Echuca’s Ashlea Hare is ready for another GVL season in 2026. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
The netball season is near, with clubs across the region entering the new year with varying ambitions.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
In the Goulburn Valley League, Echuca will be under new leadership as Bronwyn Slater takes over as head coach, looking to return the club to the finals after missing out in 2025.
Slater joins with a wealth of experience at the likes of Strathfieldsaye, Gisborne, Parkville and Macedon Ranges, and will lead both the A- and B-grade sides in 2026.
The side will rely on a mix of youth and experience to make the post-season, vying for a finals spot against quality opponents such as the Shepparton Bears, Euroa, Seymour, Tatura, Mooroopna and the Shepparton Swans.
The Murray Bombers kick off their season on Easter weekend when Tatura visits Echuca South Recreation Reserve on April 4.
Say NO to Violence Round is also a notable weekend on the GVL calendar, and this year Echuca will have a massive fixture on the special date of May 30, travelling to face the reigning premier, Shepparton Bears.
Of course, the date of Echuca’s meeting with Euroa is always worth noting, given the finals history between the sides in recent times, and this year the pair will face off on the King’s Birthday weekend in Round 9 on June 6.
Indiana Phillips will be key to Moama’s performances in the Murray league.
In the Murray league, both Moama and Tongala could have their fates intertwined again this year, as both seek premiership glory.
Moama finished fourth with a 10-7-1 record last year, being knocked out by the Blues in the elimination finals.
Carri Carter is the new coach at the Magpies, who are aiming to improve on recent post-season performances, having now lost a grand final, an elimination final and two semi-finals over the past four seasons.
Meanwhile, Tongala, after beating Moama in that elimination final, went on to make a preliminary final from fifth last season, but was knocked out at this stage for the second straight year.
The Blues will look to finish higher in the regular season to give themselves a better chance at repeating the heroics of 2023, when they last took out the premiership.
Moama begins its campaign at home to Echuca United in the annual Three Jacks Trophy clash on April 3, while Tongala hosts Nathalia on the same day, the side that ended its 2025 season.
Echuca United’s Coby Morgan during last year’s Three Jacks Trophy meeting with Moama.
Echuca United will be under the tutelage of Leesa Hooppell, who led the club’s under-17 side to first and a 15-1 regular season record last year.
The A-grade Eagles will aim to build on last year, and while an eighth-place finish wasn’t enough for finals, another steady increase in the wins column could be replicated again to return to the post-season for the first time since 2023.
In the Picola league, Picola United and Mathoura are similarly prioritising improvement without a set post-season target, as neither has played finals across the past three seasons, finishing 12th and 14th, respectively, in 2025.
Picola begins its 2026 season on April 11 at Katunga, while Mathoura travels to Deni Rovers on the same day. The duo will meet on Anzac Day in Round 4 at Mathoura.
Elsewhere, Lockington-Bamawm United and Leitchville-Gunbower enter the 2026 Heathcote league season with similar ambitions, as both have struggled to be consistent finals teams recently.
Stacy Bacon will lead a Cats side aiming to surpass the total of three wins it has recorded in each of the past two seasons, while home-grown product Katie Pollock takes charge of a new-look Bombers side attempting to return to the finals after a drop-off in 2025.
24°C