Echuca downed by Bombers in thrilling top-of-the-table GVL clash

By Oliver Shedden

May 11, 2025

Harry Milburn, Jaxson McMinn and Tom Holman go airborne in the contest. Photo: Jordan Townrow.

It's been just more than a year since Echuca was defeated in Goulburn Valley League after suffering a shock upset to Rochester in round five of 2024 and now its chief challenger has snapped the Murray Bombers’ win streak once more.

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Everybody who kept half an eye on the GVL knew that with its flurry of fresh signings and returning premiership players Kyabram was going to immediately become a threat for the flag in 2025.

Echuca and Kyabram entered their much-awaited round six contest undefeated with the smallest difference in percentage separating them.

Now the Bombers have announced themselves as a serious flag threat and have begun to climb back to the dizzying heights they reached at the end of last decade.

However, the game didn’t start that well for Kyabram as the ever-present Murray Bombers took a solid first-quarter lead after kicking 4.3 to get the game under way.

The Bombers could only offer 1.3 in reply as the green machine took an 18-point lead.

The second quarter was not only a closer contest, but it was significantly higher scoring with both sides kicking multiple goals to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Kyabram roared back into the contest with 5.2 in the second period, but trailed heading into half-time after another consistent effort from Echuca (4.1).

Following the major break the Bombers continued to put it all together on the attack (4.7) and slowed Echuca’s efforts down (3.2), leaving the evenly matched sides level heading into a decisive final quarter.

The Murray Bombers have a knack for coming in clutch down the stretch and rallying to take down their opponents.

That wasn’t the case on this occasion.

Not only did Kyabram shut down much of Echuca’s chances in the fourth quarter, with the visitor kicking just two goals late, but piled on its best quarter of football, drilling 7.5 to ice the game.

The final score was Echuca 13.6 (84) to Kyabram 17.17 (119).

While the Murray Bombers were the more accurate side, kicking six behinds for its 13 goals, the sheer number of chances created by Kyabram got it to win.

The combined efforts of Hugh Byrne (4) and Samuel Edgar (4) were mirrored by Kyabram’s Charlie Barnett (4) and Tom Holman (4), but it was the contributions from other Bombers in front of goal that put them on top.

Following round six, there has been a clear hierarchy established in the league, with the Bombers and Shepparton Swans remaining undefeated, with Echuca slotting in third.

The Murray Bombers will have another interesting contest ahead and get a chance to redeem themselves when they hit the road and come up against Mansfield in round seven.