Tongala has opened season 2023 with a win over Echuca United, claiming a 63-point victory at Tongala Recreation Reserve to hand new coach Matt Daniel his first win at the helm.
Clearly the better side in the first half, Tongala went into the main break leading by just 15 points, despite having 11 scoring shots to six, with a young Echuca United line-up sticking within touching distance.
But after the break the Blues put the foot down, piling on eight goals to two in the second half to run out winners by more than 10 goals.
It was an impressive performance from Tongala, who were missing a number of key players that earned them a finals appearance last season.
Jack Hammond, Cameron Illett, Darren Ewing, Jack Monigatti, Ryan Nyhuis, Corey Nexhip, Mackenzie Cowley, Adam Lovison, Nick Jamieson, Anthony Dennis and Braydon Nevett were all absent from the side that took to the field on Saturday.
Bolstered by new talent acquired in the off-season, however, Tongala was comprehensive in victory, besting Echuca United as well as the tough, blustery conditions en route to a solid round-one win.
New recruit Mitchell Gugliotti, who joined the Blues from Goulburn Valley side Kyabram, was best afield in his debut for the club, dominating proceedings in the middle of the ground, while pushing forward to end the day with two majors to his name.
Gugliotti wasn’t the only ex-Kyabram player to give the Eagles some grief, as Mitchell Fitzgerald kicked an equal game-high three goals in his debut for Tongala, while James Ross and Blake McAuliffe also made an impact on the scoreboard, kicking a pair of goals each.
Makenzie Ryan also impressed for the Blues, kicking three goals off the back of some strong contested marking, while Sam Cipriani also contributed a goal in his return to the club.
Echuca United senior coach Farran Priest made a solid return to football in the loss, kicking a goal and being named among the best players on his return from a knee injury, which kept him out of the game for multiple seasons.
Young Eagle Kynan Sharpe was also named in the best, continuing the impressive growth he showed last year, while captain James Harney finished the day as Echuca United’s best player, kicking one major from the time he spent up forward, before moving into the midfield.
Matthew Butler was the only multiple goal-kicker for the Eagles, kicking a pair of six-pointers.
Tongala will look to extend its winning start to the season when it takes on Nathalia away in round two, while Echuca United faces a tough task against premiership fancies Moama when they face off for the Three Jacks Trophy.
The Game
Tongala — 2.0, 5.6, 8.13, 13.19 (97)
Echuca United — 1.1, 3.3, 3.3, 5.4 (34)
Goals
Tongala — Mitchell Fitzgerald 3, Makenzie Ryan 3, Mitchell Gugliotti 2, Blake McAuliffe 2, James Ross 2, Sam Cipriani
Echuca United — Matthew Butler 2, James Harney, Farran Priest, Bailey Sawyer
Best
Tongala — Mitchell Gugliotti, Kyle Fitzgerald, Brock McLean, Riley Clarke, Jack Sinclair, Tom Cooper
Echuca United — James Harney, Kynan Sharpe, Joseph Harney, Dane Leyden, Justin Cantwell, Farran Priest