A rare and extraordinary slice of Goulburn Valley League history will unfold at Deakin Reserve this Sunday.
In a breathtaking showcase of total club dominance, the powerhouse football programs of Echuca and the Shepparton Bears are set to clash across all three football grades on the league’s ultimate day.
For local football purists, a triple-header featuring the same two clubs in the Under 18s, Reserves, and Seniors is the stuff of folklore, setting the stage for a high-stakes day of regional sporting culture.
While the football rectangle commands massive attention, the netball courts will simultaneously catch fire as blockbuster premier matchups featuring Euroa, Mooroopna, Seymour, and Shepparton United battle for their own ultimate glory.
The flagship Senior football decider is a mouth-watering heavyweight bout between two completely distinct footballing styles. The Shepparton Bears have put together an almost spotless campaign, losing only two matches all year.
Crucially, both of those defeats came at the hands of their grand final opponent—the reigning premier Echuca Murray Bombers. Echuca enters the weekend as the firm favourite, driven by the prospect of absolute GVL dominance.
If successful, the Murray Bombers will return to the status they have held for most of the post-COVID period- funnily enough, not seen in the league since the legendary Shepparton teams of the 1960s.
The undeniable heartbeat of the Bears’ charge is their powerhouse ruckman, Ash Holland. Holland added a historic chapter to his decorated career this week, taking home the prestigious 2026 Morrison Medal as the GVL’s Senior Football Best and Fairest.
Dominating hit-outs and acting as an extra midfielder at ground level, Holland’s elite engine and aerial prowess give Shepparton a fighting chance at winning first-use out of the centre square.
If the Bears are to break their grand final drought – having last tasted senior premiership success in 2018 when they famously broke Kyabram’s historic winning streak – Holland will need to be the conductor of the orchestra.
Grand final week is never without tactical drama, and the Bears are nursing critical injury concerns.
Two midfielders, Adam Decicco and Kade O’Dwyer, are racing the clock to prove their fitness. Given the magnitude of the day, club insiders expect both players to do everything humanly possible to line up at the first bounce. Fortunately for Shepparton, playing all three grades on their home turf gives them incredible flexibility at the selection table.
With the Under 18s and Reserves playing ahead of the seniors, depth is not an issue. The Bears’ coaching staff could throw a wildcard into the mix, potentially calling up explosive Under 18 phenom Lincoln Brand to provide youthful energy late in the day.
The primary reason Echuca starts this game as the oddsmakers’ choice is their terrifyingly potent, highly versatile forward structure.
The Murray Bombers’ offensive system is spearheaded by the formidable Byrne brothers, Hugh and Angus, who pose a massive aerial threat. When combined with Malik Gordon and Darby Jones, it creates a multi-layered defensive headache.
The responsibility of neutralising this threat falls squarely on the shoulders of the Bears’ backline. Defenders Bryce Stephenson, Zac Metcalf, Mitch Brett, and Liam Duguid face a monumental task.
There is no Daniel Meek, who broke his leg in the first week of the finals.
They must maintain disciplined structural defence, prevent one-on-one isolations, and consistently spoil the air to limit Echuca’s high-octane scoring output. If the Bears are to cause an upset, they will also look to the blistering form of midfielder Luke Smith. Smith has put together a spectacular finals series, single-handedly turning games with his elite clearance work and clinical ball use. He enters the grand final with a genuine opportunity to do something legendary: secure the best-on-ground medal for a third consecutive week in the finals series.
The curtain-raiser matches will serve as a fascinating battle of attrition and depth, particularly with the Murray Bushrangers talent league program playing on the same weekend, altering the available personnel for both clubs. The Reserves Grand Final sees the Echuca Murray Bombers start as heavy favourites to complete a flawless, undefeated season. However, both teams boast significant senior experience running around in secondary colours. The selection table will dictate whether proven performers like Anthony Andronaco or Sam O’Brien get called up to the seniors or stay down to lock in a Reserves flag. The match features Kobyn James, the Reserves league best and fairest medallist and a lethal avenue to goal. Supported by Luke Edwards, who put on a best-on-ground masterclass in the semi-final victory, the Murray Bombers’ engine room will be incredibly tough to stop.
The Under 18 match showcases some of the finest young football talent in regional Victoria, with at least half a dozen players with Talent League experience taking the field.
For the Bears, all eyes will be on Riley Myers, who has terrorised opposition backlines all year and kicked more goals than any other player in the league.
Alongside Myers, local standouts Hunter Howell, Jack Mellington, and the versatile Lincoln Brand give Shepparton a dynamic edge.
Echuca counters with their own youthful brilliance. Max McCarty and the highly-touted Baxter Cowley are the premier players to watch for the Murray Bombers, capable of tearing the game open with their clean skills and high football IQ.
Away from the pristine grass of Deakin Reserve, the netball courts will host a spectacular array of high-intensity grand final matchups.
The marquee A-Grade Grand Final features a blockbuster clash between Euroa and Mooroopna. Euroa took the direct path to the grand final after a stellar campaign, hungry to avenge previous seasons of heartbreak. They face a fierce Mooroopna lineup that has shown elite defensive pressure all year.
Euroa’s club depth is further highlighted by their B-Grade squad booking a grand final ticket, where they face off against Shepparton in a highly anticipated tactical matchup.
In the B-Reserve division, a true nail-biter is expected as Seymour hunts for back-to-back premiership glory against a disciplined Shepparton United side.
