.
A third Echuca player, Sherry Townrow, has also been shortlisted with Mia Sudomirski (Euroa), Alex Ball (Mansfield), Ash Lancaster (Mooroopna), Caitlin McLachlan (Mooroopna), Tia Webb (Rochester), Ally Black (Seymour), Elle Nexhip (Seymour), Gabby Moore (Shepparton Swans), and Elsie Boyer (Tatura).
Nexhip is also a former winner of the award.
Prediction: Echuca by 2 goals.
-This year the league will have two presentation events, Monday evening’s Morrison Medal count (for senior awards) and an event at the Museum of Vehicle Evolution (MOVE) on Saturday, October 3 at 1pm.
This will be a Future Stars presentation event for all unders competitions. These players have been invited for the 17&Under, 15&Under and Under 18 netball and football vote counts.
PATTISON MEDAL (U18 football): Xavier Wapling (Benalla), Baxter Cowley (Echuca), Jett Kervin (Echuca), Max McCarty (Echuca), Jedd Turpin (Kyabram), Andrew Friday (Mansfield), Jayden Thorne (Mooroopna), Benjamin McCarthy (Seymour), Cody Montgomery (Shepparton), Kaleb Gilmour (Shepparton), Lucas O’Hora (Shepparton United).
CAROL RYAN RISING STAR (17&Under netball): Kate Head (Echuca), Lily Asquith (Euroa), Avie Hill (Euroa), Esher Berry (Mansfield), Sophie McDonald (Mooroopna), Sophie Butterworth (Seymour), Maya Pearson (Shepparton Swans), Frankie Ewart (Shepparton), Scarlet Byers (Shepparton), Penny Mason (Shepparton), Heidi Moon (Tatura).
JACQUI HUDGSON MEDAL (15&Under netball): Sarah Head (Echuca), Molly Fowler (Euroa), Bethan Burton (Euroa), Luana Halaeua (Kyabram), Lara Klingsporn (Mansfield), Immogen Buntine (Mooroopna), Ava Braybon (Mooroopna), Ada Kennedy (Mooroopna), Mila Cottam (Rochester), Jasmine Watson (Rochester), Georgia Robertson (Shepparton United).
To book for this event people interested in attending should contact their clubs.
