Outstanding: Echuca’s Jed Brereton with the Peter Ryan Medal for best-on-ground.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
THE GAME
Echuca 5.1, 6.4, 8.7, 11.7 (73)
Kyabram 1.2, 3.4, 3.5, 6.9 (45)
GOALS – ECHUCA: Callum Parsons 2, Jordan Frew, Joe Guiney, Cooper Willoughby, Jed Brereton, Aaron Lonergan, Fraser Brooks, Liam Guinan, Ryan Campbell, Jack Tenace. KYABRAM: Mitchell Dodos 2, Mitch Gugliotti, Jarryd Pertzel, Adam Pulsoni, Ben Holman
BEST – ECHUCA: Jed Brereton, Jordan Frew, Aaron Lonergan, Cooper Willoughby, Callum Parsons, Mitch Pearson, Joe Guiney, Fraser Brooks, Brady Simpson. KYABRAM: Mitchell Dodos, Brodie Thomson, James Curnow, Brodie Easton, Jarryd Pertzel, Adam Pulsoni
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Echuca broke a 15-year reserves flag drought in emphatic style with a 28-point victory over Kyabram at Deakin Reserve on Sunday.
Under bright sunny skies, the Murray Bombers set the tone in the opening term and never looked like losing in the 11.9 (73) to 6.9 (45) victory.
Echuca coach Troy Murphy said the 2022 triumph was a number of years in the making after the Murray Bombers experienced heartbreak in 2019, losing to Seymour.
“It is a pretty sweet feeling,” Murphy said.
“We lost in 2019 when I thought we had a good enough side to win it, and then last year as well we were in a great spot before COVID-19 nipped that in the bud.
“But all the boys stuck together, we kept working hard and got the reward — the overwhelming result for me is relief.”
You beauty: Echuca celebrates winning the Goulburn Valley League reserves premiership. Photo: Steve Huntley
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Congratulations: Jordan Frew hugs Jayden Howe, who missed the grand final with a broken leg sustained in the second semi-final.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Young ruckman Jed Brereton won the Peter Ryan Medal for best-on-ground.
Brereton, 19, was a welcome inclusion to the Echuca line-up, having played a number of games at NAB League level for the Bendigo Pioneers during the 2022 season.
He set the tone in the middle of the ground from the start as the Murray Bombers burst out of the blocks quicker than Usain Bolt.
Callum Parsons got the ball rolling with a nice finish on the run from 35 metres inside the first two minutes, before adding his second from a classy snap a short-time later.
Kyabram replied through Mitch Gugliotti, but it came against the run of play as a relentless Echuca combination flexed its muscle.
Great grab: Aaron Lonergan takes a great mark for Echuca against Kyabram. Photo: Steve Huntley
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Goals to Jordan Frew, Cooper Willoughby — following a towering mark — and Joe Guiney, built a decisive 23-point lead at the first change.
The start of the second term followed a similar pattern to the first as Brereton powered Echuca to a 29-point lead with a nice finish.
Kyabram had its back to the wall, but lifted its way back into the contest.
The Bombers benefited from some good fortune when Mitch Dodos won a debatable free kick from a boundary throw-in and slotted truly.
The Bombers made it back-to-back goals after Jarryd Pertzel marked in space and converted from 35m, cutting the deficit to 18 points at the main break.
The third quarter proved a tense, dour struggle with both sides giving little away, with contested football at a premium.
Echuca controlled the skies with Jed Brereton one catching the eye with some telling marks.
Try as it might, Kyabram struggled to make an impression on the scoreboard as the Murray Bombers enjoyed some breathing space.
Some good link play from half-back saw the ball in the hands of Aaron Lonergan, who produced a sublime finish from the pocket to extend Echuca’s lead to 24 points.
Action: Brady Simpson kicks long for Echuca.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
A poor turnover from a Kyabram defender saw the ball marked by Echuca’s Fraser Brooks, who after the siren rang out, produced a thumping 50m kick that sailed through the goals post-high for a 32-point advantage at the final change.
Echuca coach Troy Murphy urged his side to “not go into their shell” at the final change, although it was Kyabram that drew first blood through Adam Pulsoni after 49 seconds.
But as they had done all day, the Murray Bombers responded when it mattered.
Goals to Liam Guinan and Ryan Campbell stretched the advantage and took the sting out of the contest.
Jack Tenace stretched the margin to 40 points, but two late majors to Kyabram were too little too late and added some respectability to the scoreboard.
Brereton headlined a long list of quality players for the Murray Bombers.
Midfield dynamo Jordan Frew, the tireless duo of Aaron Lonergan and Cooper Willoughby, livewire Callum Parsons and reliable defender Mitch Pearson all impressed.
A clear indication of Echuca’s wide contribution came in front of goal with 10 players responsible for their 11 majors.
Parsons two, the only multiple goalscorer.
Mitchell Dodos was a clear standout for Kyabram, capping a fine game in a losing cause by kicking two goals, including the goal of the day contender with a lovely snap under pressure deep into the final term.
