So long ago, 2012’s pick six of the AFL draft Ollie Wines was wearing bottle green at senior level for just the second time.
That day, Echuca (22.9.141) defeated Kyabram (11.8.74) — and they haven’t done it since.
And all at Victoria Park will be praying to see this depressing drought disappear on Saturday afternoon.
Since that day Ky has produced one of the best football sides in the sport’s history, being unbeatable for almost three years.
The image of immortality may have been shattered by the Shepparton Bears in one of the best grand finals in years, but you’d be a fool to think Kyabram isn’t the true alpha dog in the GVL pack.
Echuca co-coach Andrew Walker knows it and won’t for a second let his club forget.
“It depends whose perspective you are taking, but internally, there is no doubt in our minds they are the strongest side in the competition,” he said.
“If you look at some of their recruiting and how they have performed in the opening weeks of the season, they might actually be better this year than they were in 2018.”
An improved Ky is a scary thought for Echuca; for everyone.
Three meetings in 2018 – two beatings of more than 70 points and a late fade out in the semi-final — meant Ky more than had the measure of the Murray Bombers.
But if Ky has improved, then we also need a new word for Echuca. Because it’s a new year and while not a new team, it is looking to be a much better brigade than it was; fitter and (touch wood) little to no injury concerns worth mentioning.
While the team has lost Simon Buckley, they have improved in every other line, with their back six looking almost unbreakable as key defender Cam Valentine looks poised for a career year.
But the biggest telling factor is going to be Echuca’s pressure. This is the first true test of the “brutal Bombers” as they come up against a battle hardened Kyabram.
If Echuca can play their new hard brand of football and put some serious physical pressure on Ky it will be the biggest possible statement of a side that is not going to be taken lightly.
“If we get our side of it right, things will look after themselves,” Walker said.
“It’s business as usual for us. We will keep our week the same, put in a solid time on the track and get ourselves as prepared as possible for the match.”
This is the biggest match of Echuca’s year – a chance to move to top spot, to continue their perfect start and to end an eight-year losing streak.
But most of all it is a chance to make the statement that really counts — beware of the Murray Bombers in 2019.
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