Echuca v Rochester
Echuca has dropped to eighth on the ladder after losing a third straight game, this time to third-ranked Seymour. The 11-goal loss follows defeats against Mooroopna and Shepparton United. They were not disgraced—in fact, they were equal with Seymour at quarter time and just four goals down at the half. The Murray Bombers are now part of a logjam with three teams sitting on five wins for the season—separated by just 11 percent—alongside the sixth-ranked Shepparton Swans and seventh-placed United, in what appears to be a race for the final playoff spot. Echuca made just one change in the game, using the same seven players for all four quarters. Rose Byrne finished with 31 of their 49 goals. Rochester is just one win out of the top six after a 16-goal win against Kyabram. They dominated the second half, with Ava Nihill and Madeline McIntyre shooting the lights out in the third term. My prediction is for Echuca to take the win by 13 goals.
Seymour v Kyabram
Seymour will have one eye on a match-up with ladder leader Euroa as it enters a three-week stretch that could all but secure a top-three finish to the season. The Lions face second-bottom Kyabram this week, followed by a tougher assignment against sixth-placed Shepparton Swans, and then Mansfield (10th) in R14. The Lions’ Round 15 battle with Euroa looms as the start of a challenging finish to the home-and-away season, with second-ranked Shepparton and fourth-placed Tatura still to come. Against Echuca, the Lions didn’t change their line-up much—Ruby Martin played the whole game in defence, while Ellie Fuhrmeister combined with Ally Black for the full match. Fuhrmeister shot 11 goals in the third term when the Lions pulled away from a determined Echuca. Courtney Aldous played much of the second half at goal defence, while captain Abbey Adamson came off in the final term, allowing Olivia Barry to play a quarter in the centre. Kyabram was highly competitive early against Rochester, trailing by just one goal at quarter time and level at 24-all at half time. Rochester dominated the second half 29–13. The Bombers remain second-last as one of three teams with just one victory this season. My prediction is for Seymour to take the win by 36 goals.
Benalla v Shepparton Swans
This week’s game is important for the Swans, who face four of the top six teams from Rounds 13 to 17—making their bid to stay in the top six a tough one. They were competitive against the unbeaten Bears, leading the second-placed team by one goal at half time. However, they gave up 19 goals in the third term and managed just 10 themselves. Their offence faltered in the final term, managing only eight goals. There will be less pressure this weekend against Benalla, who have only one win and conceded 73 goals to United on Saturday. Of the three bottom teams, Benalla has conceded the most goals, while the Swans have posted a season-high 68. On the weekend, Natasha Atkinson-Brown led the Swans with 32 goals. The Swans boast a good mix of youth and experience but sit precariously in sixth—just 2 percent ahead of seventh-ranked United. My prediction is for the Swans to take the win by 29 goals.
Euroa v Shepparton United
Shepparton United could move inside the top six for the first time this season if it pulls off the upset of the season against ladder-leader Euroa. The Magpies had the bye last weekend but sit on top with 10 consecutive wins and a significant percentage buffer on the other undefeated team—Shepparton Bears. United now sits seventh after scoring 73 goals, its biggest tally of the year, against Benalla. This followed a two-goal win over Echuca and competitive outings against other top-six teams (an eight-goal loss to Tatura, a seven-goal loss to the Swans, and a nine-goal loss to Seymour). The Demons face the top two teams in three weeks, with a Round 13 match against Mansfield in between. Abbey Gilmore (38 goals) led the scoring last weekend, with Hannah Onley just three behind, while Grace McInneny continued a standout season. She and Taylah Lloyd, along with Olivia Kirby, will be tasked with containing Mia Sudomirski and Olivia Morris, who are well supplied by the in-form Hollie Reid. My prediction is for Euroa to take the win by 24 goals.
Mooroopna v Mansfield
Mooroopna is pushing for a return to the top three after climbing to fourth with a win against Tatura. With seven wins from 11 games, the Cats trail third-placed Seymour by a game and a half and now sit half a game ahead of the Bulldogs. They’ll start clear favourites in their next two matches—against Mansfield and Rochester—before tougher tests against the Swans (6th), Bears (2nd), and Euroa (3rd). The Cats looked inspired in Bree Hanslow’s 400th A Grade GVL game. The 21-goal win over Tatura added another scalp to a strong record against top-six teams this year. They lost to Seymour by six, fell to Euroa by just two, and got within 11 goals of the Bears. Mansfield was impressive in its last match before the bye, finishing with 47 goals and trailing by just one at quarter time against Euroa. Alexandra Ball shot 25 goals, while centre Jessica Dolling was in top form. Dolling will come up against in-form Cats Shelby Britten and Rhani Hendy this weekend in the mid-court.
My prediction is for Mooroopna to take the win by 38 goals.
Tatura v Shepparton
After falling out of the top three, Tatura faces the prospect of back-to-back losses for the first time this year as it lines up against the undefeated Shepparton Bears. Tatura has struggled against top-six teams—losing to the second-placed Bears in Round 1, then to top team Euroa, and now to Mooroopna. Between those losses, they went on a five-week winning run (plus a draw with Seymour). Last week, they were outscored in every quarter by Mooroopna. Two weeks prior, they nearly upset Euroa, losing by just five goals.
Taylor Rokahr was the standout against Mooroopna, playing in both defence and attack, while Ella Kightly led a defence under constant pressure from Ash Lancaster, who scored 48 goals.
My prediction is for the Bears to take the win by 10 goals.
